McDonough focuses on changing the way we live. While it is no surprise that we have been living cradle to grave for so long that change needs to occur. It is difficult to have hope that it will. McDonough makes claims and proposes ways to change, but I cannot help but think that it is to idealistic. I want to believe that people, companies, governments all want to change, and protect the future of the planet, but it seems a little too far-fetched.
McDonough's ideas are on the right track, I just do not believe they are on the realistic track. Asking people to change their consumer preferences is a feasible goal if you have years to wait. Introducing a new Industrial Revolution makes sense if you are a developed country and have the resources to implement a change. But even then, getting already successful companies to change their business model to be more planet friendly may be asking too much. I want to believe that people will read Cradle to Cradle and take the appropriate steps to begin living differently, but there is a big sliver of skepticism.
The five steps McDonough offers to put eco-effectiveness into action provide a plan, but no realistic way to it implemented by everyone. Step 2 which focuses on following informed personal preferences is a good stepping stone, but assumes everyone will have the same smart personal preferences. You can't forget the fact that some people just won't care. Some people will not think twice about informed personal preferences and will not change their ways. According to some, their personal preferences are doing no harm and they will continue to make the same choices. While I understand the importance of individual choice, some individual's can't be given that choice.
Moreover, McDonough's step of reinventing works on paper. Time has been wasted for so long, that there is not much left to reinvent. While reinventing the system would be the best solution, alternates must be established to slowly curb the effect until a full reinvention is possible. McDonough constantly references that "less bad is no good" but maybe for now its good enough. It is not the best case, but being over idealistic maybe worse. It is a false hope that everyone will change. Being less bad is not perfect but neither is being idealistic. Being 100% perfect is the dream, but reality is "less bad" is better than really bad.
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