"You want to change your jeans, not your genes."

Instead of products flowing from the cradle to the grave—like historical design has perpetuated—McDonough and Braungart suggest that we can design products to flow from cradle to cradle. McDonough is a progressive architect and Braungart is one of the original environmental chemists. Their unique backgrounds allow for a diversified approach to their proposed central problem: a flawed system of design. Beginning with the origins of the Industrial Revolution, the authors point out the principles that have led to a sole focus on economic growth and ignorance of environmental degradation. One of the main points is that many of the harmful substances present in many everyday objects do not need to be there. The presence of these harmful substances adds a multiplier effect to the damage instead of providing a product that could be safely and efficiently recycled.

The authors’ arguments are very effective due to the wide spectrum of environmental views they are able to present due to their backgrounds. The mini biographies that each author provides are an insight into their deeper motivations and backgrounds. Within each focus of the book, the reader can find a part on the smaller biologic level as well as the total picture of a product. The spectrum that each argument covers provides a fuller argument as compared to a sole focus on policy or science. Also, the authors’ positive report is obvious from their writings together. It is important that independently and collectively the authors’ have been successful in order to relay their experiences and resulting viewpoints.

I am now curious about this overall “mono” effect that is synonymous with environmental degradation and economic progress. As Meyer describes in The End of the Wild, we are entering a world of mono-species. Now, McDonough and Braungart tell us that we are mono-cropping and mono-construction. Why in a world of progress are we losing diversity—something that makes this world so beautiful? I think this should be a major aspect of the new design policy that the authors are proposing. Diversity is a major key to sustainability I believe.