Cradle-to-cradle design

Cradle-to-cradle design (sometimes C2C, cradle 2 cradle, or Regenerative design) is a biomimetic philosophy and practice of design. It approaches design and production as a system, using nature's processes as a model. Materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in a metabolismW.

It is a holistic economic and industrial ramework for efficiency and the elimination of waste.[1] See No such thing as waste.

Cradle to cradle is applicable to industrial design, manufacturing, urban environments, buildings - and more controversially to economics and even social systems.

History

The term was coined by Walter R. Stahel in Switzerland in the 1970s,[2] applied by the Interface carpet company in the mid-1990s (working with Amory Lovins, Paul Hawken and others), and popularized by William McDonough.

Waste separation

See Waste#Waste separation It should be noted that the cradle-to-cradle envisions far better separation as what's currently done. For example, plastics can then be recycled rather than burned. See Plastics_recovery_manual_4

Recycling

McDonough divides categorises recycling into Upcycling and Downcycling. The first describes a method of recyling in which the waste material is made more pure, allowing its use in more products/processes. The latter makes the waste material more contaminated with other materials, making it usable in less products/materials.

Examples of finished products

  • Cradle-to-cradle shoes have been made through the Nike Considered project.[3]
  • The Edag light car
  • Rohner Textile AG Climatex-textile[4]
  • Biofoam; a cradle-to-cradle alternative to expanded polystyrene[5]
  • Sewage sludge processing plants are facilities that create fertiliser from sewage sludge. This approach is green retrofit for the current (inefficient) system of organic waste disposal; as composting toilets are a better approach in the long run.Template:Citation needed

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lovins, L. Hunter (2008). Rethinking production in State of the World 2008, pp. 38–40.
  2. ↑ Green Guru Gone Wrong: William McDonough, Fast Company, November 1, 2008.
  3. ↑ Nike Considered
  4. ↑ Rohner textile Climatex as cradle-to-cradle certified textile
  5. ↑ Biofoam
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