Redesigning Design: Completely Recyclable Books, Biodegradable Shoes, and the like.

When I received Cradle to Cradle in the mail along with my other textbooks this semester, I quickly realized that it was not the typical book. The pages were plastic, and it was heavier than all of the other books I bought. The design of the book aligns with the ideas inside. We need to make things differently, and input a closed loop system. The book has been designed to be completely recyclable into a new book; it is not like another book which when recycled is converted into a lower quality product.

A major issue that McDonough tackled was ditching the 'cradle to grave' model for the 'cradle to cradle' model. The book follows this model because it is easily recyclable into a new book of the same quality. He argues that the industrial revolutions methods of production that are still in place are leading to massive environmental degradation, and that all human products must be made in this way or at least be completely biodegradable. Instead of producing by this method, we must operate with zero emissions. The authors envision a future of complete sustainability.

I extremely enjoyed his viewpoints of addressing sustainability through not just innovation, but complete reinvention and redesign. They state that we don't need to reduce our measures of consumption, but come up with new ways of consuming that benefit the planet. He does not advise that we need to change our ways, but that corporations and businesses need to change their ways to take action to invent new materials and products that do not harm the environment.