Rubbish!
Subtitle: The Archaeology of Garbage
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Published: March 2001
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 263
ISBN-13: 9780816521432
Subjects: New York; Research; Garbage Project (University of; Case studies; Sociology; Social Science; Environmental Studies; Refuse and refuse disposal; New York (State); Life Sciences - Ecology - Recycling; Anthropology - General; Environmental Science; Archaeology; United States
Description: It is from the discards of former civilizations that archaeologists have reconstructed most of what we know about the past, and it is through their examination of today's garbage that William Rathje and Cullen Murphy inform us of our present. Rubbish! is their witty and erudite investigation into all aspects of the phenomenon of garbage. Rathje and Murphy show what the study of garbage tells us about a population's demographics and buying habits. Along the way, they dispel the common myths about our "garbage crisis"--about fast-food packaging and disposable diapers, about biodegradable garbage and the acceleration of the average family's garbage output. They also suggest methods for dealing with the garbage we do have.