CCT333_Lab4



//Write five paragraphs, one on each stage of the 'materials economy', and define its interactions. (5 paragraphs/one stage each paragraph) //
 * Tutorial #4 Wiki Question: **

Materials economy is made up of five stages which include: extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The following will be an explaination of each one as well as a description in how the stages interact with one another. Take into account that the process is linear and one step cannot be accomplished until the previous step is completed.

__Extraction__ i s the first stage of the material economy. Leonard defines extraction as a ‘sophisticated term’ used to describe the use and exploitation of natural resources for the materials used to create products. This specific stage is where the resources are harvested and, in the adverse effects of this material economy are depleted. Furthermore, when depletion occurs in one-place, natural resources are than extracted from other nations. This stage involves a process where many negative effects takes place in relation to the nation in where the natural resources are being extracted from the depletion. This causes more damage to the future generations as well as our present.

The next stage is __production__ and in this stage the toxic chemicals are used with the natural resources to produce harmful products for the environment and people. Toxins may be mixed in with the production of goods and sometimes workers are exposed to it each and everyday on their job. Usually people link toxins to effecting just the environment but they also contribute to individuals having breathing disorders, cancers and even other neurological disorders. Furthermore, companies have increased production meaning more activity is going on in factories, which contribute to factories outsourcing workers from outsourced countries where underage children are working and making nearly nothing.

The __distribution__ stage involves sending finished goods to various markets to reach the end user. This stage involves many various distribution channels. Usually products are manufactured and then sent to a retailer in which they sell the product to the consumers. When distribution products many modes of transportation are used contributing to the use of energy and increasing pollution. Modes of transportation include trains, airplanes, ships and etc.

The __consumption__ process stage involves consumers buying final goods and services making use of what they have bought. Consumers also contribute to the pollution by the toxins in products. This is done because products usually have an expiration date or only last for a certain amount of time until it is done. Once they are done they are disposed of causing disposal rates to go up.

The last stage of the material economy is the __disposal__ stage in which after a product is produced and consumed, what ever is left over is disposed of. Statistics show that only 1% of the goods that we buy we keep for more than a year which shows that goods are constantly being disposed of contributing to the issue of pollution to land, air and as well as water. There are actions in which we can take in order to decrease pollution, one action to take is to continue to recycle items that can be.