Lab+4

Write six paragraphs, one on each stage of the 'materials economy', and define its interactions. (6 paragraphs/one stage each paragraph)
 * Tutorial #4 Wiki Question:**


 * Extraction**

Extraction is best described as the gathering of resources such as metal, water and trees to generate products. Annie Leonard believes extraction is disturbing the earth’s natural state of things, describing it as “trashing the planet”. Leonard ensures that extraction is affecting animals, as well as human beings. A number of countries are growing and multiplying in their population size as the years go by, increasing the amount of consumption as well as production. For instance, the U.S. uses approximately 30% of the world’s resources, yet their population is 5% of the world’s total population. Thus, the increase in consumption will result in the increase of extraction.


 * Production**

Production is the next stage of this linear system. Production entails the extraction of raw materials and turning them into a useful commodity. Energy is utilized in such a way to combine materials with toxic chemicals to create toxic contaminated products. Much of these toxic chemicals used have not been tested for health risks. In certain areas of the world, workers are exposed to such harmful chemicals. These areas generally consist of low-cost labour. A number of pollution-causing factories also exist in such areas due to the fact that much of the land cannot be harvested as a result of the large amount of extraction. Although, it is uncertain how exactly this system came to be, many blame the U.S. for situating their factories overseas to avoid polluting their own land. Whatever the case may be, production is surely a stage in the process that causes great damage to the planet.


 * Distribution**

Distribution is the point in the process where the products are transported to the consumers. The idea is to quickly transport products at a low cost while increasing turnover rate. This idea will effectively compensate the amount paid in the Extraction and Production stages – while still generating a profit. Generating a profit is ensured by externalizing costs – asking for a price of a product that is more than the cost of making it. What keeps prices low is using developing countries for production, where labour is cheap and there are no health benefits for workers.


 * Consumption**

The most important stage is consumption because it essentially ensures the entire system cycles continuously. The more people consume, the better off the economy will be as the other points in the system have a purpose. Without the consumption stage, none of the other stages would be intact. Society makes us believe it is crucial for us to have certain products. Yet, if we were to actually consume materials that are only needed for our survival, our planet would not be in the process of getting trashed at the moment. It is the producers who use techniques in media and advertising to fool consumers into believing they absolutely need a specific product. And unfortunately, because of this, 99% of the materials produced in the system are trashed within six months – most likely after the consumer sees that he/she actually does not need that product. Planned obsolescence is when producers consistently alter their products to keep consumers buying them. Perceived obsolescence is persuading people that their product is now obsolete (yet it works perfectly fine) because they should ‘upgrade’ to a better-designed product.


 * Disposal**

Disposal is the final stage where consumers dispose of their old products and purchase new products. The most common – and possibly most harmful - way of disposing a product is through incineration. This method is detrimental to our environment because it releases a large amount of toxic chemicals. In addition, the transfer of this waste into certain areas is also harmful. Recycling is the safest method of disposing products; however, many people do not take the time to do so. Leonard discusses other methods of disposing products that stray away from the traditional linear system and move towards a more circular system. This allows us to reuse the waste produced from the entire process to form new products. By recycling, we protect the earth, the animals as well as ourselves from unsafe chemicals.