Many commodity producers and most consumers remain unaware of the environmental impacts associated with common products such as paper and cell phones.

For example, in addition to the environmental concerns caused by the disposal of paper waste, the production of paper and paper products can have serious impacts on human and environmental health. Likewise, the toxic substances contained in cell phones pose threats to human and environmental health because they can be released when these products are sent to landfills, burned in incinerators, or recycled improperly.

“The Waste Trilogy” is a series of short films that trace the environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of some of the world’s most ubiquitous products—paper, cell phones, and jeans and t-shirts. Each film looks at its subject product from design and material specification through resource extraction, manufacture, and distribution to final disposition in the waste stream. Each also identifies stages in the lifecycle when interventions can or have been made to extend the product’s utility through design for recovery, reuse, or recycling innovations or through lease-vs.-sale business models.

When published on our website, YouTube, and other interactive media, the Trilogy will:

educate producers and consumers about the need and opportunities to evaluate their production and consumption of these products

offer an action agenda that includes tips to help producers modify their design and production practices and to help consumers modify their consumption habits

convey information about current innovative efforts to make these products more environmentally sustainable.