1. Using the film for support, explain why the creation of demand for goods that have limited social value might be a drawback. Are there other reasons that you can think of that might not have been covered in the film?
• Goods of limited social value might be a drawback because they are created within our throwaway society. Technology and innovations has made advancements that has changed culture, worldwide. The over production of goods, the demand for a “good deal”, and the pressure of staying current (keeping up with the Jones’s) places financial burdens on many Americans. The ramifications of instant gratification through purchases and bargains that according to Kathleen Elkens, (author for CNBC, 2017), the average American family owes
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Give at least 2 explanations from the film for how demand is created for stuff.
• Demand can be created through manufacturing. By building products with poor construction or irreplaceable parts, manufacturers are in essence requiring the consumer to repurchase merchandise.
• By using creative advertising and generating a social desire for a product, society feels compelled to obtain the “newest and greatest” item.
3. Provide one example of a good that you think is "designed for the dump" (other than the ones she covers in the film).
• Bottled water/soda are a major “good” that is designed for the dump immediately after use. Between brilliant advertising and America’s obsession with quick indulgence, our nation is being consumed with fast food trash. We are all guilty of it, yet find no alternative to the ever growing issue.
• I do believe the government can and should be involved with this problem. Currently there are several states that have plastic recycling legislation. This is a great start. For decades, many states required a 5-10 cent deposit fee for glass bottles, encouraging consumers to recycle the bottles (for a refund) or other sto collect such bottles for financial gain. States like Maine currently chare a 5 cent fee for plastic bottles, falling under a returnable beverage container law. Although this will not solve the issue, it may create a change in behavior and