Cradle to Cradle

That's the title of a book published in 2002. One of the most interesting things about this book by architects William McDonough and Michael Braungart is that it was printed on biodegradable plastic.

The subtitle of Cradle to Cradle is 'Remaking the Way We Make Things'.  

Here is a diagram that presents the Cradle to Cradle principles.

Cradle to Cradle is a design philosophy that boils down to 'waste equals food',  In essence, it's a repudiation of our throw away society in which billions of tons of  materials that could be reused end up discarded in landfills around the world.  McDonough and Braugart see a future in which everything is recycleable and almost nothing is thrown away. It's a beautiful concept, and a lot has happened since the book came out that reflects its life affirming ideals.  These days when old buildings come down, the brick, steel, concrete, wiring, and mechanical systems are now recycled more often than not.  Moreover, new buildings are being designed purposefully with end-of-life recycling and reuse in mind.

Waste is literally becoming a dirty word. That is a very good thing.

 



 

"What your people call your natural resources, our people call our relatives."

                                                   Oren Lyons - Faith Keeper on the Onondaga

Here is a link to William McDonough's website...
http://www.mcdonough.com/