Garbage land
Subtitle: on the secret trail of trash
By: Elizabeth Royte
Edition: 1st Back Bay pbk. ed.
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Published: 2006
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 311
ISBN-13: 9780316154611
Subjects: Refuse and refuse disposal
Description: Science writer Royte leads us on the wild adventure that begins once our trash hits the bottom of the can. Along the way, we meet an odor chemist who explains why trash smells so bad; garbage fairies and recycling gurus; neighbors of massive waste dumps; CEOs making fortunes by encouraging waste or encouraging recycling--often both at the same time; scientists trying to revive our most polluted places; fertilizer fanatics and adventurers who kayak amid sewage; paper people, steel people, aluminum people, plastic people, and even a guy who swears by recycling human waste. By showing us what happens to the things we've "disposed of," Royte reminds us that our decisions about consumption and waste have a very real impact--and that unless we undertake radical change, the garbage we create will always be with us: in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we consume.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references p. ([299]-300) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Quantifying in the kitchen; title: pt. 1. To the dump. Dark angels of detritus ; Amphibious assault ; Stalking the active face ; The spectacle of waste; title: pt. 2. Avoiding the dump. Behold this compost ; Forward into the flexo nip ; Hammer of the Gods ; Mercury rising ; Satan's resin; title: pt. 3. Flushing it away. Downstream ; In the realm of taboo; title: pt. 4. Piling on. It's coming on Christmas ; The dream of zero waste ; The ecological citizen.