Cradle to Cradle

I think that McDonough and Braungart are on the right track, and that there needs to be a shift in the ways of looking at waste and the environment in order to bring about change. The whole ‘waste equals food’ concept is really innovative, but I do not see its implementation in the near future. As far as using our current solar income, I have noticed initiatives to start using more solar panels, but in most cases this is still cost prohibitive. The other initiative to using solar income in ways such as drying clothes again requires awareness and a societal shift that seems not feasible at this point. The other point the book talks about respecting diversity. There seem to be many different programs that are working to stop endangering animals and wildlife, but these are generally targeted at the life that we can see, such as polar bears, pandas, etc. I think it is important to think about the species that we do not think of on a daily basis and take into account our actions on these different types of species.

Overall I think that the book is a bit too much on the optimistic side, but this is just my opinion. I think the ideas presented are really great and innovative, but do not have as much applicability right now because people aren’t interested in setting up a clothesline or paying more money for detergent that is less harmful to the environment. This isn’t saying that people don’t care; it’s just a problem of awareness. I understand that Cradle to Cradle has gotten a lot of press, especially internationally. However, I do not see this in the US, unless it’s with people whom I take classes with who are already involved in environmental issues. However, I do not think that anything is going to get done unless we have some misplaced optimism that keeps work moving. The only way to raise awareness (since we a such a ‘democratic’ nation and would never just impose a law to start saving the environment without popular vote) is through action. I think combining the call to action in “Cradle to Cradle” with Maniates ideas is important in working towards a solution. I liked the comparison of human life to ant life – ants leave no trace on their environment except in positive ways, while humans are essentially ruining things that cannot be replaced.