This document summarizes key concepts from the book Cradle to Cradle. It discusses moving from a cradle to grave model, where products are used then thrown away creating waste, to a model where waste is designed to be food for something new. It introduces the concepts of technical and biological nutrients, where technical nutrients can be reused infinitely and biological nutrients contribute nutrients back to the natural world. Examples given include edible utensils that can be thrown away without guilt and renting shoes where the upper material biodegrades while the sole is reused. A 5 step process is outlined to get free of known toxins and follow informed preferences to reinvent systems using safe materials in a circular flow.

1. Cradle to Cradle
Remaking the Way We Make Things
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2. Summary
• Cradle to Cradle instead of Cradle to
Grave
• Consumers actually use very little; the rest
is thrown away—but there is no "away"
• Waste is Food
•"Biomemetic"s- Example of Ants
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3. Key Words
• Technical Nutrients: Synthetic product that,
although not part of the natural world, can be
reused infinitely and thus do not contribute
waste.
• Biological Nutrients: Organic matter that, even if
it is waste, contributes nutrients, food, etc. to the
natural world.
• Downcyling: recycling materials into lesser
products, with each iteration less useful and
more wasteful
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4. Examples
• Eating utensils made out of non-toxic, organic,
completely biodegradable materials that "you
can feel good about throwing away" (instead of
guilty)
• Shoes made out of 2 parts: Sole of rubber
("technical nutrient") and upper of
biodegradeable material ("biologicalnutrient")
that you rent instead of buy; when it is worn out,
you return it to the manufacturer, who disposes
of upper and reuses sole
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5. 5 Steps
• Get Free of Known Culprits
• Follow Informed Personal Preferences
• Create lists of materials according to their safety
level
– X List – known hazardous materials that must be
phased out
– Gray List – unknown or somewhat problematic
materials
– P List – known non toxic or safe materials
• Activate the list (keep P, remove X, study Gray)
• Reinvent-redesign of the former system
Text directly from the book
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6. Questions!
• Cradle to Cradle mentions the example of
creating carpeting out of recycled plastic
containers. What could be the downside of
such a project?
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7. Questions!
• What is the difference between upcycling
and downcycling? Pros? Cons?
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8. Questions!
• What is the difference between efficiency
and effectiveness, especially when
pertaining to eco-friendly design?
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9. Questions!
• Where can we get inspiration for waste-
free, or nearly waste free, cycling of
materials?
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10. Questions!
• What is the danger of mixing technical and
biological nutrients?
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11. Questions!
• Cradle to Cradle mentions the example of
creating carpeting out of recycled plastic
containers. What could be the downside of
such a project?
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12. Questions!
• If a cherry tree would design a building,
what would it be like?
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14. The
Circular Economy
in the
Asia Pacific Region
www.circularecconomyasia.org