This class I found what we discussed pretty interesting. Something I found most interesting was the waste produced when harvesting raw materials and when converting them into industrial material. All I would have thought is cutting trees will cause deforestation, loss of habitat, etc. but, I never thought of the effects of needing to melt down steel or the many holes that are left in the ground from mining.
Something I didn't understand was what happens when aluminum meets saltwater. I understood it doesn't rust from regular water because it already has a top layer of O2 but, I didn't understand what happens with salt water. Something else that only confuses me a little is acoustical properties. I understand what it does and what its for but I don't see how it can be applied outside of a musical setting. I know you gave example of a carpet but, is that really a decision someone would make just for the fact of dampening sounds?