Wasteland

SO GOOD.

This is a modern overview of modern waste: recycling, compost, e-waste, toxic waste, NUCLEAR waste, PLASTICS.

Much like tall ships, I apparently really love thinking about trash?? So this book was like semi-composted, plastic-encased catnip for me?? As I was reading, I was like, oh yeah, I wrote my master's thesis on the international dumping of hazardous waste. Oh yeah, I spent 5 years working at a circular economy software company. It's funny to be passionate about something without realizing you're actually really passionate about it. Now I am aware! I LOVE THINKING ABOUT TRASH, PEOPLE.

I highlighted maybe 50%-60% of it, and will need to go through all my highlights and dive deeper on soooo many things. The tldr is: WE SHOULD REALLY BE CONSUMING LESS. What do they say? There is no ethical consumption/labor/vibes in capitalism? Well, there is definitely no ethical waste handling solution either - they all basically suck. Compost is a bit less terrible. Recycling paper seemed sad but basically decent? Plastic recycling is a total myth. The recycling symbol and that number on the bottom are straight out lies. Americans are the worst consumers on the planet - can confirm, I saw how my own behaviors got nudged into a consumerist hamster wheel and all I ended up with is a pile of clutter. Anyway, we are 1000% hurtling towards Wall-E world. Sometimes I am just shocked at the way we live now (we would need 4-5 Earths to maintain an average American lifestyle), in passive denial about the wall of ecological reality that is bound to hit us this century. The Pacific plastic garbage patch!?!?! WAHT?!! Every time I hear about it, I want to scream.

Anyway. Great. GREAT. Do you love trash policy? Join me!