Outsmart Waste

Author: Tom Szaky
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1626560250
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 169

Book Description
Ever-expanding landfills, ocean gyres filled with floating plastic mush, endangered wildlife. Our garbage has become a massive and exponentially growing problem in modern society. Eco-entrepreneur Tom Szaky explores why this crisis exists and explains how can we solve it by eliminating the very idea of garbage. To outsmart waste, he says, we first have to understand it, then change how we create it, and finally rethink what we do with it. By mimicking nature and focusing on the value inherent in our by-products, we can transform the waste we can't avoid creating from useless trash to a useful resource. Szaky demonstrates that there is value in every kind of garbage, from used chewing gum to juice pouches to cigarette butts. After reading this mind-expanding book, you will never think about garbage the same way again.

Outsmart Waste

Author: Tom Szaky
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1626560269
Category : House & Home
Languages : en
Pages : 151

Book Description
The power of upcycling both small-scale and large: “Szaky knows of what he speaks when it comes to trash . . . useful strategies that are available to anyone.” —Publishers Weekly Ever-expanding landfills, ocean gyres filled with floating plastic mush, endangered wildlife. Our garbage has become a massive and exponentially growing problem in modern society. Eco-entrepreneur and founder of TerraCycle Tom Szaky explores why this crisis exists and explains how can we solve it by eliminating the very idea of garbage. To outsmart waste, he says, we first have to understand it, then change how we create it, and finally rethink what we do with it. By mimicking nature and focusing on the value inherent in our by-products, we can transform the waste we can’t avoid creating from useless trash to a useful resource. Szaky demonstrates that there is value in every kind of garbage, from used chewing gum to juice pouches to cigarette butts. After reading this mind-expanding book, you will never think about garbage the same way again. “The waste industry is ripe for massive innovation and change. It takes creative minds and people with the courage to knock down doors and go around walls to be the spark. Tom is that.” —Ron Gonen, New York City Deputy Commissioner of Sanitation, Recycling, and Sustainability and cofounder and former CEO, RecycleBank

Trashing the Planet

Author: Stuart A. Kallen
Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books
ISBN: 1512413143
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 108

Book Description
Globally, humans produce 1.3 billion tons of garbage every year. Discover the causes and proposed solutions for the global garbage glut, examining pollution on land, in the ocean, in the air, and in space.

War Junk

Author: Alex Souchen
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774862955
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 302

Book Description
During the Second World War, Canadian factories produced mountains of munitions and supplies, including some 800 ships, 16,000 aircraft, 800,000 vehicles, and over 4.6 billion rounds of ammunition and artillery shells. Although they were crucial to winning the war, these assets turned into peacetime liabilities when hostilities ended in 1945. Drawing on comprehensive archival research, Alex Souchen provides a definitive account of the disposal crisis triggered by Allied victory and shows how policymakers implemented a disposal strategy that facilitated postwar reconstruction. Canadians responded to the unprecedented divestment of public property by reusing and recycling military surpluses to improve their postwar lives. War Junk recounts the complex political, economic, social, and environmental legacies of munitions disposal in Canada by revealing how the tools of war became integral to the making of postwar Canada.

What We Leave Behind

Author: Stanislaw Lubienski
Publisher: MacLehose Press
ISBN: 1529418879
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 218

Book Description
"Everything looked perfect. Sand - unique Baltic sand, the best in the world - and the calm sea. But wait. Something was amiss. Something was wrong" It starts with a day at the beach. A single white sock that somehow spoils everything. It's enough to send writer and ornithologist Stanislaw Lubienski on a quest to understand what we throw away, where it goes and whether it will be our legacy. By analysing items he unearths on his trips into nature - a plastic bottle, a tube of Russian penis-enlargement cream, a cigarette butt, an empty aerosol can - tracing their origins and explaining the harm they can do, he shows how consumer society has developed out of control, to the point of environmental catastrophe. He also looks with a birdwatcher's eye at how various animals have come to adapt to and even rely on our rubbish, and interrogates the cultural significance of waste and the origins of our throw-away lifestyles. Finally, he adds a personal touch by examining his own "environmental neurosis" and by going out with refuse crews to watch them work. While Lubienski never hectors his readers, nor shames them, his clear-eyed, persuasive and humble polemic reminds us what we, as individuals, can and cannot do to address an apocalyptic issue while there's still something worth saving. Translated from the Polish by Zosia Krasodomska-Jones

This Brave New World

Author: Anja Manuel
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501121987
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 384

Book Description
"In the next decade and a half, China and India will become two of the world's indispensable powers--whether they rise peacefully or not. During that time, Asia will surpass the combined strength of North America and Europe in economic might, population size, and military spending. Both India and China will have vetoes over many international decisions, from climate change to global trade, human rights, and business standards. From her front row view of this colossal shift, first at the State Department and now as an advisor to American business leaders, Anja Manuel escorts the reader on an intimate tour of the corridors of power in Delhi and Beijing. Her encounters with political and business leaders reveal how each country's history and politics influences their conduct today. Through vibrant stories, she reveals how each country is working to surmount enormous challenges--from the crushing poverty of Indian slum dwellers and Chinese factory workers, to outrageous corruption scandals, rotting rivers, unbreathable air, and managing their citizens' discontent. We wring our hands about China, Manuel writes, while we underestimate India, which will be the most important country outside the West to shape China's rise. Manuel shows us that a different path is possible--we can bring China and India along as partners rather than alienating one or both, and thus extend our own leadership in the world"--

Encyclopedia of Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0323939414
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 4061

Book Description
Encyclopedia of Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Four Volume Set comprehensively covers all renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal energy, and nuclear power, to name a few. In addition to covering the breadth of renewable energy resources at a fundamental level, this encyclopedia delves into the utilization and ideal applications of each resource and assesses them from environmental, economic, and policy standpoints. This book will serve as an ideal introduction to any renewable energy source for students, while also allowing them to learn about a topic in more depth and explore related topics, all in a single resource.Instructors, researchers, and industry professionals will also benefit from this comprehensive reference. - Covers all renewable energy technologies in one comprehensive resource - Details renewable energies' processes, from production to utilization in a single encyclopedia - Organizes topics into concise, consistently formatted chapters, perfect for readers who are new to the field - Assesses economic challenges faced to implement each type of renewable energy - Addresses the challenges of replacing fossil fuels with renewables and covers the environmental impacts of each renewable energy

Tokyo Urbanism: From Hinterland To Kaiwai

Author: Masami Kobayashi
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811283664
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 335

Book Description
Arguably one of the most iconic mega-cities in Asia, Tokyo, the capital of Japan, plays an important economic and cultural role. It has been featured in various media as a liveable city with a well-developed public transport system. Yet, what international media coverage often misses out are its unique neighbourhoods and districts. Known as kaiwai, they are scattered in a mosaic from downtown Tokyo to its suburbs, exemplifying a type of urbanism wholly unique to Asia and foreshadowing a future vision which suggests regional autonomy in a post-COVID-19 world.In this book, the authors thoroughly investigate the city's multi-layered spatial and sociocultural aspects, introducing a side of Tokyo little known to the world at large. Readers who are only familiar with Tokyo's depiction as an ultra-modern city will appreciate the book's insights into the kaiwai phenomenon, the pre-modern urban structure of Edo city, and contemporary Tokyo's Asian urbanism, including traditional community activities such as local festivals, the formation of new communities by old and new residents, and intimate community life using a network of alleys. Combining urban planning, sociological, anthropological and architectural perspectives, the book's interdisciplinary approach looks at Tokyo from the peripherical to the kaiwai-level.

Fashion, Upcycling, and Memory

Author: Sanem Odabaşı
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1003846653
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 163

Book Description
Fashion, Upcycling, and Memory questions practices and explores its profound connection to memory and sustainability. Through a practice-based researcher lens, the research examines the intricate interplay between upcycling and memory, unveiling assemblages of concepts, objects, and values that inspire action. This book takes readers on a journey through the multidimensional relationship between individuals and clothing. It delves into the disposal of garments and the transformative aspirations embedded within the fashion industry. Employing the unique research methodology known as "A/r/t/ography," which merges artistic practice, rigorous research, and educational development, this book unearths the dynamic interplay between upcycling and memory. The author unravels the intricate web of connections within upcycling through diverse practices, methods, and insightful interviews. By critically questioning established norms and scrutinizing the actions of fashion designers, the book makes significant contributions to existing literature. Additionally, it offers practical recommendations for sustainable fashion education, making it an indispensable resource for individuals involved in the textile and fashion field. Enhanced with visual aids such as images and illustrations, this book ensures an engaging reading experience that immerses readers in the research-based discourse.

The Future of Packaging

Author: Tom Szaky
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1523095512
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 321

Book Description
Outstanding Book of the Year gold medalist and “Most Likely to Save the Planet” from the Independent Book Publisher Awards. Tom Szaky sets out to do the impossible – eliminate all waste. This book paints a future of a “circular economy” that relies on responsible reuse and recycling to propel the world towards eradicating overconsumption and waste. Only 35 percent of the 240 million metric tons of waste generated in the United States alone gets recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This extraordinary collection shows how manufacturers can move from a one-way take-make-waste economy that is burying the world in waste to a circular, make-use-recycle economy. Steered by Tom Szaky, recycling pioneer, eco-capitalist, and founder and CEO of TerraCycle, each chapter is coauthored by an expert in his or her field. From the distinct perspectives of government leaders, consumer packaged goods companies, waste management firms, and more, the book explores current issues of production and consumption, practical steps for improving packaging and reducing waste today, and big ideas and concepts that can be carried forward. Intended to help every business from a small start-up to a large established consumer product company, this book serves as a source of knowledge and inspiration. The message from these pioneers is not to scale back but to innovate upward. They offer nothing less than a guide to designing ourselves out of waste and into abundance.