--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is McDonough and Braungart’s…" description: "\"“This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument that “Waste = Food,” that is, that we must consider waste as an integral part of any natural system and tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg" --- # This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument that “Waste =… ![“This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument that “Waste = Food,” that is, that we must consider waste as an integral part of any natural system and that “effectiveness” is more critical to the success of an ecosystem than “efficiency.” Like Bataille, the authors privilege useless abundance and…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg) > ““This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument that “Waste = Food,” that is, that we must consider waste as an integral part of any natural system and that “effectiveness” is more critical to the success of an ecosystem than “efficiency.” Like Bataille, the authors privilege useless abundance and profligacy over means­to­an­end instrumentalism. And in this way, their argument is closer to Bataille’s in that they recognize that there is a human need for things that surpass utility or efficiency, such as beauty, creativity, fantasy, and enjoyment. They write, Imagine a fully efficient world…Mozart would hit the piano with a two­by­four. Van Gogh would use one color…And what about efficient sex? An efficient world is not one we envision as delightful. In contrast to nature, it is downright parsimonious (65)”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The authors argue that waste should be seen as a resource, emphasizing creative abundance over pure efficiency. **In simple terms:** Waste can be a resource, valuing creativity over efficiency. Key Takeaway Design systems that reuse waste creatively. Themes sustainability creativity economics philosophy Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Product design - urban planning - artistic projects - policy making Key Concepts Circular economy Bataillean excess ecological design Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance creativity with practicality? - What waste streams could become valuable resources? A Different Perspective May conflict with cost‑cutting pressures and existing infrastructure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-waste-3932486/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Braungart Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/braungart-argument-3932487/) [Ecosystem Efficiency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystem-efficiency-3932485/) [Efficient World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficient-world-1338112/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) [Waste Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-food-1190055/) ## Related quotes > [When everyone agrees to a single solution and a single plan, there's nothing more efficient in the world than an efficient democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/when-everyone-agrees-to-a-single-solution-and-a-single-plan-there-s/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I'm frugal. I'm not a very acquisitive woman. I never waste food. If you prepare your own food, you engage with the world, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-m-frugal-i-m-not-a-very-acquisitive-woman-i-never-waste-food-if-you/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Consumerism has led us to become used to an excess and daily waste of food, to which, at times, we are no longer able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/consumerism-has-led-us-to-become-used-to-an-excess-and-daily-waste-of/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [We domesticated pigs to turn food waste back into food. And yet, in Europe, that practice has become illegal since 2001 as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/we-domesticated-pigs-to-turn-food-waste-back-into-food-and-yet-in/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [“when life gives you lemon, take it. don't waste food”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giselle-marquez/when-life-gives-you-lemon-take-it-don-t-waste-food/) [giselle marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giselle-marquez/) > [I can never waste water. If I cannot drink it I will use it to water the plants and I will never waste food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-lynn/i-can-never-waste-water-if-i-cannot-drink-it-i-will-use-it-to-water/) [Vera Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-lynn/) > [I was really surprised to learn that there is no food date label standardization, which contributes significantly to why we waste so much food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/i-was-really-surprised-to-learn-that-there-is-no-food-date-label/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [We try not to waste food in general. Because as a meat eater it's just responsible to eat as much of the animal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thu-tran/we-try-not-to-waste-food-in-general-because-as-a-meat-eater-it-s-just/) [Thu Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thu-tran/) > [“Another day will put some other plate on your table, more to your taste, but do not waste the food in front of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/another-day-will-put-some-other-plate-on-your-table-more-to-your/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I don't waste food, water, money, time and talent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-don-t-waste-food-water-money-time-and-talent/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I don't like to waste anything. Any food left over from the night before is always eaten the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-yan/i-don-t-like-to-waste-anything-any-food-left-over-from-the-night/) [Martin Yan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-yan/) > [In the United States, under 3 percent of municipal food waste - so that's the food scraps that goes into people's garbage cans -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/in-the-united-states-under-3-percent-of-municipal-food-waste-so-that/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [ We, the people, do have the power to stop \[the\] tragic waste of resources if we regard it as socially unacceptable to waste food. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/we-the-people-do-have-the-power-to-stop-the-tragic-waste-of-resources/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [It is difficult to find another branch of knowledge where a small amount of study produces such great results in increased efficiency in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-difficult-to-find-another-branch-of-knowledge-where-a-small/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument that “Waste = Food,” that is, that we must consider waste as an integral part of any natural system and that “effectiveness” is more critical to the success of an ecosystem than “efficiency.” Like Bataille, the authors privilege useless abundance and profligacy over means­to­an­end instrumentalism. And in this way, their argument is closer to Bataille’s in that they recognize that there is a human need for things that surpass utility or efficiency, such as beauty, creativity, fantasy, and enjoyment. They write, Imagine a fully efficient world…Mozart would hit the piano with a two­by­four. Van Gogh would use one color…And what about efficient sex? An efficient world is not one we envision as delightful. In contrast to nature, it is downright parsimonious (65)”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argument-that-waste-food-that-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argument-that-waste-food-that-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/anonymous-1_books_this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argume_2061083.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument that “Waste = Food,” that is, that we must consider waste as an…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This is McDonough and Braungart’s argument...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argument-that-waste-food-that-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-mcdonough-and-braungart-s-argument-that-waste-food-that-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```