The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health—and a Vision for Change

What is systems thinking? How does this theory function in Leonard’s argument?

Paradigms are a key part of Leonard’s analysis. Compare and contrast a paradigm in your life to an opposing paradigm to assess how paradigms unconsciously shape our worldview. Examples of paradigms could include capitalism, environmentalism, feminism, or anti-racism. 

Describe the environmental justice movement and analyze how it differs from earlier forms of environmentalism.

Change happens on three different levels: individual choices, corporate social responsibility, and government regulation. Compare and contrast the effectiveness of change in these different segments using specific examples from The Story of Stuff. 

Leonard uses personal anecdotes from her childhood, her work, her community in Berkeley, and her family. Analyze how first-person storytelling functions in the text. Is it effective?

Describe and critically analyze the role corporations play in the materials economy.

Using one object or consumer good, outline each stage of the materials economy and describe how each step produces the final object. 

As a case study, chose one object that you use daily. How does the price of the object differ from the cost? What externalized costs does the object have? Consider the social, environmental, and economic cost.