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the U.S. delegation routinely blocks progress toward binding environmental agreements. In order to achieve real solutions to our global environmental threats and to begin a new era of U.S. environmental leadership and cooperation after years of embarrassing obstructionism, our government simply must start enthusiastically promoting environmental solutions in international settings. There’s no time to stall—especially on the climate front. Write to your elected representatives urging strong action to reduce carbon emissions. Then, since the climate crisis calls for more than letter writing, visit www.350.org, www.1Sky.org, and Climate Justice Now (www.climate-justice-now.org) for further action ideas.

2. Join international solidarity campaigns led by communities, trade unions, and environmentalists who ask for support in their work against corporations engaged in destructive extraction, production, or disposal practices, especially when those corporations are from our home countries. Such campaigns—like sanctions against apartheid in South Africa and the Burmese junta or the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal—are a vital tool for promoting corporate accountability, improving industrial operations, increasing local involvement in decision making, supporting broader eco-social improvement, and strengthening international solidarity.

APPENDIX 2

RECOMMENDED INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS

I always resist offering ten easy things individuals can do that will save the planet, because as I’ve explained, there are no ten easy things that will save the planet. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t bother with being responsible and smart in our actions at the individual and household level. There are things we can do to lessen environmental health impacts on our families and workers. These actions can also reduce our ecological footprint a bit. So, yes, we should engage in these actions, as long as we don’t let them either lull us into a false sense of accomplishment or let the effort of maintaining this constant, uptight, rigorous green screen on our lifestyle exhaust us. In other words, as long as taking these actions doesn’t stand in the way of your engaging in the broader political arena for real change, knock yourself out.

There’s an abundance of guides on how to live a greener life. This book is not one of them. Yet, since so many Story of Stuff viewers have asked for specific suggestions, I’ll share what I do. This isn’t a comprehensive list, and it’s not in any particular order, but it’s a good place to start and includes suggestions for additional resources.

AT HOME

1. Avoid products that leach toxics into our food, bodies, or homes. If you’re not sure if a product contains these hazardous chemicals, call the customer service number on the package. If they can’t confirm it’s toxic free, don’t buy it. Check GoodGuide.com for information on the toxic chemicals present in thousands of specific products. And if you want to study the latest science on these toxic chemicals, check out the invaluable resources at Environmental Health News: www.environmentalhealthnews.org.

Some prime offenders:

Teflon nonstick pans: the nonstick Stuff is polytetrafluoroethylene which, when heated—as pans often are—releases toxic gasses linked to cancer, organ failure, reproductive damage, and other harmful health effects.

PVC toys, PVC shower curtains, PVC food wrap, PVC anything—PVC is the most hazardous plastic at all stages of its lifecycle: production, use, and disposal. Don’t bring it into your home. To learn more about PVC, visit www.besafenet.com/pvc/.

Mattresses, pillows, couches, or other furniture treated with polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), a supertoxic chemical linked to liver, thyroid, and neurodevelopmental toxicity. If the label says “treated for flame resistance,” beware. To learn more about flame retardants, see www.cleanproduction.org and www.greensciencepolicy.org. The Washington Toxics Coalition’s Green Guide on PBDEs explains how to avoid toxic flame retardants in consumer products and is available online at www.watoxics.org/files/GreenProductGuide.pdf.