Naveen+Karim


 * Write six paragraphs, one on each stage of the 'materials economy', and define its interactions. (6 paragraphs/one stage each paragraph) **

We live in the materials economy or the consumerism economy where people are constantly buying goods. There are five stages in the materials economy: extraction, production, distribution, consumption, disposal and recycling. The process is a continuous process and each stage is dependent on one another. 

**__ Extraction __** The first in the process of production is the extraction stage. In this stage natural resources or raw materials are extracted and are used to make materials in the productions stage. The high rate of extraction is affecting the environment as a whole and causing areas to run out of resources. Annie Leonard defines extraction as another word for exploiting natural resources in order to create products. When one place runs out of resources than resources are extracted from other places or countries which affect those areas as well. The amount of extraction depends on the amount of consumption. Thus, he more people consume, the more natural resources will be extracted.

**__ Production __** The second stage in the process is the production stage. In this stage the extracted natural resources are mixed with toxic substances to create products that the people need or want tin order to satisfy themselves. Hence, as Annie Leonard says, most of the products that we use are made of toxic chemicals. These chemicals also affect the people around as it cause critical diseases, but most often people ignore that fact.

**__ Distribution __** Third stage is the distribution stage. In this stage the made products are distributed in the markets for consumers to consume them. The producers constantly sell their products in order to earn a profit to make up for the extraction and production.

**__ Consumption __** The fourth stage is the consumption stage. This is the most important stage in the process. They producers manipulate the consumers through the media to believe that the more product they purchase the better they will be therefore, the consumers end up buying unnecessary products. Annie Leonard uses the two terms planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence to describe this. She says, planned obsolescence is when the producers constantly make new products and make consumers purchase them. Whereas, perceived obsolescence is when producers make the consumers believe that they need to keep buying their products.

**__ Disposal __** The fifth stage is the disposal stage. In this stage when consumers purchase new products they naturally dispose the old ones by incineration which Is extremely harmful to the environment as it releases toxic chemical to the air.

**__ Recycling __** The last stage is the recycling. Recycling is the safest way of deposing products. But often times people don’t do it either because they are lazy or the process is too difficult. Some of the other ways of recycling that Annie Leonard discusses are Zero waste and Closed loop production. Usually after this stage, the process begins all over again. These are suppose to use the recycled materials to make new products rather than extraction more materials and disposing it over again.