The Upcycle, William McDonough
The Upcycle, William McDonough
1 Rating(s)
List: $16.99 | Sale: $11.89
Club: $8.49

The Upcycle
Beyond Sustainability--Designing for Abundance

Author: William McDonough, Michael Braungart

Narrator: Alan Sklar

Unabridged: 7 hr 42 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 04/29/2013


Synopsis

The Upcycle is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Cradle to Cradle, the most consequential ecological manifesto of our time. Now, drawing on the lessons gained from ten years of putting the cradle-to-cradle concept into practice with businesses, governments, and ordinary people, William McDonough and Michael Braungart envision the next step in the solution to our ecological crisis: We don't just reuse resources with greater effectiveness, we actually improve them as we use them.

For McDonough and Braungart, the questions of resource scarcity and sustainability are questions of design. And they are practical-minded visionaries: They envision beneficial designs of products, buildings, and business practices—and they show us these ideas being put to use around the world as everyday objects like chairs, cars, and factories are being reinvented not just to sustain life on the planet but to grow it. It is an eye-opening, inspiring tour of the next industrial revolution as it unfolds in front of us.

The Upcycle is every bit as ambitious as such classics as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring—but its mission is very different. McDonough and Braungart want to turn on its head our very understanding of the human role on earth: We should not just protect the planet from ourselves but should redesign our activity to improve the planet. And that goal is well within our reach.

About William McDonough

William McDonough is an architect and the founding principal of William McDonough & Partners, Architecture and Community Design, based in Charlottesville, Virginia. From 1994 to 1999, he served as dean of the school of architecture at the University of Virginia. In 1999 Time magazine recognized him as a Hero for the Planet, stating that "his utopianism is grounded in a unified philosophy that-in demonstrable and practical ways-is changing the design of the world." In 1996, he received the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, the highest environmental honor given by the United States.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Todd on August 06, 2013

In The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability-Designing for Abundance, the author’s argue that companies can solve all of our environmental woes through better design of their products. The book somewhat builds upon their earlier publication Cradle to Cradle, though it’s more a reiteration of the same prin......more

Goodreads review by Brian on December 29, 2013

This book had some interesting ideas about sustainability, and I am not really in a position to criticize their recommendations on scientific grounds. The overall message is that better design, with an eye to not only human needs but also human desires, is the primary solution to our environmental w......more

Goodreads review by Grace on March 30, 2022

3.67 stars (rounded up). Conflicting feelings about this one. I present to you: the diluted version of Cradle to Cradle, complete with financial ice cubes and a call to action garnish. PT: environmental sci books, books recommended by a friend (hi Michael!), books that have been on my TBR for too lo......more

Goodreads review by Kristian on June 23, 2013

If someone has told you to read Cradle to Cradle, but you haven't yet, just read this instead. Newer, clearer explanations of the same material. This book is great content wise. The ideas of how to think about products, resources, etc. are all wonderful. However, I think this is still too naive that......more

Goodreads review by Mike on May 19, 2013

Finally an environmental book with a positive message. Theirs is a simple idea really: prevent environmental damage by designing things properly from the start to use only those chemicals that won't ever present a problem. Not as simple as it sounds, but as more companies embrace the idea, recalcitr......more