“Reduce, reuse, recycle” urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. As William McDonough and Michael Braungart argue in their provocative, visionary book, however, this approach perpetuates a one-way, “cradle to grave” manufacturing model that dates to the Industrial Revolution and casts off as much as 90 percent of the materials it uses as waste, much of it toxic. Why not challenge the notion that human industry must inevitably damage the natural world, they ask.
In fact, why not take nature itself as our model? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we do not consider its abundance wasteful but safe, beautiful, and highly effective; hence, “waste equals food” is the first principle the book sets forth. Products might be designed so that, after their useful life, they provide nourishment for something new-either as “biological nutrients” that safely re-enter the environment or as “technical nutrients” that circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles, without being “downcycled” into low-grade uses (as most “recyclables” now are).
Elaborating their principles from experience (re)designing everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, the authors make an exciting and viable case for change.
Customer Reviews
Rethinking Our Legacy:
“Cradle to Cradle” presents a challenge to both the environmentalists and the manufacturers of the world. The challenge is to rethink how we view progress by examining how we manufacture products. McDonough and Braungart begin their thesis within the environmental movement yet end with a direct challenge to how many environmentalists view progress and how manufacturers make their products. The challenge is to look at a product as a point in a cycle — not as the end. It is a holistic approach to manufacturing with a view to minimum impact on the environment. It is not a view of preservation, but of conservation. It is the idea of bounty and variety in the products that we use while maintaining, or improving the quality of our environment. It is the idea that sustainability does not require regressive thinking; it requires forward thinking. We all would benefit by accepting the challenge of “Cradle to Cradle” mentality.
McDonough is a true Visionary!:
This book is a life changer. An excellent overview of what business can do right! He and his partner are working with companies and governments all over the world helping them to adopt his cradle to cradle concept, a simple and positive call for change in an increasingly negative landscape. We are fortunate to have Mr. McDonough’s genius and leadership on these issues. Bravo!
100% Value Added:
I was prompted to read this book by seeing a video of William McDonough in which he suggests that we all need to consider how to actively create a future for our children rather than passively leave a legacy of a toxic waste dump. The book itself is innovative - being both 100% recycleable and waterproof (so you can safely read it in the bath). The message is clear - “if we continue as we are there will be no future”; and also that it is possible to design products and processes that are infinitely renewable. “That is a goal worth striving for!” I thought. SRD.
Beyond Sustainable:
This book does a great job of showing modern innovations which lead to a smarter way of life. It describes new ways of thinking and living, which will give our future generations a fighting chance.
pro-business & pro-environment?!?!?:
This book contains the type of pro-business thought that is required to make progress by maximizing natural resources, eliminating waste & making leaps forward with regard to climate change in today’s world driven by economics.
