Where does everything we buy come from and where does it go after we are done using it? Is bottled water better than tap water? What is “cap and trade” and can it help us solve climate change?

These simple questions have complex answers, and most people are not familiar with them because they often involve industrial and economic processes kept out of public sight. This is where the Story of Stuff Project comes in:

Annie Leonard and Free Range Studios have made a series of short, action-packed animations illustrating the social, economic, and ecological stories behind complex subjects. Subjects include: The materials economy and people's consumption patterns, manufacturing demand for bottled water, E-waste and designed obsolescence, the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, the inordinate power that corporations exercise in U.S. democracy, the "devils in the details" in current cap and trade proposals, and released today, the broken economy and how to fix it.

Their animations have become more than internet sensations: they are powerful educational tools and seek a to empower the lay person by providing a basic understanding of the inner workings of the economic forces of society and how we can all influence their direction towards a more democratic and sustainable future.

Subtitles in several languages are provided for most movies. Highly recommended!