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Swap the books you've read, for some you haven't!
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Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough, Michael Braungart
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Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
Review: Word of warning to anyone who already has the last edition - this is not a significant new revision - there are disappointingly few new revelations here.
Having said that, if you haven't read the first edition, then everything in here is still brilliant, and more relevant today than ever.
Like most books in this domain, Cradle to Cradle starts a little alarmist, with a catalogue of woes about many of the bad things in the world today. Don't be put off though because this is definitely a book about solutions, not problems.
McDonough and Braungart propose an economic and manufacturing model where the responsibility for disposal of "dangerous" things such as cars, computers, televisions, ..., remains with the only people who know how to dispose of them responsibly.
Only the people who designed and made something in the first place can possibly know what is in it (especially in an economic system that depends on trade secrets). How can I possibly know what to do with the thousands of different chemicals in my computer? What kind of crazy system would leave it to me to make the right decisions to responsibly dispose of them when I'm finished?
Their model is sound and easy to understand. A "leasing" economy is far more resource efficient and better for the environment, while still allowing for differentiation and innovation of producers.
It rewards innovative and waste-conscious suppliers, and consumers who want to stay ahead of the Joneses can still do so. Importantly, there is no great collapse of capitalism into authoritarianism or communism.
Cradle to Cradle goes far beyond leasing though. By considering the real design source of the problems that we face, it really proposes a fundamental shift from a perception of humanity as a parasite to a world where we live within our natural systems.
If you believe (as I do) that humanity is able to transcend our parasitism without devolving to mud huts, then this book is a brilliant place to start.
Review: Well worth reading. And lending out, again and again.
No point in duplicating the descriptions already provided - This book should is highly recommended for a reason.
Review: A good book that shows alternatives to how our economy works: this is the introduction to a new way of thinking!!!!
Review: If I'd read this book a few years ago before I became involved in Life Cycle Analysis of environmental impact (LCA) then I would have loved it. Don't get me wrong, it is brilliant to bring awareness to some of the fundamental failings in the way we live and this book is very understandable and therefore accessible to the public.
What concerns me now is that some countries are trying to base procurement requirements around some of the principles highlighted in the book; unfortunately the book is not exhaustive in its' coverage and there are already systems in place which do the job much better. Another system just clouds the issue for the consumer and ignores other fundamental problems.
Let's be disciplined about it, stick with LCA and help people to understand that before we butterfly onto the next fad!!
Review: In this book the authors, a chemist and an architect, put forward compelling arguments for changing the way in which we design and make the world around us. The authors approach the need for change to reduce environmental impact in a very positive way. What, they ask, would a building look like if it were designed like a tree, with properties that nurture and feed the environment around it rather than depleting resources and polluting? The challenges for designers are huge, but this book offers a vision that makes a sustainable future achievable.
This book should be compulsory reading for every government and industry leader, as well as a core reading on the design curriculums.
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