Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough

Choice Reviews 2002 October


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The play on words in the title is the key to understanding the environmentalist authors' point of view and inspiring approach toward intelligent design for products and processes, leaving the biosphere a little better than it was for our grandchildren. Their pitch is to be good, not less bad, in our designs. American architect McDonough and German chemist Braungart are partners in a company they founded that advises corporations and institutions on eco-effective practices requiring no postmanufacturing and postconsumer problem-solving because there will be no problems. This important and likely controversial book needs to be read and discussed, not only by movers and shakers, but by young people trying to understand the biosphere and anthropogenic impacts. However, this book is not unblemished, either in content or execution. The content is far too fuzzy and lacking in concrete ideas of wide applicability on sustainable growth, making it easy for critics to dismiss. The execution is maddening for its lack of suitable references, a substantive bibliography, and most frustratingly, a working index, all of which this reviewer suspects would add more value to the book than the too-cute-for-words curved corners and the "paper" it is printed on. Everyone should read this! All levels. Copyright 2002 American Library Association

Kirkus Reviews 2002 February #1

Noted eco-designers suggest a paradigm shift in human habits of manufacture and consumption.American architect/industrial engineer McDonough and German chemist Braungart collaborated at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit on a proposal for eliminating the concept of waste in industrial design. Here, they elaborate on their theory, explaining that even environment-friendly policies such as recycling and waste-reduction still fall short of achieving for humankind the kind of balance and harmony that other living entities have employed for millennia. The authors, who now run a design consulting firm, examine reigning industrial design practices and our basic misconceptions about waste, arguing against the idea that "less bad is good" and offering several points for future thought about putting their principles of "eco-effectiveness" to work. The emphasis here is on moving beyond traditional thinking about the relationship between nature and humanity to consider instead how to make humanity itself a better-functioning natural system. Despite the awakening of environmentalism over the past three decades, McDonough and Braungart assert, we are still largely stuck with the Industrial Revolution precept of "cradle to grave" consumer goods that become waste. They offer several examples of how industrial processes and thoughtful changes in the design of habitat and work environment might create true self-nourishing systems. Environmental regulations, the authors believe, are needed stopgaps but ultimately exemplify a major design flaw in the way we think about making things. For instance, instead of a more fuel-efficient car, why not a mode of transportation that would not simply be less polluting but would actually nourish the atmosphere? Moving past both the planned obsolescence that is the cornerstone of much industry, as well as the control and command structure of environmental regulation, McDonough and Braungart encourage humanity to begin thinking of itself as a self-sustaining entity that does not necessarily need to take a toll on its surroundings.A readable, provocative treatise that "gets outside the box" in a huge way. Timely and inspiring. Copyright Kirkus 2002 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved

PW Reviews 2002 February #2

Website: http://www.publishersweekly.com

Environmentalists are normally the last people to be called shortsighted, yet that's essentially what architect McDonough and chemist Braungart contend in this clarion call for a new kind of ecological consciousness. The authors are partners in an industrial design firm that devises environmentally sound buildings, equipment and products. They argue that conventional, expensive eco-efficiency measures things like recycling or emissions reduction are inadequate for protecting the long-term health of the planet. Our industrial products are simply not designed with environmental safety in mind; there's no way to reclaim the natural resources they use or fully prevent ecosystem damage, and mitigating the damage is at best a stop-gap measure. What the authors propose in this clear, accessible manifesto is a new approach they've dubbed "eco-effectiveness": designing from the ground up for both eco-safety and cost efficiency. They cite examples from their own work, like rooftops covered with soil and plants that serve as natural insulation; nontoxic dyes and fabrics; their current overhaul of Ford's legendary River Rouge factory; and the book itself, which will be printed on a synthetic "paper" that doesn't use trees. Because profitability is a requirement of the designs, the thinking goes, they appeal to business owners and obviate the need for regulatory apparatus. These shimmery visions can sound too good to be true, and the book is sometimes frustratingly short on specifics, particularly when it comes to questions of public policy and the political interests that might oppose widespread implementation of these designs. Still, the authors' original concepts are an inspiring reminder that humans are capable of much more elegant environmental solutions than the ones we've settled for in the last half-century. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.