Waste Equal Foods - Book Report/Review Example

Waste Equal Foods “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things” is a non-fiction book that has been ed byrenowned German Chemist, William McDonough. The author of the book wanted to pass a message across concerning the recycling of time. The author advocates for upcycling in product manufacture instead of downcycling. Upcycling is a form of recycling which refers to the conversion of waste material into newer ones that are of better quality and environmentally friendly. Therefore, the author is discouraging the readers of this book from downcycling of waste material. Downcycling is a form of recycling which referes to the conversion of waste material into material that have a lower quality or decreased functionality. McDonough and his counterpart, Michael Braungart wrote the book in 2002 so as to explain about the concept of upcycling. They assert that the chief use of upcycling is that it ensures that there is no wasting of materials since new materials are being made. In chapter 4 of their book, the authors discuss the concepts of “Waste equals food” in the sense that a waste product can be transformed into a useful product like food. The authors assert that, even after products reach the end of their useful phase, they can still be utilized to form biological nutrients. These materials can be taken back to the environment. Let us use an example of a banana peel which is placed on a compost pile. Compost consists of many organic materials that are piled in layers and with time, these materials are turned over and over, decomposing each time. When the banana peel is placed in a compost pile, it starts to decompose over time, and the more it stays in the compost pile, the more it decomposes. By decomposing, the banana peels release organic nutrients, which are going to be utilized in manure application. Organic nutrients are required by plants to grow, and without them, plants do not grow or produce normally. Therefore, while a banana peel is a product of food, it is channeled back again into the food cycle by being placed in compost; its decomposition provides nutrients for other food materials in the soil. Questions on Chapter 4 1. What is the authors main objective for writing this chapter and what background do they have? The objective of the author is to encourage people to embrace the cradle to cradle concept instead of the cradle to great concept in the sense that materials that are deemed useless need to be converted into a format that is of a higher quality and more environmental friendly. 2. What questions does this chapter address? The chapter has issued the question concerning upcycling and downcycling and how these two forms of recycling are placed per unit time. This chapter has also assessed the advantages of embracing the cradle to cradle model instead of the cradle to thegrave model. From this, the author has been able to give the advantages of recycling materials using upcycling. 3. What kind and quality of evidence do the authors use to support their conclusions? The authors have considerable knowledge and evidence to support their claims concerning the embracing of cradle to cradle strategy instead of cradle to grave strategy. The authors assert that after materials are at the end of their life cycle, the best way of recycling these materials. The authors have also claimed that, through the use of upcycling, wastage of potentially useful substances is avoided since existing materials are used. 4. Did it convince you? The concepts that the authors of the book are putting across are purely convincing. 5. After reading this chapter, did the authors change any of your previously ideas about this topic? I have always had the same views on the topic; hence, they did not change me much 6. Did you learn something new? No 7. Would you change the name of the chapter? No, because the chapter name is appropriate Chapter Vocabulary Bio-degradable - biodegradable materials are those that can be decomposed on the surface of the earth to release organic nutrients that can be used as organic manure. For example, all living things are biodegradable in the sense that nutrients in their bodies undergo a cycle; when a living thing dies, it decomposes totally to release nutrients which again go into circulation on the surface of the earth. There, even if living things die, their nutrients will forever be in circulation on the surface of the earth. Non biodegradable materials on the other hand are synthetic materials that do not decompose or even yield organic nutrients. Such materials include plastics papers, metallic and plastic cans, etc Biological Nutrients – biological nutrients refer to mineral elements that are used by living organisms for the normal biological activities. These elements are essential for the different biological activities of these organisms. Biological elements are categorized into major elements ad trace elements. Major elements are those that are required by living things in high proportions since the biological activities they triggers are many. This includes elements like sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, nitrate, etc. Trace elements are those that trigger very few biological organisms in the bodies of living organisms, hence, they are required in the body in small proportions. This includes nutrients like zinc, molybdenum, manganese etc. Lack or insufficiency of these elements causes nutritional derangements and imbalances in living organisms Endocrine disrupters - Endocrine disrupters refer to chemicals whose presence in the body disrupts the normal endocrine activity of the body. The endocrine system in the body is the hormonal system that regulates various processes like growth, development, reproduction, immunology, etc. However, when these chemicals are introduced to these people, these processes are impaired greatly development-wise, reproductive-wise, neurologic – wise and neurologically. These substances may be natural or man-made. Examples of man-made endocrine disrupters are dioxin, pharmaceuticals and polychlorinated biphenyls. However, the shocking thing is that, these disrupters are found in various normal gadgets and tins we hold normally. This includes cosmetics, toys, food cans and detergents. Endocrine disruptors need to be avoided since they may cause serious effects like low fertility and an enhanced risk to endometriosis. Technical Nutrients Technical nutrients are the materials that cannot be broken down in the natural environment, but are very important in the industrial sector. They are also called non bio-degradable Hybrids - Hybrid materials are those that are semi degradable and semi non bio-degradable Unmarketable Materials- Unmarketable materials are those materials which cannot be sold due to their useless nature, i.e. they do not have any use, unless they are recycled to yield newer products that are useful Nutrient Flows -Nutrient flows refers to the manner in which nutrients circulate in the environment. It is necessary for this to happen as it enables all organisms to get an adequate supply of nutrients Landfill - A land fill is a narrow depression dag on the surface of the earth and whose role is to keep organic waste product PET- This is a synthetic compound, full name Polyethene telephrhthalate. Work Cited Retrieved from http://books.google.co.ke/books/about/Cradle_to_cradle.html?id=KFX5RprPGQ0C&redir_esc=y Read More