The Cost of Cool: Youth, Consumption & the Environment

I'm an American. When I'm happy, I shop. When I'm depressed, I shop. When I know that tomorrow is pay day and I'll have the funds to buy that adorable (but completely unnecessary) red miniskirt, I shop. Unfortunately, there's a price to be paid beyond the cash register for massive consumption: the excess and resulting castoffs of our throwaway society are taking a heavy toll on our planet, particular in the U.S., where 5% of the world's population consumes a whopping 25% of the world's resources. "If every person alive today lived like we do," says The Cost of Cool's host, Baywatch star Alexandra Paul, "we would need three Earths to provide the resources." Aimed at young people, the program looks at some very common items--such as t-shirts--tracking the widespread effect of their manufacture on Earth's resources, and encourages viewers to think twice about what's important (do we really need eight different shades of lipstick?). Teens are asked to examine their own buying patterns, think of ways they can enjoy a high-quality lifestyle without consuming as much, and are reminded that we all need to act quickly. "Whether the population is 1 billion, 6 billion, or 12 billion there is never going to be anymore space than this"--and available resources will decline. A terrific wake-up call for young adults (who will hopefully share what they've learned with their parents), this is highly recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (J. Asala)