Tutorial+Four

**Tutorial Four:** **
 * Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describe its interactions.

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The materials economy is a system that was established after the Second World War to encourage a consumption oriented society. The components and the processes that support the materials economy include extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The materials economy is also the counter productive process of running a linear system on a finite planet. ======

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Extraction in the materials economy involves the ever increasing exploitation of natural resources to produce large quantities of goods that have a very short life span. According to Leonard, 2000 trees are being consumed a min and the US alone produces four billion lbs of toxic waste annually. Exhaustive extraction of natural resources contributes to the degradation of the natural environment thus negatively impacting the human ecology. Large corporations move their operations oversees particularly to Third World Countries not only to exploit their natural resources and to degrade their environment but also to put the lives of the population at risks because of their exposure to the toxic substances that are used in their extracting facilities. ======

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Production is the process of converting the extracted resources into tangible goods that are ready for consumption. However, in the materials economy, the production system comes with its costs. In the production of goods, companies use toxic substances that have large health consquences to its final users. What is more consequential is the health of the Third World workers who have no choice but to work in these factories where they are exposed to life threatening substances. In the materials economy, the goal of production is to produce the largest amount of goods at the lowest costs without caring for its impact on the human ecology. ======

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Distribution is the delivery of products to it s final consumers. At this stage, corporations undertake different tactics to convince consumers of the benefits of the products. The products are sold at a price that does not reveal the true cost of the resources that went into the production of the goods. Corporations lower their prices to stimulate consumption of the goods because the whole materials economy relies on the constant movement of goods across the cycle. To make a profit on selling products below the actual cost of production, costs are externalized by not compensating the workers adequately and by not undertaking costly safety measures for the workers amongst many others. ======

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Consumption involves the golden arrow concept which encourages the continuous consumption of goods. To encourage consumption, corporations create perceived and planned obsolesce. Perceived obsolesce is created by constantly creating newer versions of goods and pushing them to the consumers through large amounts of advertisement and societal pressure. This is one of the critical components of the materials economy as expressed by economists. Corporations will continue to produce as long as there is a market to buy the products. ======

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Disposal of goods that are perceived to be obsolete further encourages consumption. Disposal of the goods are detrimental to the natural environment because the products have been created with toxic substances during production. ======

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All these components have to work together in other for the materials economy to be effective. Every action taken to support the materials economy seems to negatively impact the consumers of the products. A system such as this diminishes the quality of life while superficially increases the convenience of life. ======