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apriladventuring's review
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
5.0
📚 2024 #49: “Wasteland” by Oliver Franklin-Wallis
📕 This book is an investigation into the world of waste: where it comes from, where it ends up, and how we can create less of it before the planet is covered. Franklin-Wallis takes us along as he visits the countries most impacted by the waste crisis. We meet waste-pickers in India and electronics recyclers in Ghana, as well as those affected by nuclear waste, agricultural runoff, and rare minerals mining.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5: This is well-written and engaging, which makes sense as the author is an award-winning journalist. I wish stuff like this was required reading or thrown into the news and social media feeds instead of the other crap we're consuming every day. Everyone knows humanity has a consumption/waste problem, but sometimes we need a reminder; this book paints a clear picture of the dire situation we've gotten ourselves into. Capitalist greed is destroying our planet. Companies dump millions of perfectly good products like TVs so they don't compete with newer models and landfills are cheaper than e-recycling. It's all madness and very sad.
🔑 Key advice: Buy less stuff. Buy secondhand. Resell things you no longer need. Don't buy stuff you know you're going to return. Use things you already have. Fix things that break. No fast fashion. Support small/ethical businesses. A little knowledge goes a long way!
🤓 You should read this if you care about the planet being habitable for your grandchildren? If you liked "Ultra-Processed People" or "Cool Food," you will like this.
📕 This book is an investigation into the world of waste: where it comes from, where it ends up, and how we can create less of it before the planet is covered. Franklin-Wallis takes us along as he visits the countries most impacted by the waste crisis. We meet waste-pickers in India and electronics recyclers in Ghana, as well as those affected by nuclear waste, agricultural runoff, and rare minerals mining.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5: This is well-written and engaging, which makes sense as the author is an award-winning journalist. I wish stuff like this was required reading or thrown into the news and social media feeds instead of the other crap we're consuming every day. Everyone knows humanity has a consumption/waste problem, but sometimes we need a reminder; this book paints a clear picture of the dire situation we've gotten ourselves into. Capitalist greed is destroying our planet. Companies dump millions of perfectly good products like TVs so they don't compete with newer models and landfills are cheaper than e-recycling. It's all madness and very sad.
🔑 Key advice: Buy less stuff. Buy secondhand. Resell things you no longer need. Don't buy stuff you know you're going to return. Use things you already have. Fix things that break. No fast fashion. Support small/ethical businesses. A little knowledge goes a long way!
🤓 You should read this if you care about the planet being habitable for your grandchildren? If you liked "Ultra-Processed People" or "Cool Food," you will like this.
janet_haviland's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I liked it a lot! Would rate it higher based on quality of journalism, information, research, and knowledge alone…but most nonfiction journalism doesn’t appeal to my heart in the same way fiction does. So the book is more like a 4.5 in its own field, but a 3.5 to me because while I learned A TON and am grateful for this experience, it felt more like school/education. Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about this monstrous topic!
kitchenbeat10's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book had me rethinking all my beliefs about recycling, aid and climate change all at once. I already knew the surface level situation of waste being dumped from the global north into the global south, and of fast fashion wastage, but the ideas of intersectionality and colonialism weaved into the mix made everything gave me so much clarity.
He managed to touch upon so many different aspects of waste, from the food industry to plastics to mining to nuclear energy to charity and donation. He also had a humane approach to the people on the lowest strata, and was able to convey the good in their menial and menacing jobs that nobody ever acknowledges, from the garbage pickers in India to the secondhand clothes shops in Ghana.
The book made me quite dejected at times, but it is still a book that needs to be read. I liked that the author didn't give any definite answer of "Do this, you'll pollute less", because there was no definitive answer that could be inclusive of everyone regardless of their class, race and socioeconomic status. The audiobook made it more palatable to me, because reading these passages would have made me drop the book from extreme pessimism and depression.
He managed to touch upon so many different aspects of waste, from the food industry to plastics to mining to nuclear energy to charity and donation. He also had a humane approach to the people on the lowest strata, and was able to convey the good in their menial and menacing jobs that nobody ever acknowledges, from the garbage pickers in India to the secondhand clothes shops in Ghana.
The book made me quite dejected at times, but it is still a book that needs to be read. I liked that the author didn't give any definite answer of "Do this, you'll pollute less", because there was no definitive answer that could be inclusive of everyone regardless of their class, race and socioeconomic status. The audiobook made it more palatable to me, because reading these passages would have made me drop the book from extreme pessimism and depression.
aeclark12's review
5.0
Franklin-Wallis has researched and travelled extensively to explore the world of waste in its many forms -- a world that few of us think about for any length of time. This is a fascinating and eye-opening investigation.
dkel10's review
informative
4.5
Really good insight into not only where things go when they are thrown "away" but also a deep and almost depressing look at how waste has transformed our lives, our planet, and definitely our futures. Should be read by more people!
kathleenitpdx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5