Event

Dr. Michael Braungart Lecture

Sponsored by:
MITHUN
COASTWIDE LABORATORIES
DESIGNTEX
EGG
GARVEY, SCHUBERT, BARER NBBJ
NORTHWEST PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL ANTIOCH SEATTLE
CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENT WATCH
SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES JOURNAL
NORTHWEST ENVORONMENT WATCH
DESIGN RESOURCE INSTITUTE

Dr. Michael Braungart is world-renowned for developing the intellectual framework and practical tools of Cradle to Cradle Design for the Next Industrial Revolution. This revolution is conciously designed so that business can thrive while enhancing, rather than harming, human and natural systems. A new triple top line startegy emerges, that maximizes benefit to business, society, and the environment.

Avoiding the unintended negative consequences of the first industrial revolution, including environmental degradation and loss of valuable materials in "waste streams", Dr. Braungart's Cradle to Cradle Design framework ensures all suitable materials fall into one of two closed loops:

*Technical Nutrients: business recovers, rather than losing, valuable non-biodegradable materials which can be re-used an infinite number of times.

*Biologcal Nutrients: only completely safe, biodegradable materials become food for the environment as they are returned to natural systems as nourishing compost.

Dr. Braungart has helped companies as diverse as Nike, Ford, Aveda, and Herman Miller design intelligent, eco-effective products an systems, moving beyond regulatory compliance to true intelligence and sustainablity. He presents a positive, solutions-based agenda, whereby achieving sustainabilty does not require us to reduce the footprint of our activities on the planet, but rather to transform this footprint into a source of replenishment for the natural systems on which we depend.