Get ready for a new industrial revolution: Common assumptions about manufacturing and design are about to be turned on their ear. As the “Cradle to Cradle Design” concept gains momentum, more and more companies are recognizing the multitude of benefits that can come from nature-based, ecologically-sustainable design.
At the crux of the Cradle to Cradle manifesto is corporate accountability for the materials used in their products and the impact of those materials on the environment. “We want clean production that’s based on a regenerative technology,” said Cradle to Cradle visionary William McDonough in an interview with The Wall Street Journal (March 5, ’05). “Pollution is a symbol of design failure.”
On June 6 & 7, Dr. Michael Braungart, who, along with McDonough created the Cradle to Cradle framework, joins with Dr. Peter Senge, recognized as one of the most influential business thinkers of the past 100 years for a first-of-its-kind workshop in Silicon Valley, organized by the Business & Sustainability Group. Along with some of the innovators who are already creating award-winning Cradle to Cradle products and projects, Drs. Braungart and Senge will showcase successful design efforts.
Dozens of businesses from around the world have signed on to convene at this two-day, roll-up-your-sleeves workshop. Together, participants will build a solid understanding of the potential, challenges, and evolving solutions for applying C2C principles to existing or envisioned products or projects. Corporate participants will include representatives of companies across many industries, including Aveda, BASF, Clorox, Clif Bar, IBM, HP, and Whole Foods.
A sampling of the topics expected to emerge at the conference:
Cradle to Cradle offers a revolutionary new way of thinking about how we do what we do. Here’s the premier opportunity for businesses to learn how to incorporate Cradle to Cradle into processes and product design and to become part of the community that is creating the next industrial revolution.
