For those who played way back when Destiny first launched (I was out of the state when the game launched, that's why I started in October) you used to be able to take your planet specific mats I.E. Spirit Bloom, Helium and trade them with the different faction reps in exchange for faction experience.
I think everyone feels the lack of Xp earned from bounties, daily missions, and other things and yes we can trade in other consumables to earn faction rep now but I feel like material trade ins should be put back in. At the very least make each faction require one of the specific mats. New Monarchy could only take spinmetal, Dead Orbit could only take Helium, FWC could take Spirit Bloom. That way we have some use for these materials besides upgrades.
It wouldn't be much of a change from the current system and it was something that I know I personally miss a lot. Especially since I'm rank 36 with Dead Orbit and I still don't have a shader.....
So Bungie, bring back material trade in for faction rep already. It isn't going to make a huge impact on the economy and should ease the pain of those feeling like faction rep is ridiculous to come by anymore.
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U could use them to buy vanguard or crucible marks and this would also give u a small amount of XP/rep. But they replaced it with the ability to buy materials with marks. If they would leave both u could easily cheese some rep