We finished the book! And boy, was Cradle to Cradle an informing read! I feel so different than when I started it! I think it opened up a new way of thinking for me.
I want to mention some interesting points from chapters 4-6. First, I enjoyed the anecdote about the textile factory that agreed to be chemically cleansed. Bill came in and replaced all of the toxic dyes and fabrics with safe, natural ones. As a result, the workers didn't have to wear protection, there were empty rooms in the factory that could be used for recreation, and the effluent water from the factory was cleaner than when it came into it! I thought that was amazing! I had no idea a factory could be so clean! It really opened my eyes.
Another interesting fact I read was on page 129, a tid-bit about the 1998 building that had windows that opened. It was a low-point in contemporary architecture because they had to make such a big deal about what should be considered normal. This hit me because I love my windows. In the summer, I hate the air conditioner and will be the first one to open all the doors and windows for that breath of fresh air. To think that buildings are designed without this simple pleasure is preposterous!
Overall, the last chapters summed up the main ideas just as the first three chapters started them. I feel that the authors did a great job of getting the point across because I am now constantly thinking of ways to reuse goods. So many things in our throwaway society needs to be redesigned!
While reading this book, I feel like I need to do something! I couldn't help but wish I was still in landscape architecture so that I can do something for our poor suffering planet! I mean, I'm in interior space design now, but is that a field I can really make a difference in? I'm sure there are ways, and maybe that field needs someone like me to think outside the box. After all, a filter starts in the designer's mind, not on the end of a pipe.
