Easy99 - What Are The Long-Term Solutions

Blinkist
Cradle to Cradle – What Are the Long-Term Solutions

Level: Easy 99
What Are the Long-Term Solutions?
Eco-efficiency and current environmental regulations aren’t feasible long-term
solutions.
It’s clear that our world needs a more thorough model than the 3 R’s. Instead of
aiming to make our production processes less harmful, we should be striving to (a)
_______________________________________________. Eco-efficiency provides
only an (b) __________________. It’s true that energy efficient buildings have
drastically reduced (c) ___________________________________ via better (d)
______________ and leak-proof windows. But meanwhile they’re actually
contributing to indoor air pollution from poorly designed building materials. People
need more (e) __________________circulating through buildings, not less!
We find another example of dodgy eco-efficiency in so-called (f)

_________________, which drains wetlands for (g)
___________________________. Historically, West Germany produced twice as
much wheat as East Germany, thanks to the efficiency of their agriculture practices.
But (h) _________________ agriculture is better for the environment. East Germany
didn’t sacrifice so many (i) ____________________ for wheat fields, and as a result,
had healthier breeding lands for storks and other species.
Many eco-efficient factories are only distributing the pollution in less obvious ways.
High smokestacks, for example, might not be contaminating local areas, but they still
send pollution far from its origin, so that the resulting destruction is (j)
_____________.
But what about government regulations? Surely they’d be there to ensure eco-
efficiency does the job. Unfortunately, their approach is hardly helpful. The state
threatens industry with punishment instead of (k) ____________________, leaving
businessmen to see environmental protection as just another hassle.
Instead of encouraging creative problem solving, industry gets

(l) _________________ – the right to (m) _______________________________
that’s less than was previously permitted. Regulators use large-scale solutions for
processes or systems instead of focusing on the designs which cause pollution in the
first place. As such, in attempting to solve mere consequences, these regulations and
eco-efficiency efforts fail to tackle (n) ____________________________.
1
Blinkist
Cradle to Cradle – What Are the Long-Term Solutions
Level: Easy 99
What Are the Long-Term Solutions?

Eco-efficiency and current environmental regulations aren’t feasible long-term
solutions.
It’s clear that our world needs a more thorough model than the 3 R’s. Instead of
aiming to make our production processes less harmful, we should be striving to create
an industry that is 100 percent helpful. Eco-efficiency provides only an illusion of
improvement. It’s true that energy efficient buildings have drastically reduced the use
of oil for heating and cooling via better insulation and leak-proof windows. But
meanwhile they’re actually contributing to indoor air pollution from poorly designed
building materials. People need more fresh air circulating through buildings, not less!
We find another example of dodgy eco-efficiency in so-called “efficient agriculture,”

which drains wetlands for monocultural crops. Historically, West Germany produced
twice as much wheat as East Germany, thanks to the efficiency of their agriculture
practices.
But old-fashioned agriculture is better for the environment. East Germany didn’t
sacrifice so many natural habitats for wheat fields, and as a result, had healthier
breeding lands for storks and other species.
Many eco-efficient factories are only distributing the pollution in less obvious ways.
High smokestacks, for example, might not be contaminating local areas, but they still
send pollution far from its origin, so that the resulting destruction is less visible.
But what about government regulations? Surely they’d be there to ensure eco-
efficiency does the job. Unfortunately, their approach is hardly helpful. The state
threatens industry with punishment instead of giving incentives, leaving businessmen
to see environmental protection as just another hassle.
Instead of encouraging creative problem solving, industry gets a license to harm – the
right to dispose an acceptable amount of damaging material that’s less than was
previously permitted. Regulators use large-scale solutions for processes or systems
instead of focusing on the designs which cause pollution in the first place. As such, in
attempting to solve mere consequences, these regulations and eco-efficiency efforts
fail to tackle the root of the problem.

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Blinkist

Cradle to Cradle – What Are the Long-Term Solutions

We find another example of dodgy eco-efficiency in so-called (f)

Instead of encouraging creative problem solving, industry gets

What Are the Long-Term Solutions?

We find another example of dodgy eco-efficiency in so-called “efficient agriculture,”

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