Lab+Four


 * CCT333**

Lab Four – Story of Stuff

**1) Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describes its interactions.**




 * **Annie Leonard’s System of Materials’s Economy** ||  ||
 * The Materials Economy is defined as a linear system that explains the process underlying the concept of material ownership. It is described as a path that entails five segments that are listed below. These segments include the process of how individuals get their ‘stuff’ and what happens with it at the end of usage. She emphasizes how individuals do not pay attention to how the process works. The main issue is that there is a problem with the way we consume and recycle things, and how the resources are not being used efficiently hence leading to the reduction of planet’s resources. The way that we are using resources now, there will be no more resources left to use in the near future since we are exploiting ‘natural’ resources. The resources are not only being wasted along the system, but the community, their health and so. She explained the system as linear that started from extraction. Extracting materials from the earth was used to produce materials that could be sold to the big box stores at a low price and then be disposes so the consumption cycle could keep on repeating.Anne explains how products are specifically designed in ways that they have to be thrown out in a short period of time. Only one percent of the products actually still remain with us ( the consumers). As a member of the society, it is natural to assume that the government will take all actions for our best interests. Instead, they designed the economy in a way where there was a boom in the market after World War II.

Another ironic example is given about how George Bush reacted to the devastating 9/11 incident. He insisted that people go out and shop instead of grieving, praying over the event that struck many members of the country. Hence, governments and corporations do have us targeting as their consumer but solely to accomplish their goal i.e. to sell. Their actions are not concerning their consumers interests but their own interest.Furthermore, in the consumption process, an important strategy that corporations use to get consumers so enthusiastic about their products is planned and perceived obsolescence. Planned obsolescence starts at the stage of production when the products are designed to be used as quickly as possible so they can end up in the garbage without considering its long-term effects of disposal in our environment. Perceived obsolescence is when the market participates in manipulating the consumer subconsciously with the effective use of media and advertising.

The consumer feel as if they need to change their product due to its shape, colour hence they will participate once again in the materials economy cycle. For example, the norm of the society is becoming for everyone to own a laptop, which is placing more emphasis on purchasing laptops. Media and advertising collaborate and make the consumer feel that they need to have a gadget like that with them virtually anywhere they go. They define having a PC being “slow” and not up to date. Essentially, the material economy linear system could possibly lead to a lineated environment if producers, distributors and consumers participate in some changes in order to realize the critical effect of this process. The possible solution suggested by Leonard is to create a system that is finite for our finite planet, which can be achieved through using everything, that is recyclable with low emissions and increase usage of stuff that is biodegradable. ||


 * 2) Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. **

||
 * ** Extraction ** || This is when natural resources are ‘extracted’ i.e. when they are gathered. She emphasizes that natural resources are ‘finite’ however they are being extracted in ways that this planet exists with infinite resources which leads to improper usage. She defines this segment of the process as a fancy work for ‘trashing the planet’. She uses specific examples as to how we are removing water, plants, animals, coal which points the start of the materials economy that leads to producing material goods for us consumers. It is imperative to consider that one thirds of the planet’s natural resources has been consumed already. Furthermore, those natural resources are used extensively by specific nations than others hence we are using more than our share. Also, what countries such as the U.S. are doing is that since they are running out of resources, they go take some other countries’ share. Leonard describes this time as the ‘third world’, when our stuff somehow gets into someone else’s land. ||
 * ** Production ** || This process takes those raw materials gathered from extraction and produces them into goods into purchasable goods. We use energy to make the products and simultaneously those products are produced with the toxic chemicals that can be very harmful to our body. This relates to the concept she defines as “Toxic in, Toxic Out”, therefore until the toxics are present in the production system, those toxics will still exist in our homes, workplaces and ultimately in our bodies. These toxics are in our computers, furniture, and even some pillow so we are in taking these toxics on a regular basis in our lives. They have also reached to the top of our food chain (i.e. human breast milk) with highest levels, which is leading to our newborn babies being introduced to these toxics at such a young age. Furthermore, in this process, people who bear the brunt of the toxic chemicals the most are factory workers, which include women that are pregnant. What corporations have started doing is instead of polluting their own countries, they are moving the dirty factory overseas: “Polluting someone else’s land”, however the pollution still exist in those countries since it is carried back by wind currents. ||
 * ** Distribution ** || This process in Materials Economy is where the produced goods are distributed to stores to sell. The stores are comprised of goods that are sold at the lowest possible cost since the companies producing those products externalize their costs. The prime goal is to sell quickly and low cost products. For example, when one goes to Wal-Mart, their logo is quite evident which states “Always low prices”. Now, one might wonder how Wal-Mart remains to keep their process lower than other corporations at all times. Wal-Mart distributors are paid minimum wage, and Wal-Mart tries to especially find suppliers that do not demand much as well to keep their costs low. The stores are reducing expenses such as costs to pay to suppliers, employees to keep their business running with lowest price for products in the industry, hence what we pay for a product does not reflect its true cost since those production costs are externalized. Consequently, there is a large amount of loss of earth’s resources which is caused by individuals who work with these toxic materials in the manufacturing outlets, and lest not forget, the exploitation of those workers. ||
 * **Consumption** || Consumption is the ‘heart’ of the ‘Materials Economy’ cycle, which is what drives the economy. Companies and governments are solely trying to keep their business running and getting consumers to shop more and more. Leonard explains how we as individuals are identified as “consumers”. How much we use, how much we consume leads to our integral value. It is mandatory that these consumers are consuming on regular basis so more merchandise can be extracted, produced, distributed in order for this cycle to run continually. We not only consume twice as much as we used to fifty ears ago, we utilize only 1% of what we consumer within six months, and hence 99% of the stuff is trashed. The need for consumption is built into us (as consumers), and that is the very reason why we consume products on a regular basis. For example, if I bought an ipod four years ago, it would have been outdated by this year since it would lack those extra features that one ‘needs’ to have in their ipod (found in the current update of the product) in order to be a part of the ‘norm of our society’. Companies target us to buy those new products through using the media and advertisements, which are very influential to us since it is the norm that we should all be following. ||
 * **Disposal** || Disposal is the last step in the Materials Economy system. In this step, the disposal of the products that have been consumed turns into ‘garbage’. They are thrown out either due to their not working anymore, or because they become obsolete. The thrown out stuff either goes to a landfill or gets burned with the toxic chemicals that pollutes the earth. The toxins that were produced in the production stage are now released as new super toxins, which are harmful to the environment. Leonard points out that companies now do not want to deal with building landfill and incinerators, so instead they are exporting the disposal as well. She did suggest that recycling does help but it would not be enough so the best solution would be to develop degradable materials from the first stage.


 * 3) How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising 'the materials economy' in its interface design? (2 paragraphs) **




 * Leonard has effectively organized the categories in a way where the viewer is provided with examples with detailed information and the graphics that are very relevant and helpful. The presentation is simple and the way that she presents the material is insightful. Her tone of voice changes as she speaks instead of being monotone, which would bore the viewers even in regards to an interesting topic like this. The interface of the presentation is interactive and easy to use. There is always an overheard menu shown which indicates each of the cycle’s steps so it is be easier for the viewer to follow along. In her flash presentation, the overhead menus remained on the top, which allows the user to relate back to them during the course of the presentation. They included options such as ‘play chapter’ where one can actually view that specific segment and the ‘learn more’ option that includes a brief summary.

The presentation is chronological hence the ideas and steps make sense as it progresses. The drawings that have been used are not complicated figures and aids in the understanding of the presented material. The choice of background is simple, since white and black colour contrast is vision-friendly. It actually resembles a word document where when one is typing so it is easy to read, view, edit or so due to the interface of the Microsoft word application. The real life examples provided allows viewers to be more engaged since they can relate to them and even grasp information that they might later on want to research more about. The use of simple drawings is the ones that we can relate to. Since the drawings are animated, it is more interactive. All in all, it is a small cartoon film, yet an informative one ||

**My Opinion:** I enjoyed this video since it is was very informative. I found another video which is a critique of the story of stuff presentation. It has "some" interesting points. Watch below if interested.

media type="youtube" key="c5uJgG05xUY" height="151" width="256"
 * Part ONE **


 * Part TWO **

media type="youtube" key="zZzHU3ZfTtY" height="151" width="256"


 * Part THREE **

media type="youtube" key="AgLrZc7cws8" height="151" width="256"


 * Part FOUR **

media type="youtube" key="8XeW5ilk-9Y" height="149" width="256"