"Being the Change" is good, but also "Making the Change" is critical!

In early 2008 a co-worker sent me and email with the link to the Story of Stuff. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute animated film of the consumerist society we live in, narrated by Annie Leonard (I love her, by the way!!!). I finally had found the explanation to what I was looking for.

Although I've always tried to be Eco-conscious (recycling paper, not littering, turning off the lights when I'm not in the room, etc.), watching this short film showed me there is more to being Eco-conscious. Our environment is at stake and that there is MORE I can do to save the planet.

The Story of Stuff has been a catalyst to my being conscious of everything I do and consume (or most things, I should say, because I know I need improvements)! It helped me open my eyes to our materialistic society. This is why I the vast majority of times I do not follow trends or am easily influenced by ads to shop, shop, shop. The corporations in the U.S. mass produce everything and we citizens waste so much. For example, the U.S. is only 5% of the world's population, but we use up 30% of the world's resources! How ridiculous is that?! This could very well be the reason why our health and happiness is declining as a nation. We are huge consumers of all kinds of stuff! We think we need more, we are always wanting more and yet when we get all stuff we are still not satisfied! Since  watching the film, I've become more aware of the impact I have on our beautiful planet.  I've changed my ways very much since then and my idea of "GreenBea" came about.

Today I received an email from the Story of Stuff Project Staff and it read something like this:

"Over the next several months, we'll be making a new movie and piloting a series of programs to help the 400,000 members of the Story of Stuff Community flex their citizen muscles, including an online Boot Camp for up-and-coming changemakers."

The story of Stuff Project Staff (the Staff) is working on a new project to bring people together to make change! I clicked on the film below and was inspired, recharged with energy, it was so motivating! You have to check it out, please do!

I've always tried to live by Gandhi's words: "Be the change you want to see in the world." But after watching the Story of Change it made sense to me that an improvement to this belief I live by needs modification. It no longer is enough to just "be the change", but we have to "MAKE the change".


I filled out the survey they requested to provide feedback to help the Staff plan the next steps of the Project. Then, I took a quiz to find out my change-maker personality I am and I learned that I am a COMMUNICATOR! I can use my public speaking, presentation, and organizing skills (and even my strong networking skills) to make change happen! How super exciting is that???!!! :D

I am so eager to hear back from the Staff about the next steps! I love being part of a community of like-minded people who are advocates, truth seekers and creators of change. I am ready to continue flexing my citizen muscles!

Love, Joy, Peace and Health,

BeaGreen