The Upcycle

Beyond Sustainability - Designing for Abundance

De: William McDonough, Michael Braungart

Narrado por: Alan Sklar

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 10 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.

©2013 William McDonough and Michael Braungart. (P)2013 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Stimulating and inventive." ( Kirkus

Win-win thinking applied to the big problems

The ideas contained in this book are awesome, encouraging, and inspirational. If you're familiar with the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (R), think Habit 4. EVERYONE wins when this mentality guides our efforts. The goal says it all: "The goal of The Upcycle is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy, and just world with clean air, water, soil, and power—economically, equitably, ecologically, and elegantly enjoyed." As a materials engineer, it's what I work toward. As a customer, it's what I will pay for. As a father, it's what I can give to my children. As a living, breathing human being, it just makes sense.

Excellent Intro to Sustainability

I really enjoyed this text on what I've been referring to as the "circular economy" and the triple bottom line for awhile. It was encouraging to hear some examples where these principles were successfully implemented in real businesses 👏. Hopefully, we can find more templates on how best to implement these excellent ideas and policies.

I'd like to be more optimistic about the future of all this. In a more rational world 🌎, wide implementation of Cradle-to-Cradle and similar practices would be a slam dunk.

But our current social / political environment is a very toxic one where state governments are repealing decades-old recycling ♻️ programs while punishing corporations that divest from fossil fuels ⛽️ all while certain "news" organizations label LED light bulbs, solar panels and 15-minute cities 💡 as "socalist" plots.

It is difficult to be very hopeful about making much forward progress under current circumstances. It feels like the prevailing currents are moving the world backward. This kept coming top of mind as I read this book. Incumbent power structures don't just go quietly into the good night.

Still, giving up is not an option. We just need to realize that implementing any positive programs, ike C2C, will be an uphill battle the entire way.

Probably a good reference book, not great audio.

Probably a good reference book, not a great audio book. For a book about design, the writing (and so the story) is not clearly structured. It consists of stories of the author's many projects, the author's past books, and the author's non profits. my key takeaways from the book were that even when humans try to do good, they could still do better, but do not ask me where to start, because that got lost in the shuffle with this book.

A "must read" for the environmental movement.

If you could sum up The Upcycle in three words, what would they be?

This is a comforting book for me to listen too. Living in Pennsylvania, It is hard not to loose hope for our environment. While I do not presume to be able to completely represent their argument, they state : we don't have a pollution problem, we have a design problem. They develop the idea with many examples of how to look at our choices as needing a moral center, based on fairness.

They point out that humans are a real part of the earth and have a right to life as well as other life forms. They further point out that each generations owes its children the right start fresh with a clean slate on every level. They continually illustrate the ways in which our problem is one of design, of intent. Design grows best based on the concept of heathy thriving life, centered on defining natural continuous resources and technological resources. Each, they see, as usable, but with a degree of separation. They emphasize that design should always have the objective being able to, at least, return to its primary form. They suggest looking at the use of a product in terms of its future use.

By re-stating the current environmental discussion, they reminded me of lessons my father used to make to me for his practices. And I found myself saying, of course! Thank you for reminding me of this foundation in thought.

What about Alan Sklar’s performance did you like?

Good speaking tone, didn't interfere, for me, with the ideas he was presenting. I frequently found myself thinking of him as an author.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, It made me sit down and try to construct this review! It made me feel humble to know the brilliance that lies in places of leadership. I see these men a quintessential leaders who I will look toward, in the future, for direction.

Any additional comments?

A hopeful and constructive read that is "an answer to many of my prayers".

masterpiece! changed my career outlook in life!

This book is help me learn what I really want to do in my life, and how to help others. When I say others I mean every single person on this planet needs to abide by what this books message delivers. I am incredibly grateful to come across these words. I hope the entire world can have this read, and if you don't get to the 1st one cradle to cradle, this is the one to get to experience. All in all this book has changed my life, and it will change yours. Let's start protecting this planet, it's the only planet we can breathe on that is known in our Galaxy!

Great

So much knowledge 📖 and full of real-life examples that makes you feel enlightened and creative

A must read for our time. Interesting & inspiring.

An impressive follow up to Cradle to Cradle. I would reccomend this book anyone who has the time to listen.

Essential reading (just longer than necessary)

this is definitely a classic in the field of environmental innovation, sustainable business, and social innovation. I have worked in this field for over 20 years and their work is often cited. this work is highly recommended. I enjoyed the voice of mr. sklar.

the basic idea is elegant and powerful and difficult and wonderful... But you can understand it in one chapter. The book is longer than it needs to be.

Praise for The Upcycle

This book is a MUST READ! It has given me hope for our future. It combines common sense practicality with innovative methods for manufacturing, construction, energy production, waste recycling, food and water sustainability, air quality and more — all with the goal of living abundantly on this generous planet while ensuring that future generations can live healthy abundant lives too. What a great relief it is to read that authors McDonough and Braungart are already working with many industry leaders inspiring this new approach. This book should be required reading in all high school and college courses, as well as all government agencies. My great gratitude to the authors for their work on behalf of all of us.

similar to the first book

I thought this was good and very similar to their first book. I think the first one was better or this felt more like a refresher of that one. Good read but the ideas didn't feel super different.