Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-302) and index.

A word about words -- Extraction -- Production -- Distribution -- Consumption -- Disposal -- Writing the new story -- Examples of promising policies, reforms, and laws -- Recommended individual actions -- Sample letter to PVC retailers, manufacturers, and lobbyists -- How we made this book. The director of The Story of Stuff Project tracks the life of the "stuff" we use every day, transforming how we think about our patterns of consumption. This book is based on the author's 2007 internet film, "The Story of stuff." "With just 5 percent of the world's population, [the U.S.] is consuming 30 percent of the world's resources and creating 30 percent of the world's waste."--Jacket.