Lab+4

How Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describes its interactions.

Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' through the stages of extraction to production to distribution to consumption. Annie explores the real costs of each of those stages. In each of the stage, its effect on the environment, health and worker are being examined. Also, the influence of globalization to the 'materials economy' is also stated.
 * __Materials Economy__**

In each of the stage, Annie examines how the developed countries are being benefited and how the developing countries are being oppressed in the process of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. Due to globalization, the developed countries transfer the unfavorable processes that release toxic chemicals to the developing countries. In the developing countries, the cost of labour, construction and the abundance of land attract the big business to move their production line to the poor countries.

The interactions of the processes show one affect one another. Through the interactions, the audiences also see that it is impossible to improve one step without considering the other ones. The chain of the 'materials economy' shows the very beginning of how a product is produced to how a product is being dumped at the very end.

Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal.

The earth's resources such as fossil fuel, water, wood etc... to produce stuffs that fulfill our material economy. The process of extraction damages our environment because we are extracting too much. The earth cannot renew the resources at the speed that we extract them. This results in climate change, water and air pollution that affect our health and living. During extraction, toxic and other air pollutants are released which cause respiratory and other diseases that affect our bodies. The lives of workers in the extraction industry are also threatened because extraction is dangerous and affect their health. Due to globalization, the majority of extraction workers come from third world countries while the owners of the extraction companies come from first world countries. This increases the inequality and exploitation of these workers. The remedy for extraction would be inventing more renewable resources and use sustainable forestry.
 * __Extraction__**

Our stuffs are produced with the resources that we extract and plus energy and toxic chemicals that producers add. The toxic used during production are harmful for human and the environment. In the U.S, over 4 billion pounds of chemical toxic are released during the stage of production. Massive pollution is made. The pollutants and toxic exist everywhere and affect our bodies. New born babies are also infected from their mothers. Factory workers are mainly consists of people in developing countries. There are more women than men who work as a factory worker, as a result, the toxic can affect the baby during pregnancy. Also, companies are looking for workers who cost lower wages and less rights to cut their cost of production. These workers are being exploited due to capitalism. If products can be more durable and less wasteful, less products are needed to produce. Also, renewable energy and non-toxic chemicals should be used to protect the human health and the environment.
 * __Production__**

Distribution is the transportation and selling routes of the mass products. The key is to sell as much products as possible while limiting the production cost as low as possible. Products are distributed all over the world by ships, airplanes, trucks which produce greenhouse gases that affect the environment. Also, the distribution locations such as malls have high consumption of lightning, air-conditioning etc...that again produce pollutants. Store and distribution workers are being exploited with low wages, little benefits and long working hours. Workers are stressful and unhealthy due to the working conditions. Also, the business of local stores are being affected by international chains and big shopping malls which own by wealthier people. Due to globalization, products are made everywhere and it becomes hard to track the process of the production. Also, products are not equally distributed over the world and it is hard to keep track of the problems. Fair trade and supporting local produces can improve the problems of distribution.
 * __Distribution__**

Due to political and institutional forces, consumers do not have a choice in what to buy. In order to improve the inequality in consumption, consumers have to hold responsibilities in being a citizen to fight for their consumption rights rather than being a mere consumer. Over consumption affect the environment because the more people consume, the resources are needed to extract and more stuffs are needed to produce and distribute. Consumption not only expose us to toxic and chemicals, it also causes us to work more to have sufficient money to shop more. Long working hours make us stressful and unhappy. Overall, shopping does not make us happier. As people consume more, workers have to work for longer hours to produce more goods for people to consume. It also decrease the workers' satisfaction for life and be more stressful. U.S is polluting developing countries' environment by exporting the waste and toxic materials to them. The consumption pattern in the West is also slowly influencing the developing countries due to globalization. If everyone consume like the U.S, we need 5 earths to fulfill our need for resources.
 * __Consumption__**

The stuffs that we consume will become waste eventually. The more stuffs we buy, the more waste we produce. Recycling cannot entirely deal with the amount of toxic released from the dumping and burning the waste. Dumping and burning materials also produce substances that pollute the air and water, which harm our health. Workers who work in dumping sites are infected by toxic released during the process. Developing countries become a site for wealthier countries to place their waste since the developing countries have less regulations and knowledge about how these waste affect them. Transforming waste into new products in a safe way is one of the options to improve this problem.
 * __Disposal__**

How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising 'the materials economy' in its interface design?

In the Flash presentation, animation is used to explain the process of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The Flash presentation is very effective because it shows the chronological order of how a product is produced and dumped. The interface is simple and easy to understand yet thoroughly explain the concept of 'materials economy'. The interface consists of interactive cartoons in black and white and effectively show the audiences the five stages of how stuff works.