Lab4+333

**Week 4: 'The Story of Stuff'**


Questions:
 * Write three paragraphs on how Annie Leonard defines the system of the 'materials economy' and describes its interactions.
 * Define extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. (One paragraph for each term)
 * How does her Flash presentation effectively organize the categories comprising 'the materials economy' in its interface design? (2 paragraphs)

Annie Leonard analyzes the materials economy into 5 stages. It is the linear system by which finite resources are extracted from earth and used to produce goods, and then distributes, consumed, and then disposed of. In the video, Leonard is showing what happen to our earth if people keep buying unnecessary "stuff", and to suggest alternatives at each stage of process. Extraction: Due to our demand, we are using up our limited natural resource,such as trees (deforest). US as an example, they are 5% of the world population but they using up 30% of the world's natural resources, which means we need another 6 earths to beak up those resources. Not only that, becuase they do not have enough resources to supply these demand, they now getting resource from 3rd world countries, If these continue, then we will not have any resources left in the future and also lost our earth sooner than expect.

Production The factories produce "stuff" by using mix toxic chemicals with natural resources, one of the reason is to decrease the profit and to produce more stuff with cheap material,so all they do is mix or add with toxic chemicals. Therefore, those toxic will eventually affecting to people's health like asthma or tumor that we can get from using the products. Also these can pollute our environment which will cause pollution (air,water) and then we will influence our health and nature resources as well.

Distribution In this category, the main job they need to do is to keep the price low so people will keep buying 'stuff 'and keep the inventory running. Some of the products on the store shelves are extremely cheap, because of the low cost production and extraction. Most of those stuff are produced by low wage pay labour in developing countries like China or Africa. For example, Dollar store, the stuff they sell for $1 has its reason, because u can see they all made of cheap material and probably with tons of toxic chemicals.

Consumption Our society has became consumerist society after WWII, the government promotes it and define economy's purpose as the production of more consumer goods. The 2 major ways that consumers are forced to increase their shopping are 'planned obsolescence' and 'perceived obsolescence'. 'Planned obsolescence', is a technoloy or products become incompatible with new technology or products, such as computer products (the chips) In this case, it forces people to purchase the new STUFF and dump the OLD STUFF that might be still in good condition. It's very sad and waste, but this is what is happening in our society right, out with the old and in with the new. Perceived obsolescence is the products out of the fashion or style. For example, outfit, every season or year, there is always a new style that people must to get or buy even they are already have what they need, but they just need more to be trendy (Shoes,bags,etc) All that want and desire is mostly coming from media (TV, magazine etc). It keep promoting and when we see it we will want to buy so we are cool like them.



Disposal Each person in US produces 4.5 pounds of garbage per day. All these garbage are going either to landfill or burned in incieration before going into landfill. Both these processes are producing very bad toxin chemical, called dioxin(worse than produce in factory). It's very poisoning not only to human but also to the environment such as global warming. Annie Leonard's flash video is very engaged and attracting to audiences. She uses the cartoon (animation) style to present the whole process which is making this video more interesting than other documentaries. The idea of this movie also keep audiences want to continue watch it. The way this video organized is in very clear way, so people can follow step by step, and also allow to pause and play the part they want easily. There us also a obvious interface bar on the top of the screen, so people can see what part (section) they are watching now, if they want to go back and watch again in detail they can just click the section they want without rewind it. Again, the entire flash video presentation is very clean and simply to use and understand for all type of audience.