Throwaway Nation: The Ugly Truth About American Garbage

In this exceedingly well-researched, if less than cohesive, study, journalist Dondero (The Energy Wise Home) diagnoses the ills of, and possible cures for, the modern American “throwaway nation.” While painting a frequently discouraging picture of an “age of burying the planet and outer space” in human-made detritus, Dondero still attempts to provide his audience with some hope. “Waste and its problems... are as old as humankind,” but today it’s an increasingly unmanageable problem, not to mention big business—“the trade is a $4 billion industry.” Dondero educates readers about the many different arenas for human-generated waste, from the air (“we’re ruining it at an atmospheric rate”) to the oceans (plastic litter alone is “threatening at least 600 different species”). However, Dondero also provides helpful, simple steps that people can take to help, from burning fewer candles to recycling or repairing electronics, and even to taking on shorter work weeks. The research supporting this book is impressively thorough and presented at each chapter conclusion instead of through the more traditional back-of-the-book format, with the unfortunate effect of disrupting the narrative flow. The work also lacks a definitive wrap-up, instead just drifting off after the end. Nevertheless, Dondero’s survey will leave readers better educated about the current problem and perhaps feeling inspired to conquer it. (Mar.)