Changemaker

Jen Everett first introduced me to Annie Leonard and “The Story of Stuff” Project just about three years ago today.  I have to admit that my initial reaction to her founding video was somewhat mixed.  On the one hand, I was incredibly impressed with her ability to simply incredibly complex information into an compelling argument (and those graphics are fun and funny, too).  On the other, I think that her style is, at times, overly simplistic (e.g. “toxics in, toxics out” doesn’t really present the whole picture).  But despite of that fact that I was somewhat lukewarm about it, I have to say that Annie and the video were incredibly effective at making me think.

Since my initial introduction, I’ve learned a lot more of Leonard and “The Story of Stuff” Project.  I have come to love Annie’s original mission, which is to get more people involved in the sustainability movement.  I recently heard her speak at a Sustainability in Higher Education conference (AASHE) and was really inspired.  It was at this conference where I first heard her talk about the different ways of being an agent of change.  And thought I meant to take the quiz, I have to admit that I forgot about it because of everything else that was going on, and then never really got around to it.

Until today.  I just took the quiz now – twice.  It turns out that I am either a “Networker” or a “Researcher”.  Networkers like to connect people and ideas and form groups that work on problems together.  Researchers (as you might guess) like to really dig into a problem and learn about it.  Considering my style and personality, both of these things seem right to me.  Probably, there are parts of “Nurturer” that would fit as well.  But what I really like about this quiz and the “Story of Change” is the recognition that creating just, clean, happy world we want will take lots of different kinds of people and personalities.  So, it’s ok that my friend and colleague Professor Everett is the type that wants to march in Washington or New York and that I don’t; I’ll stay home and bake the cookies that those hungry protestors will need when they get back!