To be sustainable is good but why not aim higher ?
Some weeks ago, Michael Braungart the co-creator of the ‘cradle to cradle’ methodology spoke on a conference in Copenhagen. I was there. Since I read the book ”Cradle to Cradle” 8 months ago I have been truly inspired.
Braungart describes the logic of guilt management which is very much part of how we view sustainability today. He underlines that the apocalyptic approach to sustainability today aims at making us feel guilty about our ecological footprint on the planet. This guilt is supposed to make us decrease our bad impact on the environment by reducing our waste, use less energy, etcetera. It seems like it doesn’t really work well enough. The ecological footprint is constantly increasing.
We need to aim higher. Braungart tells us not to feel guilty but instead use our intelligence to create positive products. Braungart and William McDonough have designed houses that produce more energy than they use and industries that improve the quality of the water taken from the nearby river upon discharge. They are creating products which are either of such a good quality of material that they can be truly recycled (not loosing quality under the recycling process like paper does) or biological nutrient that will easily reenter the water or soil without depositing synthetic materials or toxins. Holland is now a big learning lab on ‘cradle to cradle’ design
After the conference several questions have puzzled me. How can we use the ‘cradle to cradle’ methodology in the existing city - and not only when building new ones? Who will be in charge of controlling the lifecycle of products, houses and cities? Most of all the 'cradle to cradle' conference inspired me to ask myself and others the question: How can we aim higher than sustainability?
Join the debate and keep us updated on cradle to cradle (C2C) discussions and news on how to apply the thoughts in cities!
Kommentarer
Thank you Julie for sharing this with the world. I truely believe that the cradle to cradle apporach is the one idea which offeres solutions needed for the 21st century.
Most approaches and discussions right now are demanding less consumption, reduction of CO2 and a lower lifestyle etc... Which is a nobel way to look at things.
Nevertheless observing myself and the world around me people are caught in their habits and comfort or dreaming of having the same comfort than the neighbour. Most of our systems are aiming for more than less, eg. our economy. And to change that takes a lot of time!
And here is the beauty of cradleing. If you design production processes in this new way it is ok to waste, live in comfort, heat your house, run you vehicle because your waste is needed for the next product to be made.
Being a very normal person I depend on bright minds to come up with these designs so. And I wish I would have access to a pool of ideas and products already designed in the cradle way (unfortunately the link about the learning lab in the Netherlands is not working on this page)).
Would be great to get some help there?
Felix
Hi Felix,
Thank for your comments. I have fixed the link to the learning lab In the Netherlands. I will dig deeper into the cradle to cradle experience in the Netherlands and see if it answer some of my questions.
Julie
I agree – C2C is an interesting approach. Constantly making us feel guilty is a strange way to develop the society in a sustainable way!
But I think we need to see some good examples on C2C in urban planning. Over the last 20 years there has been a lot of different approaches to sustainable development: Local Agenda 21, urban renewal, debates on sustainable cities, green cities etc. A lot of small steps, but also a lot of talk a the strategic level! We need to see more solutions in our cities.
I think there is a lot of innovation in sustainable housing. But at the same time it is obvious that traffic is an increasing problem in relation to sustainability. How can we use C2C in dealing with the environmental impacts of traffic?
Svend Erik
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