Question

The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) concept is a system of thinking based on the belief that industry can be transformed into a sustaining enterprise—one that creates economic, ecological, and social value— through thoughtful and intentional design that mirrors the safe, regenerative productivity of nature and eliminates the concept of waste. Write a 300-word essay discussing whether you think this concept has business value.

following criteria:

will demonstrate understanding of the Cradle to Cradle concept along with appropriate and accurate use of terminology from the book by Michael Braungart and William McDonough.

will demonstrate critical thinking by using logic, evidence (at least one example) and well-reasoned argument.

The essay will be written in appropriate, standard written English.

Answer 1

Cradle to cradle can be described as the design and processing of goods of all kinds in such a way that, at the end of their existence, they can be genuinely recycled (upcycled), imitating the cycle of nature with everything either recycled or returned to the earth, directly or indirectly via food, as a fully healthy, non-toxic and biodegradable resource.

From cradle to cradle, all the components of a plant feed another plant, earth or animal, or become fuel: the products consist of either biodegradable materials which become food for biological cycles or of technical materials which remain in closed-loop mechanical cycles, which continue to circulate as useful nutrients for industry.

It may be argued that cradle to cradle is equal to true sustainability – by way of the biological or mechanical materials used, all goods are renewable because it is a waste and can not be reused.

The term “cradle to cradle” is largely attributed to William McDonough; however, it may have originated over 25 years ago, coined by Walter Stahel from Switzerland

An example of a natural cradle to cradle system highlighted by Braungart and McDonough is a community of ants. They cite Hoyt 1996 in stating that as part of the daily activity, ants:

• Safely and effectively handle their own material waste and those of other species
• Grow and harvest their own food while nurturing the ecosystems of which they are a part
• Construct houses, farms, dumps, cemeteries, living quarters, and food storage facilities from materials that can be fully recycled
• Create disinfectants and medicines that are healthy safe and biodegradable
• Maintain soil health for the entire planet Despite this parallel, cradle to cradle does not advocate returning to a pretechnological state. Instead, it works on the principle that it is possible to incorporate the best of technology and culture to reflect a new view where products are made to reflect the full ability which ants display to work with, and for, nature rather than against it.

Ultimately, the value of nations and organizations is calculated by the gross national product (GNP) which measures sales rather than the cost of goods sold. It can lead to problems such as when a national disaster, such as the earthquake, damages infrastructure and causes GNP to rise as money is spent on labor and services given the lack of natural resources affecting the long-term capability of the nation.

The difference between efficiency and effectiveness is often an important distinction, often described as the efficiency of doing the right thing while being successful means doing the right thing. Eco-efficiency can be seen as doing it right — more effectively, minimizing, reusing, and recycling, but it doesn't necessarily mean doing it right. The fundamental tenant of the cradle to the cradle is doing right things-being effective.