Week+4


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

Annie Leonard defines the materials economy as stuff that moves along the stages of extraction to production to distribution to consumption to disposal. The materials economy is a system in crisis. Leonard believes that it is in crisis because it interacts with the real world every step of the way. One of the most important things that the materials economy definition is missing is people. People such as the government and corporations are major missing factors that have more say than others.

Leonard argues that the media and advertisements are some of the worst things to be invented. They influence people to believe that everything they are doing is wrong. What they wear, how they wear it, what they drive, and the list goes on. This ongoing list of wrongdoings can be turned right if we go shopping. The media covers up the process of extraction, production, and disposal and all we see is the rightness of shopping.

But what people don’t see is that through the process of getting this stuff, we end up having less time for things that actually make us happy. The non-material things in life such as friends and family and some downtime to relax. She discusses that we are living in this never-ending cycle in which we are over-worked, unhappy, and out of money. Thus she suggests that if people created the old way, then as people we have to create a new way that will be beneficial not to corporations or the government, but to ourselves and our well-being.

Extraction: extraction is the process of using the world’s natural resources for mass distribution of products. Annie Leonard defines it as “trashing the planet”. Extraction is slowly causing mass destruction to the planet as we are running out of the natural resources that big corporations are constantly exploiting. It is especially exploited from third world countries in which she argues that in the current system if you do not own or buy a lot of stuff, then you do not have any value, thus losing the right over those resources.
 * Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal.**

Production: production outlines the dangers of mixing toxic chemicals with natural resources. We are constantly putting our health and lifestyle in jeopardy by being exposed to these harmful chemical toxins. This is also a neverending cycle of preventing your own land of being polluted by toxic carcinogens and polluting another nation’s land.

Distribution: distribution is conducted to sell all products as quickly as possible. It is normally done by keeping the price down, so that people will keep on buying and there is a constant flow of inventory. During the distribution process, company owners externalize the true costs of production.

Consumption: the “heart of the system”. 99% of stuff we harvest is trashed in 6 months. Thus it is evident that we are losing our resources at a rapid rate. Consumers are constantly purchasing items that are designed to last a lot less than they used to 50 years ago. This will encourage consumers to keep buying the poorly designed products, so they can trash them and buy some more after a short period of time.

Disposal: disposal is removing the “stuff” that is bought into landfills. Disposal involves burning toxins and creating new toxins like dioxin which is the most toxic substance known to man. Disposal is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to removing waste and polluting our land and wasting our natural resources.

Anne Leonard’s flash presentation was very well put together. Using simple stick figures and black and white lines did not complicate the information to be presented. The flash presentation allowed for the information to be clearly laid out by headings. The chapters are well put together and summarize the key information in an easy to understand manner.
 * How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising “the materials economy” in its interface design?**

The cartoon figures really help the viewer to focus their attention on the topic at hand. It is a much more effective method than explaining one’s points on a piece of paper. The flash presentation keeps the person engaged into the information. It is an interactive tool in which the viewer has the option to look at whatever content they find most necessary.