3R Concepts
Waste Mgmt Hierarchy Reduce Reuse Recycle Barter Dematerialization Dumpster diving Ecodesign Ethical consumerism Freeganism Extended producer responsibility Industrial ecology Industrial metabolism Material flow analysis Product stewardship Simple living Zero waste
Recyclable materials Plastic Aluminium Glass Motor oil Paper Textiles Timber Scrap Paint
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In economics, dematerialization refers to the absolute or relative reduction in the quantity of materials required to serve economic functions in society. In common terms, dematerialization means doing more with less. This concept is similar to ephemeralization as proposed by Buckminster Fuller.

Dematerialization is the counterargument to the idea that economics is only about 'more is better.' The idea that more is better, a common activist argument which likens economic logic to the logic of a cancer cell, ignores the differences between inputs and outputs, and it ignores the ratio of inputs to outputs.

[edit] Dematerialization of the Art Object

In "Six Years: The Dematerialization of the Art Object" Lucy Lippard characterizes the period of 1966 to 1972 as one in which the art object was dematerialised through the new artistic practices of conceptual art ^[1].

[edit] References

• "Dematerialization: Measures and Trends", Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, 1996
• Peacework.com ^[2]
• Where is Atlantic Canada Heading ^[3]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Factor X - Website about different dematerialization concepts
• Worldresourcesforum - Scientific conference on dematerialization

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