Second to Last

When thinking about ways to solve the environmental crisis many have come up with various answers. But any kind of practical solutions have been somewhat lacking I think. The authors of Cradle to Cradle have done their research on this topic though and have developed a viable solution for people to consider when pondering methods to curb and eventually halt the effects of climate change. I find that two elements they mention are rather noteworthy. The first is the constant rhetoric to make industry "less bad" instead of just all good. They hit upon the fact that reducing and trying to minimize production is not the answer because that only continues to add to the cycle that results in waste. The other point that I found to be relevant to the entire problem is the notion that economic growth equals prosperity and therefore more growth or GDP equals progress. This is not true though when seen in context of the negative aspects that economic activity can also spawn. To help the economy consumers are encouraged to buy which is illustrative of the core problem that the authors highlight: the mindset that says, "I am the first and last to own this product." This type of thinking leads to more industrial growth and consequentially more waste over time.

The concept "cradle to cradle" is innovative and logical. It makes sense to not only reuse things but to send them back to their origins to maintain a natural cycle. What it really comes down to is the current design of products--their durability and overall sustainability. The authors introduce new processes by which products can be reused; the biological and technical metabolisms are solutions to such problems as downcycling and landfilling and instead keeping the "nutrients" in a closed-loop cycle. This mimics the type of cycle that things in nature do all the time. It's about not wasting any part of anything and instead fully appreciating it by using all of it.