Cradle to Cradle is a concept that seems to have the solution to our most urgent environmental problems. Better products for human and nature through optimizing production processes.
At the moment we point out a product that is of harm to our environment and try to make it less harmful. Cradle to Cradle is questioning the whole value chain and even asks: is the product still what we need regarding its purpose?
One example: A book for children. Even those products are still containing chemicals that can severely harm human health. Following the Cradle to Cradle school of thoughts no chemicals would be in the complete product chain any more. During the process of making, every single step would need to be looked at and changed regarding to usage of chemicals as well as unnecessary waste. In most cases alternative production methods already exist and are applied by others. At the end of the Cradle to Cradle certification the production chain as well as the final product would be in balance with nature; in our case to child book, would either be 100% reusable or eatable.
If one starts to search for alternatives and solutions beyond the horizon, sudden opportunities can even reduce the cost of production. Following Cradle to Cradle all waste is nutrition.
During a one-day conference on the 31st of October 2015 an interested audience of 600 people was able to get information, meet other likeminded people and get in touch with the Cradle to Cradle pioneers in Germany.
From printing products to cleaning detergent, office furniture and bio-organic food – a multitude of trendsetting examples and success stories in economy, environment and even society were on display.
The future of sustainability has started – from Cradle to Cradle.
For all of you that want to know more about Cradle to Cradle, check out their website (www.c2ccertified.org) or come to the next conference on the 24th September 2016 in Lüneburg, Germany.
