You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
fast-paced
challenging
informative
fast-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Another winner from Pocket Change Collective. This one explains why the plastics crisis should be tackled and why recycling is not a viable solution for the overabundance of plastic in the planet.
I wanted to love this. I really did. I've been really enjoying everything I've read from the Pocket Change Collective and I think it's so important to address the plastics crisis going on in our world. This book does a lot of good, but it is also so narrow in view as to be potentially harmful. I'm going to break it into pros and cons.
Pros:
-The mixture of science and emotion drives home how dire the situation is and how important it is that we act.
-The quick and accessible style means that the writing can reach a broad audience.
-Some of the examples of action that has already been taken are helpful and interesting.
-Some of the suggestions included are genuinely helpful.
Cons:
-Straws. STRAWS. How many times do we have to argue that single-use straws are an accessibility item and that no alternative can be used by every person? I'm tired. Glass and steel straws are not heat-safe if you need a straw for hot beverages or hot liquid foods. Certain biodegradable options are not allergy-safe. Paper straws are a choking hazard. Most reusuable straws are difficult to clean and can be a major health risk when not properly cleaned. You can't guarantee a restaurant that provides reusable straws has cleaned them properly, and when you're disabled there is no guaranteeing you have the dexterity to clean it properly yourself. If you don't need a straw, don't use them, but to simply suggest that we do away with them is reckless. Disabled people have the right to drink, and by not providing single-use plastic straws and putting up additional barriers to accessing them, you are removing a vital accessibility tool from countless disabled people. This book is really short and it still spent like ten pages talking about straws without mentioning disabled people at all.
-While the straws are the most glaring example (partially because this argument has been had to death everywhere else, partially because the book spent a lot of time on it), there are a number of things that I thought just ignored the realities of disabled people. Specially wrapping foods in paper rather than sticking it in a ziplock is not going to be possible for many disabled people (this is something I personally don't think I could manage on a regular basis). Creating beauty products at home is absolutely not something I would have the energy for.
-Cost is a major factor in a number of suggestions she offers, and it is not mentioned as a barrier at all. Buying in bulk may reduce the amount of packaging and the overall cost, but the upfront cost can be too much. Buying sustainable products and supporting sustainable companies is great when possible, but these are often a larger upfront financial cost which isn't manageable for many. While most poor folks (like me) do a ton of their clothing shopping through secondhand shops, if I have to buy something new I can't guarantee that I can afford a specific fabric type.
-Many of these tips are not accessible for certain communities. For example, there are many communities without access to clean water that can't just stop buying bottled water. That absolutely needs to be fixed, but just telling people not to buy bottled water in the meantime is cruel.
I wanted to love this but I just couldn't. Being poor and disabled, a lot of the advice is stuff that I can't manage or couldn't morally support because people I know would be harmed by it. Don't get me wrong, there's some great advice here. Recycle based on your community guidelines. Contact your local representatives or businesses. Reduce, reuse, recycle, refuse, and raise awareness wherever it is possible for you to do so. I'm not sure I could recommend this to someone who isn't well versed in disability and class justice because I would worry about potentially harmful messages being consumed.
Pros:
-The mixture of science and emotion drives home how dire the situation is and how important it is that we act.
-The quick and accessible style means that the writing can reach a broad audience.
-Some of the examples of action that has already been taken are helpful and interesting.
-Some of the suggestions included are genuinely helpful.
Cons:
-Straws. STRAWS. How many times do we have to argue that single-use straws are an accessibility item and that no alternative can be used by every person? I'm tired. Glass and steel straws are not heat-safe if you need a straw for hot beverages or hot liquid foods. Certain biodegradable options are not allergy-safe. Paper straws are a choking hazard. Most reusuable straws are difficult to clean and can be a major health risk when not properly cleaned. You can't guarantee a restaurant that provides reusable straws has cleaned them properly, and when you're disabled there is no guaranteeing you have the dexterity to clean it properly yourself. If you don't need a straw, don't use them, but to simply suggest that we do away with them is reckless. Disabled people have the right to drink, and by not providing single-use plastic straws and putting up additional barriers to accessing them, you are removing a vital accessibility tool from countless disabled people. This book is really short and it still spent like ten pages talking about straws without mentioning disabled people at all.
-While the straws are the most glaring example (partially because this argument has been had to death everywhere else, partially because the book spent a lot of time on it), there are a number of things that I thought just ignored the realities of disabled people. Specially wrapping foods in paper rather than sticking it in a ziplock is not going to be possible for many disabled people (this is something I personally don't think I could manage on a regular basis). Creating beauty products at home is absolutely not something I would have the energy for.
-Cost is a major factor in a number of suggestions she offers, and it is not mentioned as a barrier at all. Buying in bulk may reduce the amount of packaging and the overall cost, but the upfront cost can be too much. Buying sustainable products and supporting sustainable companies is great when possible, but these are often a larger upfront financial cost which isn't manageable for many. While most poor folks (like me) do a ton of their clothing shopping through secondhand shops, if I have to buy something new I can't guarantee that I can afford a specific fabric type.
-Many of these tips are not accessible for certain communities. For example, there are many communities without access to clean water that can't just stop buying bottled water. That absolutely needs to be fixed, but just telling people not to buy bottled water in the meantime is cruel.
I wanted to love this but I just couldn't. Being poor and disabled, a lot of the advice is stuff that I can't manage or couldn't morally support because people I know would be harmed by it. Don't get me wrong, there's some great advice here. Recycle based on your community guidelines. Contact your local representatives or businesses. Reduce, reuse, recycle, refuse, and raise awareness wherever it is possible for you to do so. I'm not sure I could recommend this to someone who isn't well versed in disability and class justice because I would worry about potentially harmful messages being consumed.
informative
Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read this pocket change book.
Hannah Testa is passionate about ridding the earth of single use plastic. And for good reason. It's harming everything living on the planet.
In this short read, Testa gives facts and solutions meant for a younger audience, but applicable to every audience. Those as young as middle school can read and understand. But this would also be a great "read-together" book for a younger child and someone older, especially if conversation ensued because of it.
A great book for any school or home library.
Hannah Testa is passionate about ridding the earth of single use plastic. And for good reason. It's harming everything living on the planet.
In this short read, Testa gives facts and solutions meant for a younger audience, but applicable to every audience. Those as young as middle school can read and understand. But this would also be a great "read-together" book for a younger child and someone older, especially if conversation ensued because of it.
A great book for any school or home library.
a quick but informative & inspiring read! here is something I learned from reading this book:
"While trees provide us with some oxygen, most of the oxygen we breathe is actually produced from marine life in the ocean. Approximately every other breath we take is generated from the ocean."
Read my full review hereL http://procrastireader.com/blog/book-reviews/review-taking-on-the-plastics-crisis-by-hannah-testa/
Do yourself and the planet a favour, and read this book :)
"While trees provide us with some oxygen, most of the oxygen we breathe is actually produced from marine life in the ocean. Approximately every other breath we take is generated from the ocean."
Read my full review hereL http://procrastireader.com/blog/book-reviews/review-taking-on-the-plastics-crisis-by-hannah-testa/
Do yourself and the planet a favour, and read this book :)
I really love this series and I love the optimism that Hannah Testa brings to the plastics crisis. I loved the expansion of the 3 Rs to 5. One thing I think this book was lacking was the cost of being eco friendly. She acknowledges that companies and brands need to do more, but still, most of the tips put the responsibility on individuals. Swapping what you use for more eco friendly variations can be costly and with so many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, it's not as easy as she made it seem. There was also a lot of talk about how plastics from one place can end up on the other side of the world, but I wish the book had really emphasized how the west and industrialized countries are responsible for the climate crisis while other countries deal with the majority of the cost. Overall a great, short, concise read.