Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
Chapter 5 Pages 118 - 156
This chapter deals with the idea of repeating diversity of all types, especially the connection of the environment and our society. Diversity is a good thing that everyone should keep in mind and try to follow. We as a culture need to go through a "de-evolution" that would result in a simplification on a mass scale. This would help out society greater towards being healthier.
"...fitting-est who thrive." (p 120)
The "fitting-est" individuals are the ones who are energetic and engage in a relationship between them and the place they are within. An example are ants. There are a variety of ant types, but each interact on diffferent leves of the same space. Like in a tree, there are a type of ants of the branches and another type on the leaves. In a way, they work together to some degree.
The industries of today need to involve themselves with their surroundings (both setting and culture). They need to begin thinking "local" because that is considered a sustainable route. If they go outside local, it can affect there own space. Because by bringing in new things into their setting, they could maybe harm their ecosystem.
When it comes to sewage treatment, the idea of a "living machine" is emerging. Incorporated in this "living machine" is actually nature itself. So putting nature together with our sewage could help both of us out whether it be food for animals, or a cleaner environment with less waste for us.
We have become an indoor culture due to our materials and this idea of comfort that we praise. We need to begin merging ancient ways and new technology together to create safer systems for everyone. It's amazing how simple things like placing the thermostat in a different place like towards the workers and not the machines (that give off heat) can help cut costs and help the temperature to relate to the people and not the machines.
Certain types of energy depend on the climate. Like with with wind power, the area has to get large amounts of wind and also have enough space for the massive wind mills. This idea of the environment and us working together needs to grow. We should begin to treat and adapt our buildings to be like trees. That is help purify the air, create shade, enrich the soil, and change with the seasons. Our cities should become forests.
In China, Styrofoam ("white pollution") is plaguing them. The idea of creating biodegradeable trash that can be thrown out of the train window is a thiving ideal. This way they could promote people to litter, and it would help the environment. We need to protect nature.
Why do we work at/with harmful companies?
How can we not work with them? They provide jobs and goods for people. How can we say no? We can't escape their grasp.
This diagram pieces ecology (top), economy (bottom right) and equity (bottom left) together. Economy refers to capitalism, equity to social, and ecology to environment. Between economy and equity there is a shift towards fairness. Between equity and ecology the idea of questioning how safe settings are come into play. Between ecology and economy eco-efficiency emerges.
Slow Death By Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things by Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie
Chapter 4 Pages 96 - 130
The use of flame retardants is/was very popular, even though it's not safe for the users. This use of bromine as a flame retardant isn't healthy, and yet we are subjecting ourselves to it. Yet there aren't too many bromines in the world. Somehow we find enough to contaminate ourselves...
"The fellow we met with said, 'Of course, we need flame retardants on furniture, because kids are playing with matches.' I mean they were seriously saying that we need the flame retardants in furniture so the kids can go on playing with matches. I will never forget it." (p 100)
What kids are playing with matches? Shouldn't that responsibility be on the parents, and not on the furniture.
The bromine in flame retardants is a known carcinogen and mutagen, and we are poisoning our future generations with it. Children may die from their pajamas catching on fire, but it is worth the cost of pumping chemicals into their developing systems? These children are out future and we are polluting them.
It's ironic that Richard Simpson, the Chairman of the CPSC, believes that if something is bad for our health there would be a ban on it. Yet these isn't. Look at the other hazardous things that are in the world killing people, and yet there is no ban. How is it companies can get away with putting chemicals that hurt consumers in their products? Money drives us to do crazy and dangerous things.
We should start to recognize the things we put into our systems aren't good, when the animals we use for food die from eating it. Shouldn't that be a sign for all of us, and for the companies to stop. Such a simple mistake like putting the wrong ingredient in feed for animals, resulted in thousands of animals being put down, and thousand of kilograms of diseased food. And what we did with the contaminated food...we buried it in pits throughout Michigan...that doesn't seem too safe.
The government should be control, yet it isn't! Public health appears to not be a priority.
It's crazy to think that future archeologists will be able to base the toxic chemicals we used into different eras. That is how we will be remembered.
Companies will do anything to ensure that they will continue going on to manufacture and earn from their products made. Even if it means putting out ads telling people to put flame retardants on everything to ensure kids won't catch the furniture on fire when they play with matches. There was no mention of the health effects these flame retardants had on the children...
