Meet legendary thinker, innovator, disruptor and Cradle to Cradle hero, William McDonough. Architect, designer, thought leader, and author – his vision for a future of abundance for all is helping companies and communities think differently. He was the inaugural chair of the World Economic Forum’s Meta-Council on the Circular Economy and currently serves on the Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Environment and Natural Resource Security. For more than 40 years, he has defined the principles of the sustainability movement.

This interview is a must for anyone who is interested in the circular economy, or indeed just cares about the future of our planet. 

We discuss why we should we view waste as a resource, and how we can transition to doing that. We talk about sustainable development, about look at how we measure society’s success now, and how we might change that in future.

As Bill and his co-writer Michael Braungart write in Cradle to Cradle, “In the race for economic progress, social activity, ecological impact, cultural activity, and long-term effects can be overlooked.”

We also dig into emptiness vs. abundance. Unpick the idea of fashion as a verb. Look at how weaving and mathematics are linked. And talk about clothes and Diana Vreeland, beauty and the impotrtance of language. Bill can talk about any subject in a completely delightful way. Buckle up for a wild conversational ride.