LEE: Cradle to Cradle Vs. Cradle to Grave.

The theory on cradle to cradle is a new way to think about caring for our environment. It challenges things such as “recycling, driving hybrid cars, etc.” which are known as cradle to grave methods. While cradle to grave methods are better than just leaving your trash in the streets, it is a dangerous illusion to think that this alone will save the world from utter “trashdom”.

Two of the main players of cradle to cradle theology are Architect: William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart. Together they have released a book that focuses on cradle to cradle and ways in which it can help both the world and those who live in it.

The difference between cradle to cradle(CTC)and cradle to grave(CTG) is while the traditional CTG methods (recycling etc.) an item may be used through a few “lives” eg. A plastic bottle may be recycled to make another. But eventually the quality oft hat plastic will have degraded so much that it will become un-useable and used for land fill. CTC objects however are infinitely sustainable and the materials can be used over and over for a variety of things.

A good example for cradle to cradle vs. cradle to grave lies in running shoes. Most shoes these days consist of highly manufactured and non-environmentally friendly materials such as rubbers, adhesives, paints etc.

But recently Nike has begun to create a series of eco-friendly shoes that adhere to the cradle to cradle methods. Using un-treated leathers, stitching rather than the traditional toxic adhesive and bio-degradable, interchangeable soles, thus making a shoe that is environmentally friendly and fashionable.

In the future cradle to cradle methods will hopefully be in more mainstream use, and can extend even to construction and manufacturing plants themselves.

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/cradle-to-cradle/

http://www.mcdonough.com/

Waste = food video.

My brain.

Google image search for Cradle to cradle.