Lab+4

 Stuff moves through a system from extraction to production to distribution to consumption to disposal this is what is called the Materials Economy. Even though this system seems like it is fine, it is not, "this system is a linear system in a finite planet which cannot run like this infinitely" ( Leonard). This system interacts with the real world every step of the way, with societies, cultures, environments and so on.All along this system people are interacting with this system, some people are more important than others. First there is the government, corporations  Extraction is basically the use of resources but we are running out of resources. What do the government and corporations do? They move to other natural resources and do the same thing, destroy them and what about the people living there? Well according to the government and corporations they don’t have a say since they don’t own or buy a lot of stuf ie they have no value. During production we use energy to mix toxic chemicals in with the resources to make toxic contaminated products. As long as we keep putting toxins into the products we get them out in our products which affect us. The factory workers are in most danger, because they are exposed to the toxins a lot more than others. Who would risk their life like that? Well those who don’t have any other choice. Many of these are reproductive women who have no other choice because of the constant destruction of the natural resources from the third world countries. Distribution: sell the toxic junk as quick as possible. Keep the prices down by not paying the workers much skimp on health insurance, its all about externalizing the cost. How is this done? The consumer isn’t paying for the cost of the product rather the people who work in the factories suffer. Consumption: we have an urge to spend money to fit in, even though we don’t need it, and we will dispose of it soon after. Disposal: by burning these products that we no longer use, we are polluting the earth by letting the toxins back out into the air. Conclusion: people are drawn to buy newer products or cheap products even if they do not really need it, because it was advertised or to fit in with what is ‘in’ but soon after they get rid of it because it is no longer of value to them which cause more pollution and repeats the cycle of extracting the materials from natural resources and the production with poor conditioned laborers and the cheap distribution. Thus never ending the cycle which is so lethal to our world and ourselves. 

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