Edward Burtynsky's Manufactured Landscapes

Edward Burtynsky’s Manufactured Landscapes Reflection Paper

This documentary was an eye-opener to me. It connected human health and the environment. Through Burtynsky’s photography and videography we realize how the items we require in our lives are made and recycled by these workers in developing countries in unjust working conditions. The exceptional yet devastating photos and videos of the documentary have been thoroughly selected to make viewers feel connected to the life behind the items we use. There is a separation from people in first world countries, like myself, from the extreme work that goes behind the process of making and dismantling materials. The films purpose, I believe, was to inform people how the process of creating and

The natural environment was portrayed as destructed, with the limited amount of trees, plants, and wildlife. The natural environment was also destructed because of all the toxic chemicals being released from the factories, and negatively impacting any chances of natural growth. The social environment represented people from developing countries as hardworking people with low incomes. They were shown as people whom work hard and are very efficient with their work, but don’t get the treatment they deserve. Instead workers work long hours with small wages, around four to six dollars per day. Most workers weren’t very related to fellow workers, this is probably due to the fact that the leaders in the factories discouraged socializing. This is also extremely unfair to deny humans of the basic necessity of interacting with others. Although, in Bangladesh the workers were singing and interacting, this is because they didn’t have constant supervision, as they weren’t inside a factory. The built environment includes shots of the factories and building sites. This is where we experienced the dangers of building large structures, mainly because the workers had minimal protective gear. We also witnessed a recycling area full of e-waste and various recycled materials. This waste was piled around homes; even children played around it. As we know this waste likely contained harsh metals and chemicals. It is possible that the inhabitants of this town aren’t aware of these dangers, yet they live among this waste that is dumped there from various companies. These living conditions are inhumane and hazardous to the health of these people. The photos and videos portrayed of the environment are very distinct. I noticed that Burtynsky captured the shots of the multiple environments as a gray scale with one pop of color. This