Category Archives: The Stuff of Consumer Culture

How Pixar’s ‘Wall-E’ Predicts the Future

WALL-E, a Pixar animated film, provides a warning for mindless consumerism and excessive waste.

How Money Is Made

Did you ever wonder how money is made? Browse this photo essay and watch the short video to see firsthand what making 25 million dollars a day looks like!

Edible Cutlery

An Indian entrepreneur saw a way for a common consumer product to make the world a better place. Watch the promotional film to see how his idea was put into action and learn more about his success.

Conscious consumerism is a lie. Here’s a better way to help save the world

Click here to learn why eco-friendly isn’t always the best choice, and learn ways you can inspire real environmental change.

Global consumers are willing to put their money where their heart is

The choices we make when we shop can have a big impact on our world. Read about some positive developments driven by people’s shopping decisions.

Is Amazon’s New Store Really The Future Of Grocery Shopping?

What does a reimagined grocery store look like? Amazon, a name not associated with grocery stores up to now, opened “Amazon Go” in Seattle in January!
Would you like this new 21st century shopping experience?

Some Reflections on ‘My Year of No Shopping’

You might be surprised by what you will find stashed away in cabinets and cupboards! Ann Patchett discovered the effect of shopping for only essential items for a whole year. And, this article is a reflection by another writer on Anne’s essay. How do you think you might feel about taking on such a frugal challenge?

The Perfect Statement On Holiday Consumerism: A $500 Cardboard Box

A recycled cardboard box for Christmas? Ad agencies created this gift which they say will stimulate creativity but also help raise funds for two charitable causes. Read about it here.

Fall Seed Saving Tips

The seed for the Edible Schoolyard Project was sown 20 years ago at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California! The concept is that the garden is an interactive classroom. Read this article from the ESY about collecting seeds in the Fall.

5 Ways “Tech Addiction” Is Changing Human Behaviour

What are your thoughts on living in a constantly plugged-in world with a digital device always close to hand? What are the benefits and drawbacks?

1950’s Car Culture

How did cars become such a big deal in the United States? Watch this video to learn about the ways in which car culture reshaped a nation.

The Hidden Beauty of a Walmart Store

Artist, Brendan O’Connell talks about his fascination with Walmart Stores and its shoppers, as a subject for his impressionist paintings.

When Did Shopping Become a Leisure Activity?

Browsing through clothes rails, whether physically or virtually, is a pursuit of leisure that we probably rarely question. But, here’s an interesting, short insight that discusses when and how shopping changed from a practical job to a leisure activity enjoyed by most.

Product Placement Can Be A Lot More Powerful Than We Realize

Discover the powerful means by which product placement subtly directs us to prefer and choose brands.

Is There A Genetic Basis to Online Media Consumption?

With so much information at our fingertips have we a choice in what we view and consume?

Three shirts, four pairs of trousers: meet Japan’s ‘hardcore’ minimalists

How important are your belongings and could you live with just what you actually need, rather than what you want? Do you think a minimalist life is for you?

Berlin Duo Launch a Supermarket With No Packaging

Are you sometimes drawn to certain food products because of the flashy packaging? How would you feel about shopping in a store with zero packaging, selecting food based on the quantity you need and paying by the weight of goods?