Bob,
You say "McDonough is like the Toyota ads...".
Having read Cradle to Cradle, I really don't see how your simile is
valid. I don't think the Prius even approaches what McDonough is
calling for in his call for a redesign.. in fact, I think he would
say the Prius is just efficiency which is a bad thing... just slowing/
prolonging the inevitable. I love McDonough's extrapolation of
"efficiency"... would you want an efficient Nazi? Would efficient sex
be a good thing? No to both.
If you came away from Cradle to Cradle thinking the Prius is the
answer called for in the book, then you need to read it again.
From a Prius driver, (efficient but sadly not effective)
Erin A. Scheessele
Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
Willamette University
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Feb 27, 2008, at 7:08 PM, Robert Fireovid wrote:
McDonough is like the Toyota ads that would seduce me into trading
in my 1994, 30 mpg Prism for a brand new Prius. Considering the
quantities of non-renewable natural resources that are extracted,
transported and transformed into a new car (and the amount of
Nature that is destroyed in its wake), I would have to own the
Prius for over 50 years to "pay back" that resource debt and
generate any net improvement in my environmental footprint.
Young people love (and have taught me the power of) You-Tube. Have
them watch this short spot, "The Story of Stuff," to see what I
mean... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqZMTY4V7Ts
- Bob Fireovid
W. McDonough and M. Braungart's Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way
we make
things (2002) might be interesting for your summer reading list.
They
suggest a proactive approach to environmental issues that is
refreshing,
maybe even hopeful.
