Cradle to Cradle

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things Review

We are all aware of the idea of global warming, and that we need to be more environmentally friendly. Though many of us don’t like to agree with the idea, or admit to it, the fact of the matter is, our world is changing and we need to make some changes.

In Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, William McDonough (an architect) and Michael Braungart (chemist) take this idea of change to a whole new level. Those who are aware of what’s going on have come up with methods of change, new ways to do things in a more Earth friendly way. According to McDonough and Braungart; however, these efforts have not been used effectively. The brilliant authors of this book take all of the common endeavors previously taken to save the world and find all of the negative aspects of them. Now, I’m not saying this book is overall negative. After you finish reading it, you’re not ready to commit suicide because you are so upset with what has become of the Earth. Cradle to Cradle is more of an eye opener. It is realistically motivating.

Let’s take the idea of recycling, as an example of one of these failed efforts. It’s a novel concept; however, not very effective. In the process of recycling and safely-or so we think- reusing materials from one product to create another, we are actually doing what McDonough and Braungart like to call “downcycling.” In the downcycling process, the value of materials is dissipated, and the harm is increased. Combining various types of metals and dyes into a new product can be more harmful than just throwing the original product into a landfill. Who would have thought?

So if we cannot reuse things, what is the solution? Well if you take a look at the subtitle of the book, you will figure it out. Remaking the Way We Make Things. Up until now, all of our products and manufactured goods have been built on a cradle-to-grave system, meaning a product is made, someone buys it, uses it, then throws it away. It is nothing but waste. Everything needs to be made on a cradle-to-cradle system, and use the concept “waste equals food.” What this means is that products have no end, no waste, just like nature. We should be able to throw our empty food containers on the ground and allow them to serve as food for another organism. Everything needs to be made to continue in an earthly circle.

I think Cradle to Cradle is a must-read for everyone, those who care about the environment at least. It’s filled with information and real-life examples, which help make these different alternatives actually make sense. I would say the only flaw is some of the information used. Because of the fact that it is written by professionals, parts of the book are hard to follow. If you can set aside a couple of days, and possibly take some notes while you read; however, you will be able to piece everything together, and it is all worth knowing about.