What if, instead of bending over backwards to reduce our carbon footprint, we celebrated it? Society’s approach to environmental protection has so far relied on certain prevailing, but perhaps specious, beliefs—that we cannot impact the environment positively, or that environmental protection is incompatible with economic growth. And all of our actions, from our eating habits to recycling efforts, reflect these ideas. However, this misguided way of thinking has not done nearly enough to reduce the harm we have caused to the enviroment. Braungart explores how, rather than making ineffective changes to an already broken system, it would be more beneficial to rethink that system entirely. Instead of “cutting down” in the name of sustainability, maybe it’s time to recognize and increase our positive impact on the planet.
DOI: doi.org/10.5282/rcc/7541