Lab4


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


 * The Material Economy consists of the following stages:**

It begins with the EXTRACTION stage where natural materials are extracted from the earth and taken into to be used to produce products. It is the primary process of the materials economy and can be referred to as the 'Input stage'. This process has been the major reason for deforestation and the depletion of the earths natural resourced. Annie Leonard tells us that one third of the earths resources have been used up by the human population. Following the primary stage is the PRODUCTION stage. This is the process when the raw material which are extracted in the first stage are used and combined with different forms of energy and toxins and converted into different products.A lot of these toxic chemicals are extremely harmful to which workers are exposed daily without any effective protections and also is depreciating the natural environment. Further, the products that have been produced are transferred on to retailers and wholesalers to reach the consumes as soon as possible so that the process of extraction and production continue flowing because of which these products are usually marked at the lowest price possible so that the products can be quickly sold. Companies aim at externalising cost which means that consumers are not really the ones paying for the products by exploiting natural resources and workers to maximise profit. The fourth stage is the stage of consumption. As the products reach the consumer population, they are continuously consumed. This is the most important stage of the material economy and Annie refers to this as the 'golden stage' as it is what fuels the whole system and compels human beings to continuously purchase and consume new products through different types of obsolescence; planned obsolescence happens when products are designed to go in the garbage immediately after they are purchased so that consumers will throw it out and buy a new one. Perceived obsolescence occurs when consumers dispose perfectly usable products because they are “out-of-date” or have “lost their value” according to the media, like a fashion trend. The last stage is the Disposal stage. All the stages stated above result in some sort of waste and needs to be taken care of somehow. With the increasing population of the world and the drastic increase in consumption and production levels, there are even multiple increases in waste levels. Landfills are dug into the ground and waste is either thrown in directly or burned first and then dumped in. The waste that is burned, releases the toxins into the atmosphere that are added during production which combine with other chemicals in the atmosphere to create “super toxins”. This stage has resulted in uncountable amounts of pollution and deterioration of the natural environment. The waste from the developed nations is also exported to the undeveloped and developing nations for cheap disposal which has effected the natural environments in those countries even more due to improper disposal treatments. Recycling is an option but it is still not a perfect solution as there are very few materials that can be recycled to be reused. Green chemistry, zero waste, closed loop production, renewable energy and local living economies are some alternatives to the materials economy that can make a difference.Green chemistry is the mixing of chemicals together do not pollute the environment, zero waste is to prevent burning or burying of products and reuse all materials to prevent polluting the environment, Closed loop production tries to change the linear system into a closed loop so that the environment and people remain protected along all stages of the materials economy, Local living economies are an initiative to protect people within economies from production and pollution so that they can earn a living, support their families, purchase high-quality, waste-free products, and live within a healthy environment and renewable resources are resources that can be replenished and reused again.