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Cited by 34Sustainability and Ecological Systems AnalysisSustainable Development and Environmental PolicyEnvironmental Impact and Sustainability

Why we use more materials

Gutowski, Timothy, Cooper, Daniel, Sahni, Sahil·2017·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
DOI 10.1098/rsta.2016.0368
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Abstract

In this paper, we review the drivers for the high levels of material use in society, investigating both historical and current trends. We present recent national and global data by different material categories and accounting schemes, showing the correlations between materials use and different measures of human well-being. We also present a development narrative to accompany these observed trends, focusing on the strong role materials have played in economic development by industrialization and in the consumer economy. Finally, we speculate on how material efficiency might alter this pattern going forward and whether it is possible to de-couple well-being from material use. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Material demand reduction’.

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Crossref · 10.1098/rsta.2016.0368

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68 of 68 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • With vehicle utilization rates of 5%, the effect of lifetime extension is ambiguous because reduced material and energy requirements for manufacturing new vehicles are offset by performance differentials between new and used vehicles if fuel efficiency increases.

    “With vehicle utilization rates of 5%, the effect of lifetime extension is ambiguous as reduced material and energy requirements for manufacturing new vehicles is offset by performance differentials between new and used vehicles if fuel efficiency increases, although estimates of this increase range between 1.8-3% per year [14,143].”

    From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [14]

  • Remanufacturing can often restore performance to like-new, reversing performance loss through aging, but it is not always equal to a newly manufactured part which will have benefitted from technological progress.

    “Remanufacturing can often restore performance to like-new [160], reversing performance loss through aging, but it is not always equal to a newly manufactured part which will have benefitted from technological progress [14].”

    From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [14]

  • Estimates of fuel efficiency increase range between 1.8-3% per year.

    “With vehicle utilization rates of 5%, the effect of lifetime extension is ambiguous as reduced material and energy requirements for manufacturing new vehicles is offset by performance differentials between new and used vehicles if fuel efficiency increases, although estimates of this increase range between 1.8-3% per year [14,143].”

    From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [14]

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Authors
Gutowski, T., Cooper, D., & Sahni, S.
Affiliations
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
  • University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author
Gutowski, Timothy
ORCID
Venue
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Publisher
The Royal Society
Published
2017-05
Volume
375
Issue
2095
Pages
20160368
ISSN
  • 1364-503X (ISSN-L)
  • 1471-2962
DOI
10.1098/rsta.2016.0368
OpenAlex
W2610897424
Cited by
34
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3
FWCI
1.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
Keywords
material utilization, material demand, material efficiency, well-being, economic development, industrialization, consumer economy, material accounting

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