Beyond Sustainability--Designing for Abundance
William McDonough, Michael Braungart, Bill Clinton: Upcycle (2013, Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
English language
Published April 19, 2013 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
From the authors of Cradle to Cradle, we learn what's next: The Upcycle. The Upcycle is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Cradle to Cradle, one of the most consequential ecological manifestoes of our time. Now, drawing on the lessons gained from 10 years of putting the Cradle to Cradle concept into practice with businesses, governments, and ordinary people, William McDonough and Michael Braungart envision the next step in the solution to our ecological crisis: We don't just use or reuse resources with greater effectiveness, we actually improve the world as we live, create, and build. For McDonough and Braungart, the questions of resource scarcity and sustainability are questions of design. They are practical-minded visionaries: They envision beneficial designs of products, buildings, and business practices -- and they show us these ideas being put to use around the world as everyday objects like chairs, cars, and factories are being reimagined not …
From the authors of Cradle to Cradle, we learn what's next: The Upcycle. The Upcycle is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Cradle to Cradle, one of the most consequential ecological manifestoes of our time. Now, drawing on the lessons gained from 10 years of putting the Cradle to Cradle concept into practice with businesses, governments, and ordinary people, William McDonough and Michael Braungart envision the next step in the solution to our ecological crisis: We don't just use or reuse resources with greater effectiveness, we actually improve the world as we live, create, and build. For McDonough and Braungart, the questions of resource scarcity and sustainability are questions of design. They are practical-minded visionaries: They envision beneficial designs of products, buildings, and business practices -- and they show us these ideas being put to use around the world as everyday objects like chairs, cars, and factories are being reimagined not just to sustain life on the planet but to grow it. It is an eye-opening, inspiring tour of our future as it unfolds in front of us. The Upcycle is as ambitious as such classics as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring -- but its mission is very different. McDonough and Braungart want to turn on its head our very understanding of the human role on earth: Instead of protecting the planet from human impact, why not redesign our activity to improve the planet? We can have a beneficial footprint. Abundance for all. The goal is within our reach. - Publisher.
One of the rare books that will change the way you think. Should be read by everyone.
What a delight this book is! I’ve begun a practice in the past few months of reading a little before getting out of bed in the morning, and this was the first book I finished in that manner. And each of those mornings started with fresh, bright optimism. I found myself convinced that all the problems in the world are just design problems. I’ve been increasingly annoyed with this narrative that people are bad, everything we do is harmful, the earth is dying, and we should all reduce, be less, hold our breaths and prepare for the collapse of civilization. The authors design buildings and products that leave the world better. Not just nontoxic, but regenerative, healing. They talk about thinking of resources in terms of „nutrient cycles“. So, instead of „how do we reduce or reuse this toxic product?“ the question becomes „how do we design products so their …
What a delight this book is! I’ve begun a practice in the past few months of reading a little before getting out of bed in the morning, and this was the first book I finished in that manner. And each of those mornings started with fresh, bright optimism. I found myself convinced that all the problems in the world are just design problems. I’ve been increasingly annoyed with this narrative that people are bad, everything we do is harmful, the earth is dying, and we should all reduce, be less, hold our breaths and prepare for the collapse of civilization. The authors design buildings and products that leave the world better. Not just nontoxic, but regenerative, healing. They talk about thinking of resources in terms of „nutrient cycles“. So, instead of „how do we reduce or reuse this toxic product?“ the question becomes „how do we design products so their components are endlessly recaptured and the manufacturing process cleans the water and air?“ An example that’s very easy to understand: they took those fleece jackets that are made of recycled plastic and redesigned the zippers and snaps so that at the end of the jacket’s useful life it can be raw material once again. Instead of reusing the plastic once, they created an endless cycle. The authors have set up a certification program for products that meet their standards, and they provide services for companies who want to meet the standard. For example, they maintain a list of fabrics that furniture makers can use to create nontoxic products that produce no pollution in the manufacturing process. Another world is possible, we just have to design it.
