A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism "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.
Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better--say, edible grocery bags! In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually "downcycling," creating hybrids of biological and technical "nutrients" which are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether, while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature. They offer several compelling examples of corporations that are not just doing less harm--they're actually doing some good for the environment and their neighborhoods, and making more money in the process. Cradle to Cradle is a refreshing change from the intractable environmental conflicts that dominate headlines. It's a handbook for 21st-century innovation and should be required reading for business hotshots and environmental activists. --Therese Littleton
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Difficult to argue with...:
This book is a real change in perspective from my usual "we're screwed" environmentalism attitudes. They don't argue for "business as usual" but that eco-products start with the designer yet still depend on consumerism. I agree that grassroots movements and government regulation have their roadblocks but I don't think i'll wait for the designers of consumer products to save the world alone!
Theory vs. practice:
This is a five star book. It's not a recyclable book, it's a reusable book. The cradle to cradle thought process is intended to replace the previously considered to be thoughtful cradle to grave process. The end of a product should be the beginning of another. Reuse. That's the theory. The practice is that this book can't be turned into any other book. No one is making further books with this synthetic (and superior and cradle to cradle planned) paper. And over the years the only product that ordinary... more info
wow...a great great book!:
wow...a great great book! a must for anyone who cares a about the
enviroment.a really mind changing and revollutionary book.
its not brand new as they say:
They send the book so late and its not in a good condition, the cover is cut!!!its so bad.
