Watch the 'Story of Stuff' online

Have you ever wondered where all of your stuff comes from? Annie Leonard knows, and she put together a video explaining the whole process:

"The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever."

Ready to tackle the stuff in your life? Browse the Conscious Consumer Marketplace and Better World Shopper guide to find products that help people and the planet. When it's time to clear out the clutter, use the Freecycle network to find someone in your town who can give your stuff a second life. If you're ready to cut down on purchases altogether, consider making a resolution to "buy nothing new" and support your local economy in other ways by joining a Compact community in your area.

Enjoy the Story of Stuff video and talk it over with your family and friends. Where did your conversations lead? Looking around your home, which types of stuff just get in the way and which items are essential to your lifestyle?

Bring my own grocery bags for 21 days

According to reusablebags.com, one million plastic bags are used each minute across the globe. That's 60,000,000 bags per hour. It's hard to imagine! Aside from stragglers caught in trees or blowing down the street, where do all of those bags wind up when we're done with them?

One pile of plastic bags took a break from blowing in the wind to testify in front of the Santa Monica City Council. Hear what he had to say:




With the debate over paper vs. plastic picking up steam, cities from San Francisco to Paris are charging extra for the use of plastic shopping bags or banning them altogether. Both types of disposable totes have their disadvantages, so why not switch to reusable bags? It's cheaper and more convenient to find your own shopping totes around the house, but if you must buy new ones, try these collapsible bags from Envirosax. They even come with a free shower timer to help you keep a lid on your water bill.

We've heard that it takes 21 days to kickstart a new habit, so try hauling in style for the next three weeks and see if the practice becomes automatic. Take it a step further and ask your favorite retailer to offer a cash credit to shoppers who bring their own bags.

What's in your bag? Show off the results of your latest shopping trip using reusable totes on our Flickr photo pool.

Make my office a cleaner, greener place to work

Most of us spend at least 1/3 of our day at work, where we're surrounded by copy machines, reams of paper, and free snacks (if we're lucky). Is your office working towards an environment that supports happy workers and a happy planet, or is there some room for improvement?

Earth 911 offers a terrific business guide to getting started on green initiatives. For ideas on manageable projects, The Good Human shares his top 10 tips to get the ball rolling at the office. One of the most effective and efficient places to start is with your company's purchasing practices, so share the Responsible Purchasing Network's handy guides with staffers who make the final buying decisions.

Looking for success stories to rally the team? Explore Net Impact's list of inspiring case studies from companies like Accenture and Intel Capital.

How will you make 8 hours of your day a little cleaner and greener? Post your ideas below and keep us updated on your progress!