Resource Knowledge Makes Tools Disposable

Archaeological patterns of resharpening versus discard show that when groups lack knowledge of local raw‑material sources they repair and conserve tools; once provenance is learned, tools become expendable and logistical choices shift. That behavioral switch is a simple, testable mechanism linking information networks to material waste and mobility. — Understanding how information about resource provenance changes consumption and carrying decisions helps explain historical shifts in waste, logistics and—by analogy—modern policy choices about supply chains and exploration planning.