Summary and Reviews of Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte

Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte

Garbage Land

On the Secret Trail of Trash

by Elizabeth Royte
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  • Critics' Consensus (7):
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  • First Published:
  • Jul 13, 2005, 320 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Aug 2006, 336 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

A brilliant exploration into the soiled heart of the American trash can.

Into our trash cans go dead batteries, dirty diapers, bygone burritos, broken toys, tattered socks, eight-track cassettes, scratched CDs, banana peels … But where do these things go next? In a country that consumes and then casts off more and more, what actually happens to the things we throw away?

Named one of the New York Times Top 100 Notable Books for 2005.

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Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

In a style reminiscent of Fast Food Nation, Royte investigates what happens to our garbage, balancing conversational reporting with technical details, covering both the economic and ecological perspectives of garbage...continued

Full Review (130 words)

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(Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).

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Beyond the Book



Recycling tips

Here are a few suggestions, edited from Royte's site, on how each of us can make a difference:

  • Support recycling industries by buying goods made or packaged in recycled content.
  • Don't buy individually wrapped single servings; buy in bulk whenever possible.
  • When possible, compost food and yard waste.*
  • Visit Ecocycle for practical advice on stopping junk mail.
  • Visit Earth911 for lots of information on recycling, including where to dispose of cellphones, batteries etc.
  • Visit NewDream.com for inspiration and advice on all things recycling.
  • Donate used computers to nonprofits such as Cristina.org.
  • Find a responsible e-waste recycler at ban.org.
  • Launch an environmental purchasing program in your ...

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Read-Alikes

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