Annie Leonard and the fabulous “Story of Stuff” team explains the “Story of Broke”.

“Sustainable development requires that we produce and consume less stuff, whereas our economy requires that we produce and consume more stuff. It’s that simple: Something is either sustainable or good for our economy. In other words: Our current economic system is the natural enemy of sustainability.”

I hope I’m right assuming that more and more people are convinced as well, that our current model has no future.
In my opinion, profit maximization is the key problem of all the destructive developments we’re facing right now, whether it’s the financial crisis, environmental pollution, riots or even war.

So what does this mean for the requirements of marketing, advertising and the communication business? What are the true, necessary values to communicate?

If a communication service shouldn’t motivate to buy more, but to buy less and more efficient, doesn’t a communication agency then has to be a public, non-profit service financed by donations? Why doesn’t anybody found an entertaining, intelligent and ethical consumer-service instead of a corporations service? Which means, you would’t get hired! Instead you choose the products and services, or much better: the BEHAVIOURS yourself, which you would like to promote!

Since marketing strategies actually do have the ability to change peoples’ behaviors, they can be very powerful. So where are the marketers willing to be more responsible with their expertise?

I’m a media producer myself, often being involved in some kind of selling assists. I’m doing it for the money and it surely doesn’t make me happy. But information is always important, we just have to define which information is really important and necessary, and then I’ll be glad to nicely wrap it up into something beautiful again.

I would very much appreciate critique, answers, comments and new questions from everybody interested, to achieve a constructive discussion. My aim is to define principles for an organisation, in which everybody can participate, who agrees on these principles.

Thanks a lot,
Daniel.

Find this – and lots of more stuff – on the website of the legendary http://www.storyofstuff.org

You really think we have sustainable airports, sustainable hairspray, sustainable cars, sustainable nuclear power? Think again. This is all bullshit. Same applies to most half-hearted green claims in our industry. They are boring and they are not true.

To us, the protest movement “Occupy” has a lot to do with sustainability. We believe that it’s about time to speed up sustainable development. It’s time for a change. Let’s speak the truth.