Lab 4

Extraction is one of the first stages of production and this done by extracting natural resources from the earth. Annie Leonard labels this as resource exploitation or in other words thrashing the planet. There is a need of goods but there is an excessive amounts of production taken place this tells us that we are extracting more than we should. Resources are running out and as mentioned in the article that one third of the resources are gone and used up in the past 3 decades. As consumption increases so does the extraction, United States being a major part in this and using more then their share. Developed nations turn their attention to the developing nations then and then further on causing even more damage all around the world.

Production is the next stage in this material economy is when energy is used to mix toxic chemicals with natural resources and this in turn creates contaminated products. Various kinds of chemical are used and very few are tested in relation towards human health. This is a huge problem as everyday we are countering and getting exposed to all sorts of chemicals in products such like our pillows. As long as toxic are used in the production system this signifies that we can so easily get these toxic at our workplace or even at our homes, most importantly our bodies.

Distribution is the next stage in this model when the other two previous steps have taken place. This where the goods are being reached to the customers to consume the products. Often prices are set low so people can keep demanding and purchasing products. There is a problem though the true cost are not being measured for the product and this is also called as externalizing the costs. This means that for instance in developing countries multinational companies pay low and exploit the workers there and those workers are getting exposed to harmful chemicals.

Consumption is one of the most important stages in this cycle. As Annie Leonard mentions it as a golden arrow and its heart of the system. Whatever gets produces in a span of 6months only 1percent remains in sale in North America and the rest is thrashed. This tells us the enormous wastage being done. In a span of 50 years the consumption has doubled in the United States as this world is leading to consumption and materialistic world. Annie Leonard makes a very interesting point as she says our prime identity is becomes as a consumer not teachers or mothers but consumers. Planned obsolescence is when the products are designed to be useless as soon as possible so that we can throw away them and go swiftly to the purchase. Perceived obsolescence is where advertisement is used to persuade customers to throw away their products which in fact are perfectly useful. These are the two techniques in which products are specifically designed in which we consume.

Disposal is the last stage of this materials economy in which products which are of no use or certain garbage which has to be thrown out. With so much production and consumption taking place its natural the amount of garbage to be disposed of will increase and it has substantially to almost double in the past 4 decades. The disposal in turn is damaging the air, land, water and this further on is having dramatic climatic changes and damaging it. So not only the natural resources are being used up but are being destroyed without even its use cause of climatic changes and this is an issue which is being taken very lightly.

These are the 5stages of the materials economy in which it is a linear system and has its issues as there is scarcity in natural resources. Its a flow of system which is dependent with each other. There are other ways to it as Annie Leonard stresses about as to come to some kind of an end to this or be careful and change peoples perception in the consumer life. There is unnecessary consumption and too much waste all around the planet and it has to be addressed as this is a vicious cycle which is in desperate help.