Notes: 'Waste', in the sense of something with no useful purpose -- trash -- is a human construct. In nature there is virtually no such thing as 'waste', as the waste product from one process becomes useful to the next, thus creating a cycle of life. To encapusulate the idea, the phrase "Cradle to Cradle" was coined by Walter R. Stahel in the 1970s. It is an economic, industrial and social framework that seeks to create systems that are not just efficient but essentially waste-free.

"Cradle to Cradle" goes beyond "Cradle to Grave" design.