Leigh Baker | December 18, 2024
My introduction to regenerative design was in 2002, when I did two sustainability units as part of a Graduate Diploma in eBusiness.
I’m a book addict and an ideas junkie, and those units introduced me to a whole new world of ideas, and big thinkers like Paul Hawken, Janine Benyus, Bill McDonough and Ray Anderson.
Here’s my list of my favourte “inspiring yet practical” reads on the key principles and practices of regenerative business, listed in the order I would suggest reading them.
(Reading the first four – or their earlier versions – in the space of about two months pretty much turned my head inside out.)
Are there many more good books? Of course there are. However, these are the ones that I keep coming back to year after year.
(I’m working on a separate list of “how to deliver change” titles.)
Business Lessons from a Radical Industrialist
By Ray Anderson and Robin White (2011)
A practical business book – by a successful corporate CEO. The story of how the concepts of NATURAL CAPITALISM AND BIOMIMICRY were applied in the first 12 years of the Interface corporation’s Mid-Course Correction to add $393 million to their bottom line.
(Did I time travel in order to read this in 2002?
No. What I read in 2002 was Anderson’s original story published as MIDCOURSE CORRECTION from 1998. But this is a more readable and more complete story.)
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Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
By Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins (1999)
You can read this chapter by chapter online at natcap.org
I suggest starting with Chapter 1, then dipping into other sections if/as they speak to your business/career.
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The Upcycle
By William McDonough and Michael Braungart (2013)
Alternatively – or as well if you’re like me – you could read their original book CRADLE TO CRADLE. This is the book I first read in 2002 – and I’m happy I’ve got a copy of the vinyl, up-cyclable edition.
To me, this book is foundational to the development of Circular Economy design thinking.
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Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
By Janine Benyus (1997)
Stories of how maverick thinkers are observing and applying nature’s genius to solve today’s toughest problems – at room temperature, using renewable resources.
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Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis In One Generation
By Paul Hawken, 2021
A catalogue of actionable climate solutions, informed by previous Project Drawdown modelling.
I love this for the Introduction. Plus it’s a great conversation starter. A collection of accessible magazine-length articles with super photography.
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