A complex chain of loops brings goods from the raw material stage to the market shelf. Raw materials are extracted from the earth and nature. They undergo complex processing in factories– mixed with other raw materials, treated, packaged and transported over large distances, before it reaches you. This process consumes a lot of energy and causes inevitably varying degrees of damage to environment through extensive use of chemicals, waste and pollution. After the product is consumed or reaches the end of its life, we treat it as waste. A very small amount of this is recycled – but a majority of toxic material goes into nature (rivers, lakes, ground water or landfills). Nowadays, products have relatively shorter life due to the built in obsolescence (for example, this could be due to introduction of a new technology or less modular design) and consumer perception and response to global market forces . How do we build “long life” into product design? Will it be economical for business? Will consumers look for price, quality or sustainability?!! First of all, how will consumers know? What can governments do?

Schools: What can factories and companies do to change this? Can we build green factories? Can we have products which are produced responsibly? How can buyers help?

Colleges: How do we engineer closed-loop processing for all our consumption needs? Is that possible, considering the fact that products are designed with a mix of different materials and composition? How do we create materials from waste in a sustainable manner?

 

Please take out time to watch out these short videos from www.storyofstuff.org