Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

Chapter 5 examines the value of “diversity,” defined broadly, and its impact on eco-effectiveness. The authors write that when life began on the planet, biological life arose from the smallest possible organism in an otherwise “blank” universe: “When faced with blankness, nature rises to fill in the space” (118). The authors see this as an indicator that, per the laws of nature, diversity—or “a flowering of abundance” (118)—is key to nature’s design strategy.

Yet, despite the fact that diversity has played a critical role in the successes of human evolution, modern man takes a uniform “one-size-fits-all” approach to many issues of design and modern manufacturing, forcing conformity to one particular vision. As the authors put it: “The current design response of humans to this framework might be called ‘attack of the one-size-fits-all.’ Layers of concrete and asphalt obliterate forests, deserts, coastal marshes, jungles—everything in their path” (119). In this culture, the authors see “monotony” and a number of other negative consequences: “The monotony spreads and spreads, overwhelming the details of place in its path. What it seems to seek is simply more of itself” (119). This strategy has had disastrous effects on the environment and industry alike.

The authors find that, in the natural world, adaptability is key to a species’ survival.