MARCH 9, 2009

CHANDRÉ JOĀO LUIZ

19189516

THE STORY OF STUFF

A perspective on environmental issues
Sustainable Living Chandré Joāo Luiz 19189516

Resources and exploitation of nature

 Many various aspects of the environment are mentioned throughout, however one
specifically stood out as it is our most precious environment, and that would be the
natural environment, untouched.
 If one looks at the way in which corporations’ view nature, it is extremely negative, as
they only see nature as a resource, where they can keep taking away the sources they
need for production, however bad it may be for the environment and the individuals
living there.
 Two main groups are represented throughout this video, the government and the
corporation. The government is represented as a group that is “of the people, by the
people, for the people”, to an extent, as the corporation has grown bigger the
government is worried less about the people and more about pleasing the corporation.
The corporation is represented in a slightly negative light, as a list of negative effects
they produce is given throughout, that they do not seem to care about.
 The linear – finite system refers to the planet and the consumption of our natural
resources. As the planet has a finite amount of resources, eventually they will be
depleted, especially as the corporations deplete them much faster than they are able to
renew themselves. The linear system will be broken when the finite resources are
depleted, leaving the production process in chaos.
 As the planet has a finite amount of resources, the consequences of depleting that
means that the production process will be immobilized, the natural environment will
be damaged beyond repair, and the individuals living in these spaces will no longer be
able to reside there, as there is nothing to sustain them.

Production – using resources

 Yes. There are three huge environmental consequences to the aspect of this system.
The first being the depletion of natural resources, if there is no time for the resource to
repair itself, there will be no resource to use. Secondly, the poisons in the chemicals
added to natural resources cause multiple problems, as the human being should not be
exposed to many of these toxins, as many of them have still not been tested for safety
clearance. Finally, the rate at which “stuff” is disposed of is extremely alarming, as
that “stuff” has to go somewhere. Unfortunately, this “stuff” is not properly disposed
of and is causing many problems.

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Sustainable Living Chandré Joāo Luiz 19189516

 As mentioned before the production process affects the environment on many levels,
starting at extractions and working all the way to disposal.
 Production refers to the action of making or manufacturing from components or raw
materials. Production aims to create products as fast as possible and in the cheapest
manner, as to get the biggest profit.
 The production process is a global process, as it finds the cheapest natural resources
from around the world, to make its products as cheap as possible, for then they are
able to sell the items for higher, and make a greater profit then they would have make
if they were to recourse the materials locally.

Human lifestyle in this system

 To some extend people in South Africa are seen as economic units, however it is also
very true that the natural resources of this country are a part of the global process, as
our resources are outsourced to other countries in which they are a part of the
production process.
 Consumerism is the biggest human activity that drives this system, if people did not
buy “stuff”, there would be no point in the production process.
 This system is kept alive solely by consumerism, if there are no buyers, there would
be no point in mass producing “stuff”.

Waste production

 The entire system is problematic. However, the final stage is, with the first two the
most problematic stages. The amount of disposed “stuff” at the end of each month is
increasing, as people are buying more. The biggest problem of disposal is the fact that
there is no place to put all the “stuff” that people throw away each month, which is
causing a huge environmental problem, just as much as depleting the natural
resources of this planet.
 The biggest driving force behind most environmental problems are corporations
which have no respect for the natural environments they are depleting, as long as they
can keep producing, they do not care about the negative effects cause by the linear –
finite system.