Eliminating the concept of waste

By Sarah Kneezle

Even the most eco-conscious consumers can’t escape the burden of trash. From plastic bags to non-recyclable food packaging, some things are just meant to be thrown away.

But the problem may be more about our relationship to waste, according to William McDonough and Michael Braungart, who wrote the book Cradle to Cradle in 2002.

In this clever and captivating manual on how to eliminate waste, McDonough and Braungart explain that the current way we view trash is a cradle-to-grave system. Everything we toss in the trash goes to a landfill to die and there is no further need for the product.

In the new world imagined by this chemist and designer pair, waste equals food. Old products turn into new products and sometimes have different purposes.

In the first chapter, “This book is not a tree,” they explain that trees are not the most efficient resources to make paper, while highlighting their personal stories and inspirations for rethinking trash. Cradle to Cradle, is, indeed, not published on trees. In fact, it is made out of synthetic “paper,” a highly durable, recyclable and waterproof material.

The ink is non-traditional, too. At a certain temperature range, the ink will disappear from the page, making it easy to transform this book into…another book.

Using this same approach, McDonough and Braungart have taken it a step further by instituting a Cradle to Cradle certification for products and goods and hope to spawn the next industrial revolution—one that uses green thinking to eliminate the concept of waste.

Products are also rated based on their risks to human health and environmental relevance. Like the LEED system, C2C offers four ratings: basic, silver, gold and platinum.

McDonough and Braungart have certified companies whose products range in function—from office chairs to diapers and carpets. But the most recognizable may be packaging from the United States Postal Service, which has eight products with a silver rating.

“We are proud that the collaborative efforts of so many businesses, suppliers and production companies will result in improved human and environmental health,” said Postmaster General John E. Potter, back in 2007, when the deal was announced. “At the Postal Service, we continue to find innovative ways to help the environment without passing added costs onto our customers. Consumers will not see any change in price, service or convenience.

In addition to Cradle to Cradle certification process, McDonough and Braungart have overseen eco-conscious design projects at Nike and outdoor clothier Patagonia, which can recycle its organic cotton and any Polartec fleece to make new products.

Check out the documentary Waste=Food to learn more.