Again, and unfortunately, Cradle to Cradle brings up the point that eco-efficiency or any attempt it seems, does nothing but prolong our inevitable and eminent death of the world. From our houses to our books we are doing damage, if not immediately then for the future. I know that the goal of this book is to inform the masses (or whoever happens to read the book) of the destruction we do everyday in our simple activities. Even reading!!
I hear their solution for the books. But the work that goes into it, and the money that is spent, and the jobs that are lost, just (well not just) for a book to be biodegradable, or simply reusable, are not for me good enough reasons. I want to save the planet. I really do. But I will not take a job away from a man or woman in need of that factory position. I will not cut a tax that might go to education or health care, for solar power implementation. I will not.
To become eco-friendly-efficient-effective-harmless, there is still so much left to think about and to research. I will listen, truly listen and want to apply the ideas of McDonough and Braungart when they tell me what will happen to the people who lose their jobs, to the people who have to totally redo their buildings in the name of eco-ness, to the people who can’t afford to change their habits.
In the book we are compared to ants, who “collectively their biomass exceeds ours” (79). Good for the ants that can live off leaves. The world is compared to a cherry tree who lives off the nutrients of the ground and are able to feed people with their byproduct. If we could live of photosynthesis and rain water, I’m sure obesity would be down and raccoons would have less garbage to plunder through. Regrettably we are not these things. I’m still looking for Cradle to Cradle to give me something plausible, something I can get behind without worrying about the harm that it can do to the people. We can save the Earth, but if in that process we hurt the people living on it, what good do we actually accomplish?
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I understand where you're coming from Kelsey. It's interesting to see what and how much we can compromise. During that moment in class when I heard that global warming was not going to be resolved, I nearly fell out of my chair. I was nervous of whether our efforts were making a difference or not. Ultimately, we're just buying time.
Sounds like we're doomed anyway. However, when I think of children dying of AIDS in Africa, I feel as though some citizens here ignore the problem. I've heard people say that they'll die anyway, with or without medication. Now, that's sad.
It's also an interesting comparison to see whether we are willing to place ourselves before the planet. Who is sustainability actually addressing?
I think when it all is broken down, it's just that we should live simple lives.
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