Concern about waste has become a bit of a fad at the moment, the concern is good but clearly it needs to be more than a fad. Anyway, here are some books which will help you to reduce your waste output.
A Zero Waste Life in Thirty Days – Anita Vandyke – Penguin Random House Australia (AUS) 2018 ISBN 978 0 14 379137 9 – I love this little book! It is an easy way into reducing your waste, not heavy on the why, but comprehensive on the how. It sets you up for a thirty day journey, introducing a new strategy every day for a month. You get three options – reduced waste, low waste and zero waste so you can ease your way in. Easy to read, practical and fun to do. No photos, a few line drawings.
Waste Not – Erin Rhoads – Hardie Grant Books (AUS) 2018 ISBN 978 174379462 3 – Another really good, recent Aussie offering. The book is divided into 3 parts: part 1 is “Tools” which deals with the “why” and gives you an idea where to start (usually things start with a waste audit, but her process is different). Part 2 is “Tips”and it is a series of “how to’s” around waste reduction including DIY recipes for some foods, cleaners, body care stuff etc. The last part is “Tricks” and covers zero waste travel and also a section called "acting your vision” about what would best be described as activism. Colour photos and line drawings scattered throughout the book.
Zero Waste Home – Bea Johnson – Particular Books (USA) 2013 ISBN 978 1 846 14745 6 – Bea Johnson has been credited with developing the Zero Waste thing as well as putting together the 5 R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot). The book starts out with a discussion of the benefits of the zero waste life and the 5 R’s, then moves through kitchen and groceries, bathroom and toilet, bedroom and wardrobe, workspace, travel, activism and what the future holds. Lots of tips, DIY recipes and processes you can implement to reduce waste in your life. A couple of illustrations.
Don’t Throw it Away – Jan McHarry – Gaia Books Ltd (UK) 1993 ISBN 978 0 7318 0303 5 – An oldie but goodie, which focuses on re-use and recycling of waste. The first part of the book covers ideas and actions at the household (including refill, re-use, repair) and national level including recycling processes and reducing waste. Part 2 is a trip around the world and the recycling practices of 25 countries/continents (Africa is treated as a whole) and what happens to their waste (this bit is probably a bit dated). Part 3 is a recyclers A to Z covering over 100 alphabetised wastes and facts about the waste stream, and what can be done at a personal level to reuse, repair, recycle. A couple of line drawings.
The Throw Away Society – Sally Lee – Franklin Watts (USA) 1990 ISBN 0 531 10947 X – Part of the “Impact” series of books, this one is fairly big picture about the problems faced with waste generation and treatment and some detail on the options. Chapters cover detail on what the problems are (in a chapter titled “In a Heap of Trouble”!) collecting and transporting solid waste then a chapter each a series of strategies including dumps and sanitary landfill, incineration and resource recovery, recycling and ocean dumping (!!!!!). The treatment of hazardous waste is also covered and a very small chapter at the end on possible answers. Interesting but dated. Some line drawings and B&W photos.
Cradle to Cradle – William McDonnough & Michael Brungart – North Point Press (USA) 2002 ISBN 978 0 86547 587 3 – This is another “Big Picture” book but rather than talk about how to treat/recover/recycle/reuse/recycle waste streams, this book argues that the current system is “cradle to grave” – we mine, manufacture, sell, dump resources – and that a whole new system is needed. That system is “cradle to cradle” and that the recovery and reuse of resources has to be factored in at the design stage. On a personal level they also discuss the “5 steps to Eco-effectiveness” and the ways to implement them. An extremely important book in the waste discussion. No illustrations.
Work from Waste – Jon Vogler – Intermediate Technology Publication Ltd & Oxfam (UK) 1981 ISBN 0 903031 79 5 – This book was written to outline strategies for taking waste produced in third world countries and remaking it into new products in what would be almost cottage industries. The book is in two parts, the first one covering the technologies around remaking wastes from paper, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, plastics, textiles, rubber, glass, minerals, chemicals, oil and human waste. The second part discusses strategies for turning it into a business including – which waste to use, what you need to start the business, how to collect the waste, process and store it, then market and transport the finished product. It is a bit dated but still a great book. Some line drawings and B&W photos.
Waste Matters – Patricia Armstrong & John Laffin – Gould League of Victoria (AUS) 1993 ISBN 1 875687 06 8 – This is a book of ideas on teaching kids about waste. The book has three parts, the first part – About Waste – is an introduction to what waste is and the problems associated with it. Part two – Some Waste Issues – talks about litter, energy, recycling and waste disposal. Part three, comprising the last half of the book, covers waste solutions, primarily composting for organic wastes and reuse, reduce and recycle for the rest. Lots of interesting activities for kids. Lots of line drawings.
For books about treating organic waste by composting, click here.
