Total Garbage: Rethinking What We Throw Away
Total Garbage by Edward Humes is a book about America’s trash problem—and the everyday choices each of us can make to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
A word of caution: if you read this book, you may confirm something you’ve probably been thinking for years. You might even find yourself reconsidering the way you buy, use, and dispose of things.
One of the biggest things I took away from the book was an answer to a question I’ve had for a long time:
Where the hell does all of this stuff go when we throw it away?
The answer is scary.
We tend to think that when something goes into the trash, it simply disappears. But there really is no “away.” Much of our waste ends up in landfills, while plastic and other materials can eventually make their way into our waterways and oceans.
We’re creating mountains of waste that could remain long after we’re gone.
What Are We Leaving Behind?
Imagine being a kid growing up in the year 2200.
What kind of world will they inherit from us?
The decisions we make today don’t only affect us. They affect future generations and the natural resources they’ll depend on.
That’s what makes this issue difficult to ignore.
Change Starts Before the Trash Can
One of the biggest lessons I took from Total Garbage is that reducing waste doesn’t start when we throw something away.
It starts when we decide whether to buy it in the first place.
Before buying something, ask yourself:
Do I really need this?
And if the answer is yes, consider who makes it, how long it will last, whether it can be reused or repaired, and how responsibly it was produced.
Instead of always choosing the cheapest option, we can support companies doing the work to create longer-lasting and more environmentally responsible products.
Our purchases are votes. What would happen if more of us started voting with our wallets?
What Can We Change?
We don’t have to transform our lives overnight. But we can become more conscious of what we consume and what happens to it when we’re finished.
So, what are some things you regularly buy that you could live without?
Would you pay more for something that lasts longer and is made more responsibly?
And most importantly:
What is one change you could make today that future generations might thank you for?
