Recently I had the great privilege of hearing Michael Braungart’s keynote speech on “cradle to cradle” at the Green Industrial Design conference in Holon, Israel. “Cradle to cradle” is a revolutionary approach to sustainable development, co-developed with William McDonough and published in their book of the same name (2002). I’m a big fan.
This philosophy radically challenges “over-population” as the root to all the current environmental problems. Its newness is in the concept that if we redesign the way we make things – transitioning from the current system of “cradle to grave” into a new cyclic system of “cradle to cradle” – then it wouldn’t matter how much we consume. That way, we can continue to consume, but after the products’ usage has ended, if designed correctly, they can become raw materials for future products.
Some call this a new industrial revolution. Only this time, doing it the right way.
Continue reading ‘Innovation’s role in a sustainable future’
