Story Of Stuff Essay2#

1.     Introduction

Toxic pollution occurs when synthetic chemicals are discharged and this causing   to damage human health. To save our health from toxic pollution is too significant a role to be left to all people. The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard (2007) is an interesting story which tells us how the whole stuff system works through five processes which are extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposed and what to do about this problem.

 

 

2.     Extraction

The first stage that mentioned in the Story of Stuff is extraction. Extraction means exploitation of natural resources such as wood, minerals, coal, fossil fuel, water, planets, animals, and soil  and taken out of the earth and starting their journey through the materials economy. According to studies by health organizations around the world, the proportion of disease increased in the people who living near the mining, oil and gas sites and these diseases are asthma, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases, liver failure, cancer and other diseases.

 

3.     Production

The second stage that mentioned in the Story of Stuff is production. In the production companies add energy and chemicals to natural resources to produce things. This will cause air pollution, which is harmful to human health and the environment. According to the statistic in USA, industry admits to releasing over 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals a years, pollution which disproportionately impacts low income communities and communities of colors. “With just 5 percent of the world’s population, we’re consuming 30 percent of the world’s resources and creating 30 percent of the world’s waste. If everyone consumed at U.S. rates, we would need three to five planets”. (Leonard, A, 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

4.     Distribution  

 

The third stage that mentioned in the Story of Staff is distribution. Distribution means the process of making the product, sale and transfer of all the products quickly and cheaply. The goal of this process is to keep the largest number of consumers in the commercial market. Distribution processes need energy to export products around the world. Energy that the transportation uses is fossil fuels. However, there are negative effects of using fossil fuels. The main issue of using fossil fuel is increasing greenhouse gases. This will cause the hole in the ozone layer. This means that will affect the environmental and human health. Consequently, government around the world should encourage people to use renewable energy to reduce to reduce co2 emissions, which is the main cause of increase gas on the air.

 

5.     Consumption

The fourth stage mentioned in the Story of Stuff is consumptions. Consumption is the heart of the system engine that drives it which is the foundation of the economy that represents the relationship between income and consumption.Consumption rates are increasing and with more people using more resources and energy, and creating more waste, consequently, this will lead to burning waste with more pollution in the air. As a result, release more gases which increase the temperature on the earth. Therefore, people who consume a lot must be changing their behavior to stop this issue.

 

6.     Disposed 

 

The fifth stage mentioned in the Story of Stuff is disposal. There are large pounds of garbage in all houses around the world. According to the statistics that Annie analyzes, (2008), the United States makes 4.5 pounds of garbage a day and all landfills eventually leak which is just a big hole in the ground to burn all these waste. Burning waste pollutes the air, land and water also releases potent greenhouse gases which lead to global warming on the Earth. So disposal means all materials economy that is disposed in the waste incinerators. One main solution that can be solved is recycling materials. This will reduce the emissions gases around the air.

 

 

7.     Consumerism in the UAE 

The UAE had the second-biggest jump among the 10 Middle-Eastern countries included in the survey to the research by firm YouGov and the jobs website Bayt.com, therefore, the cost of living increased and the consumers in the UAE are expected to spend more out of their pockets this year and in the next few years. (Ligaya, A, 2009)The electronics market is more consumed by the UAE’s consumer. According to the Dubai Chamber analysis, that UAE sales of consumer electronics are predicted to rise from US$ 3.14 billion in 2011 to US $3.97 billion by 2015.(UAE DEMAND FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS TO REMAIN ROBUST,2013)

 

 

8.     Conclusion   

 In conclusion, people now know what causes the effects on their planet through Story of Stuff video by Annie Leonard. Therefore, people and government should stop this issue from happening to the next generation. Therefore, with lower demand by the population, consumption will be less, resources will be used less too and toxics will lessen too. Finally, the planet can be safe.

 

References

Ligaya, A. (2009, October 4). UAE consumer confidence up - The National. Latest and breaking news | thenational.ae - The National. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from http://www.thenational.ae/business/retail/uae-consumer-confidence-up

Leonard, A. (2008, February 4). The Story of Stuff :: Chapter 7 :: Another  Way by Annie Leonard — YES! Magazine. YES! Magazine — Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions  — YES! Magazine. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from http://www.yesmagazine.org/multimedia/yes-film/the-story-of-stuff-chapter-7-another-way

Loeck, K. (2008, July 11).      A Look at Our Materials Economy: One Stuffy System.      Mother Earth News. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/story-of-stuff-consumerism.aspx#axzz2SUP6jcHV

Murray, J. M. (2010, August 24). Mazzy reviews ‘The Story Of Stuff’ | Green Prophet. Green Prophet. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/08/mazzy-story-of-stuff/

UAE DEMAND FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS TO REMAIN ROBUST. (2013, May 23). DUBAI CHAMBER. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from https://www.dubaichamber.com/news/uae-demand-for-consumer-electronics-to-remain-robust

 

 

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