Waste = Food
Humans are the only living things that generate landfills. Natural resources are rapidly being depleted, while countries such as China and India are increasing production and consumption. The world’s waste production is enormous, and if we do nothing, we’ll quickly turn all of our resources into one big, messy landfill.
But there is hope. German chemist Michael Braungart and American designer and architect William McDonough are fundamentally changing the way we produce and build. Production and consumption could be good for the planet if waste becomes food for the biosphere or technosphere (all the tech stuff we make).
They call it a cradle-to-cradle design and production philosophy. A concept considered to be the next industrial revolution. Design each product so that at the end of its life cycle, the component material becomes a new resource. Design buildings to generate energy and protect the environment.
Big companies like Ford and Nike worked with McDonough and Braungart to transform their manufacturing facilities and products. They recognize that, economically speaking, waste is the destruction of capital. You are doing worthless things. Based on their ideas, the Chinese government is working on a circular economy where garbage=food. An amazing story that is sure to change the way you think about production and consumption.
