The famous video by Annie Leonard which grabbed enormous attention by the people has now in the book form. The documentary which is of 20 minutes of length was released in 2007 and just stunned the people.
The people who admired the meticulous work by Annie Leonard are very excited on this news that she has explored the topic in much detail in the book form. Obviously, a video has its own advantages and disadvantages. Visual documentary sensitized the issue more effectively and laid a ground work for the issue. The book will complement the video and give more facts and figures in great detail.
The book comprises 300 pages and covers every dimension of the “stuff” or material: how it is produced, extracted, distributed and consumed and finally dumped at different phases of economic system based on materialism and consumerism. The main theme of the book revolves around the same basic message that developed nations are producing unnecessary products and the menace of consumerism is becoming a contagion catching the whole world.
She demarcates a thin line between the “real development” and “consumerism” and suggests that consumerism in no way can be called development. She identifies real contributors of real development such as garment manufacturers in Haiti and the factions in Nigeria who are becoming a barrier in drawing out oil.
Now a valid question arises why Annie Leonard felt the need of writing the book when she had already made a sensational video on the same topic. She explained that a huge number of emails made her realize that there are a large number of viewers who are anxious and curious about the dimensions which could not be shown in detail in the video. The book not only compliments the video but also provide additional untouched dimensions of consumerism and its negative impact on the planet earth.