Introducing a hero: William McDonough

"Waste equals food."

What if that statement guided all resource use decisions - biological and technical?

For Bill McDonough it does! Co-author of the book "Cradle to Cradle" and featured in the film "The Next Industrial Revolution", Bill McDonough is transforming the way things are manufactured.

From Wikipedia: William Andrews McDonough is an American architect, founding principal of William McDonough + Partners, co-founder of McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)with German chemist Michael Braungart as well as co-author of 'Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things also with Braungart.^[1] McDonough's career is focused on designing environmentally sustainable buildings and transforming industrial manufacturing processes.

I first heard Bill McDonough on the CBC Radio program, "Ideas" and my first reaction was suspicion. Here was a man who wasn't particularly in favour of recycling! He also works with Nike, Ford, Herman Miller and a number of other companies. If you believe that corporations are the root of all evil, the way many in the environmental movement do, these things sound a few alarm bells.

However, many of us drive cars and wear running shoes. Since they're a fact of life, doesn't it make sense to make their processes more green?

Anyways, after hearing the interview I got the book, "Cradle to Cradle" from the library and reading it made me into a convert.

I later watched the film "The Next Industrial Revolution" and Bill McDonough became one of my heroes. I ordered it from his website a number of years ago, and hope it's still available.

What he and his associates do is look at the systems and chemical components of the industrial manufacturing process and transforms them in ways that benefit our environment. When you think of the scale of the effects this has, it's huge! And necessary!

I hope you'll check out "Cradle to Cradle", and that you'll take a look at Bill McDonough's website: http://www.mcdonough.com/.

If you're in need of some hope and inspiration, here it is!

Reference books

Hello.

If you're also interested in straw bale houses, here are some books you may enjoy and that may help you:

There's no place like home

Our homes embody everything about us. When we visit someone in their home, it tells us so much about who they really are.

On this site, 'my straw bale dream', I'll share the home I envision, and all the dreams it contains.

I dream of a straw bale home, maybe on the shore of Kootenay Lake. Peaceful, surrounded by trees, off grid, designed with permaculture principles. Straw bale houses are well insulated and have large window sills for plants. They're made from a renewable resource: straw.

Mine will be furnished with antiques: those beautiful, sturdy postcards from the past that require no new resource extraction. They'll have exquisite antique fixtures. All materials used will be non-toxic. And I'll only make my home as large as it needs to be. Each room will be properly oriented to the sun, and the mood will harmonize with its function. The colours and layout will be chosen with care.

photo: findingfono.blogspot.com

It will be quiet, nurturing, a place of love and sustenance.

On this site, I'll share the images, resources and materials that inspire me most. My hope is that they'll inspire you too.