Outsmart Waste
Book

Outsmart Waste

The Modern Idea of Garbage and How to Think Our Way Out of It

Tom Szaky
Berrett-Koehler, 2014
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Applicable

Recommendation

When it comes to garbage, Earth is in a heap of trouble. People stuff overcrowded landfills with plastic and other synthetic materials that stick around for years. They clog the oceans with acres of floating debris that harm the aquatic population. And consumers happily embrace the disposable lifestyle. Earth is up to its neck in waste – a predicament that will only worsen unless society changes its attitudes, and people change their behaviors and habits. Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of a global recycling corporation, thoughtfully analyzes the multiple dimensions of waste accumulation and offers sensible, challenging solutions. You may not be quite ready to compost at home, but getAbstract guarantees you’ll think twice about the candy wrappers, paper cups and plastic bags you take for granted. Don’t throw away this excellent learning opportunity.

Summary

A Heap of Trouble

Garbage is a human-created problem that doesn’t exist in nature, where the cycle of life benefits multiple organisms. A wild animal’s feces nourish a bush that produces fruit that’s eaten by a bird that may be consumed by the animal that left the feces in the first place. Human beings essentially destroyed the natural order by introducing synthetics – such as plastic – that nature cannot process. Easy access to inexpensive products, an expanding global population and a “throwaway” mentality have produced a massive garbage dilemma.

Roughly 25% of waste produced by developed countries winds up in oceans. People recycle only a small amount. The rest they incinerate or dump in landfills, where it produces toxic gases. The garbage problem worsens; yet it’s an environmental issue that people can manage if they learn to recognize the “inherent value” in waste.

Garbage consists of substances that, with ingenuity, people often can turn into functional objects. Keeping used clothes in circulation prevents them from being thrown away. For things that cannot be used more than once, such as toothbrushes, the best alternative may be “upcycling,” a trend that...

About the Author

Tom Szaky is the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, a global recycling corporation.

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