This reading assignment was the first three chapters of McDonough's "Cradle to Cradle." It was quite an intensive read, filling me with guilt as I was introduced to the world's industrial pollution problems. I look around my room now and feel that I am getting poisoned by all the cheap, plastic, disposable junk in here! And all the electronics that will soon be replaced and thrown "away" when the next best thing comes out. And where is this away at? (I guiltily glance over at my full trash can...) Yet, McDonough and Braungart also claim that even if you try to help out by recycling and such, may be even worse than doing nothing! It's confusing but quite a reality check for how terrible our manufactured goods actually are! They say, to be "less bad" is a failure of the imagination.
I wish I could do something to stop this tiny particle emanating from our products that is killing us and out world. But it seems like a radical revolution would have to take place! If so much has to change, how come I have never heard about these new ideas? And why hasn't anyone else spoken up about how recycling isn't really solving anything? I am going to try to communicate McDonough and Braungart's ideas to my friends and family but I feel that I am not informed enough to be able to educate them enough. At least I will try my best!
