Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

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.
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Smarter Choice Paperback, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking... The textbook, Cradle to Cradle, by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, available in Paperback. Published by:...	2,445 reviews *smarter certified	$15.15 Coupon 2 coupons available Code:xicyx Detail: Use coupon code xicyx at checkout to enjoy Free Shipping on your order plus enter to win $500 at Textbooks. Expires:Dec-31-2009 Restriction:Unknow Code:No Code Required Detail: Free shipping w/ $25 purchase at Textbooks. Expires:Dec-31-2009 Restriction:Unknow	See it
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We... A manifesto for a radically different philosophy and practice of manufacture and environmentalism"Reduce, reuse,...	24 reviews	$12.66 Free Shipping	See it
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We... Pages: 208, Edition: 1st, Paperback, North Point Press	Amazon 11,406 reviews	$18.15 Coupon 1 coupon available Code:No Code Required Detail: FREE Shipping on orders over $25 at Amazon. Expires:Dec-31-2010 Restriction:Some restrictions apply. See site for details.	See it
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Recent Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Sep-23-2009; Very informative, attempts a capitalistic/environmental balance; The physical attributes of the book are very intriguing, along with the idea behind it, which is explained in the chapters. As for the contents: Thought provoking. The beginning is a bit grime (all the better to grab attention with)...; read full review | report as inappropriate

1/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Aug-19-2009; Somniferous Literature...; My college required this for summer reading. The concept of how the book is made from plastic (the pages dont rip, and feel pretty neat) and thats its waterproof is pretty cool. My friends and I tested the waterproof part by throwing it...; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jul-09-2009; Spectacular, quick read that makes one rethink the paradigm; Cradle to Cradle was published quite a while ago, and somehow I didn't catch up to it until now. From the moment one picks up the book, it is evident that this book is a little different - even physically, as it is made from a durable...; read full review | report as inappropriate

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jun-22-2009; Empowering principles, but emphasizes corporate and not individual action...; "Cradle to Cradle" reads quickly, and is worthwhile if you're interested in environmental design because it presents an essentially optimistic message: environmental problems can be reduced to (soluble) design problems. The authors, Bill...; read full review | report as inappropriate

Selected Reviews

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Sep-23-2009; Very informative, attempts a capitalistic/environmental balance; The physical attributes of the book are very intriguing, along with the idea behind it, which is explained in the chapters. As for the contents: Thought provoking. The beginning is a bit grime (all the better to grab attention with)...; read full review | report as inappropriate

3/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jun-21-2008; Great read!; This was a great introduction to so many key, elementary principles in sustainable thinking/living/product design. I learned a lot! I hope enough people are informed and inspired by it to create the kind of real change that is being...; read full review | report as inappropriate

1/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Aug-19-2009; Somniferous Literature...; My college required this for summer reading. The concept of how the book is made from plastic (the pages dont rip, and feel pretty neat) and thats its waterproof is pretty cool. My friends and I tested the waterproof part by throwing it...; read full review | report as inappropriate