“Cradle to Cradle” by William McDonough & Michael Braungart

A passage in the introduction aptly sums up the premise of Cradle to Cradle: “All the ants on the planet, taken together have a biomass greater than that of humans. Ants have been incredibly industrious for millions of years. Yet their productiveness nourishes plants, animals and soil. Human industry has been in full swing for little over a century, yet it has brought about a decline in almost every ecosystem on the planet. Nature doesn’t have a design problem. People do.” The architect and chemist challenge the “cradle to grave” concept that reducing, reusing and recycling alone will minimize damage to the planet. Drawing on their experience in redesigning everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, McDonough and Braungart make an exciting and practical case for putting eco-effectiveness into practice using nature as a model.