Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
11:57
Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method
Published on: October 18, 2012
Making materials matter
1Department of Work Environment, UMASS Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
Summary
Designing and using less hazardous materials is key for sustainability and economic efficiency. A shift to cyclical material flows, emphasizing recycling and reuse, is essential for conserving resources and minimizing environmental impact.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability Studies
Background:
- Current materials management systems are flawed, leading to significant environmental costs from extraction, pollution, energy consumption, and waste disposal.
- Focusing on less hazardous materials is more effective and economically efficient for long-term sustainability.
- Environmental impacts arise from the entire lifecycle of materials, from extraction to disposal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To advocate for a paradigm shift in materials management towards sustainability.
- To highlight the economic and environmental benefits of using less hazardous materials.
- To propose a framework for a sustainable materials economy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of current materials management models and their environmental/economic costs.
- Conceptualization of cyclical material flow systems.
- Identification of necessary policy and systemic changes for sustainable materials management.
Main Results:
- Current materials management is unsustainable and economically inefficient.
- Cyclical systems focusing on resource conservation and waste minimization are proposed.
- New policies promoting human health, environmental quality, economic efficiency, and product effectiveness are required.
Conclusions:
- A sustainable materials economy necessitates a holistic approach, integrating new policies, information systems, market redirection, corporate reconfiguration, and public engagement.
- Prioritizing material recycling and reuse, alongside sustainable extraction and treatment, is crucial.
- Transitioning to less hazardous materials reduces environmental burdens and enhances economic efficiency.
Related Concept Videos
01:13What is Matter?
The substance of the universe—from a grain of sand to a star—is called matter. Scientists define matter as anything that occupies space and has mass. An object’s mass and its weight are related concepts, but not quite the same. An object’s mass is the amount of matter contained in the object and is the same whether that object is on Earth or in the zero-gravity environment of outer space. An object’s weight, on the other hand, is its mass as affected by the pull of gravity. Where gravity...
02:49Classifying Matter by State
Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Matter is all around us; the air, water, soil, mountains, even our bodies are all examples of matter. Matter is divided into three states — solid, liquid, and gas — that are commonly found on earth. The fourth state of matter, plasma, occurs naturally in the interiors of stars.
01:09Bending of Material: Problem Solving
In this lesson, determine the ratio of the maximum bending moments applied to two metal pipes, given that both pipes can withstand a maximum stress of 100 MPa. Both pipes have an outer radius of 1.8 cm. Pipe A has an inner radius of 1.5 cm, and Pipe B has an inner radius of 1 cm. The ratio of the maximum bending moment applied to two metallic pipes, each with a different inner and outer radius, is determined by considering their dimensions. The inner radius of the first pipe is 1.5 cm, and for...
02:59The Atomic Theory of Matter
The earliest recorded discussion of the basic structure of matter comes from ancient Greek philosophers. Leucippus and Democritus argued that all matter was composed of small, finite particles that they called atomos, meaning “indivisible.” Later, Aristotle and others came to the conclusion that matter consisted of various combinations of the four “elements” — fire, earth, air, and water — and could be infinitely divided. Interestingly, these philosophers thought about atoms and “elements” as...
01:20States of Matter
Solids, liquids, and gases are the three states of matter commonly found on Earth. A solid is rigid and possesses a definite shape. A liquid flows and takes the shape of its container, except it forms a flat or slightly curved upper surface when acted upon by gravity. Both liquid and solid samples have volumes nearly independent of pressure. A gas takes both the shape and volume of its container.
Scientists have discovered a fourth state of matter, plasma, that occurs naturally in the interiors...
Scientists have discovered a fourth state of matter, plasma, that occurs naturally in the interiors...
01:34Production of Formed Elements
Hemangioblasts are multipotent stem cells originating from the mesoderm. They give rise to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which undergo hematopoiesis to produce all the formed elements of blood. This process is regulated by a complex network of hematopoietic growth factors, including transcription factors, growth factors, and cytokines. These factors stimulate the HSCs to divide and differentiate, though some HSCs remain undifferentiated to maintain a self-renewing pool.
Most HSCs commit to...
Most HSCs commit to...