Aesthetic obsolescence was very interesting to me. We make something and expect everyone to buy it, but in a couple years it will be obsolete. In merchandising, I follow and observe all the new trends that come around. Its amazing to me how much clothes go to waste each season. Leyla talked a lot about green materials are not completely necessary because the materials we are using now are doing fine, it’s just about how much of the material we are producing. Poverty and not be sustainable, to me, should not be related. If anything, it should be the rich being unsustainable. We are asking the poor to recognize and get motivated to solve their problems, when the people in the upper classes refuse to recognize what their problems are. Merchandising and sustainability go hand in hand. The merchandisers are selling the loads and loads of clothes that end up in landfills. I understand needing to make money for ones self but maybe we should promote better buying techniques for the people and the earth. I am learning how to connect obesity with fashion merchandising. I know that brands like Nike are starting to make their sizes larger. My mom went from wearing S to XS because the fit of the small shorts was too baggy. We compared the size of her other shorts to the new smalls and they were significantly larger. I am now going to have to get kid sizes in shorts, so I can fit into Nike’s new sizing. The story of stuff opened my eyes to what all consumerism does to us. we waste, we over buy, and we don’t appreciate the things we buy. Its astonishing to see how much stuff is wasted per year. sustainability has been an interesting experience. I have caught myself noticing all the recycle bins around campus more than I did before. I don’t throw away my plastic bags anymore. I am constantly thinking about how I can help the world.