THE STORY OF STUFF

Annie Leonard traces the creation of objects such as a T-shirt, book, and computer as she questions the "take-make-waste" consumer culture. She's extreme, practically spitting out the word "stuff" as she delivers her own book. When Leonard calls for "zero waste," she means it, and you can hear it in her voice. She mocks recycling programs, saying they don't go far enough, and lauds a referendum to require fair-trade coffee in Berkeley. Leonard also writes and narrates with a sense of humor that will engage listeners and get them thinking, even as she's going into a rant about "insidious PVC." A writer who wants listeners to change their ways, she delivers her case with thought and wit. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]