LAB+WEEK+4+MATERIALS+ECONOMY

Leonard defines the ‘materials economy’ in five stages that work together, and need consumers as fuel to continue it. Extraction and production are the process involved in making the product. Natural resources are extracted, and with energy, mixed with man-made resources to make products for consumers to purchase, at the expense of the environment (with the pollution released in the production process). The next stages, distribution and consumption, are involved in the purchase of the product. In distribution, the products are transported to the various stores that demand them (the consumers), who in turn become suppliers for the people who last consume the product by picking it off the shelf and buying it. The price paid for the product, however, is determined by the first two stages Leonard discusses. It is what the consumer judges the value of the product on: the more expensive, the higher the quality. Lastly, she discusses disposal and how the rate has increased over time. The reason it has increased over time is because the products consumed are made with less and less quality, to increase quantity i.e. sales, and help companies make more money faster (which is the ultimate goal). Leonard discusses ways one can reduce their disposal rate and impact through being more frugal with product use and purchases, and by recycling often (and properly). Ultimately though, the consumer can do so much. The producer should find ways to use products that will help save natural resources, energy, man-power, and lessen planet pollution.
 * 1. Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describes its interactions. **


 * 2. Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. (One paragraph for each term) **
 * Extraction:** This is the first stage and it involves using natural resources. As Leonard states, ‘natural resource exploitation’; abusing the planet’s natural resources. This includes chopping down trees, blowing up mountains to get the metals inside, and using up water destroying animals’ habitats. In the past three decades alone, one-third of the planet’s natural resources base have been consumed. As per the statistics Leonard has listed, if every country consumed at U.S. rates, we would need 3 to 5 planets to sustain the resources. To make up for loss of resources, the U.S. goes to other countries i.e. third world countries, and uses the natural resources there. In the Amazon alone, we’re losing 2000 trees a minute. That is seven football fields a minute. In this materials economy, Leonard has come to the conclusion that the U.S. thinks if one doesn’t own or buy a lot of stuff; one doesn’t have value, and thus no say in extraction of their home resources.
 * Production** Second stage involves using energy to mix natural resources with man-made resources to create products. As Leonard states, ‘use energy to mix toxic chemicals in with the natural resources to make toxic contaminated products.’ We aren’t aware of the full affect of these toxics on our population. However, if toxics are used to make the products, the products will release them eventually back into our environment, and eventually to us. The erosion of local environments and economies here ensures a constant supply of people with no other option. With the economy being how it is, people are looking for work, no matter how toxic that work may be. Therefore, not only are the resources being wasted, but people as well through ingesting these toxins. Products, the byproducts of these products, and general pollution released into the atmosphere in the process, all contribute to the toxins ingested. In attempt to decrease the amount of toxins the U.S. ingests, they move the factory work overseas.
 * Distribution:** This is the third stage, basically, selling the products. The goal is cheaper prices for higher demand and consumption. To keep prices down, the store workers don’t make much money and are sparing with health insurance. In externalizing the costs of production, the consumer's costs decrease at the expense of the people in the factories; in their health, education and future.
 * Consumption:** This involves purchasing products advertised and displayed to us in media and stores respectively. People shop to keep the materials flowing. The average lifespan of a product before disposal, in the U.S. is between zero and six months 44 . Two of the economy’s most effective strategies are planned obsolescence 48 and perceived obsolescence. 49 Planned obsolescence is another word for “designed for the dump.” 50 ; designing products to be disposed and replaced quickly and often. On the other hand, perceived obsolescence convinces us to throw away stuff that is still perfectly useful. They change the way things look, and if one doesn’t own this ‘new product’ then they are of a lesser status than their peers who do. As a result, are seen as lesser, and feel pressured to buy the new product. Fashion is a perfect example of this, with styles ‘changing’ from year to year. Things go in and out of style always, and the only way for one to avoid the confusion and fluctuating status is to stick to the classic styles, ones that will always be in style. **Disposal:** This last stage is getting rid of the products we use. Most of the things we consume end up in the garbage. One thing to reduce garbage is to recycle. However, it isn’t enough, as Leonard states, “for a couple reasons: First, the waste coming out of our houses is just the tip of the iceberg. For every one garbage can of waste you put out on the curb, 70 garbage cans of waste were made upstream just to make the junk in that one garbage can you put out on the curb. 78 So even if we could recycle 100 percent of the waste coming out of our households, it doesn’t get to the core of the problem. Also much of the garbage can’t be recycled, either because it contains too many toxics or it is actually designed NOT to be recyclable in the first place. Like those juice packs with layers of metal and paper and plastic all squished together. You can never separate those for true recycling. 79 ” The only way is for everyone collectively to not succumb to the planned and perceived obsolescence, buy products that aren’t so wasteful, and recycle.

Leonard starts off with the main idea, the basis of the materials economy: externalized costs. She defines this by stating that “the real costs of making stuff aren’t captured in the price. In other words, we aren’t paying for the stuff we buy.” She organizes the categories discussed in her article “The Story about Stuff”. She begins questioning the cost of the radio she’s buying, making connections of how all the parts of the radio are from different parts of the world, and then assembled in yet another place. This segment of the clip would be her describing the extraction and production processes. She then rationalizes that the five dollars she paid for the radio wouldn’t cover the ‘rented shelf space’, the commission of the salesman, which is part of the distribution and consumption stages discussed in her “Story about stuff” article.
 * 3. How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising 'the materials economy' in its interface design? **