On the secret trail of trash is a work of environmental nonfiction by elizabeth royte. On the secret trail of trash i speak with author, elizabeth royte, about her book garbage land which tells the story of her journey to follow the trail of her. On the secret trail of trash english edition ebook. Reading elizabeth roytes garbage land, i was struck again and again what a perfect book this would be for a spike jonzecharlie kaufman film. Garbage land on the secret trail of trash the great pacific garbage patch is not what you think it is the swim what. Garbage land, by elizabeth royte, is billed as a book about the secret trail of trash. She follows her putrescibles to the landfills, her recyclables to recovery facilities, and even tracks her poop all the way to the sewage treatment plant and beyond. It isnt just garbage that irritates the stations neighbors. It is witty and colorful, but left me somewhat bewildered by too many facts and too few interpretations. On the secret trail of trash elizabeth royte, author. By turns comic and poetic, the book delivers the pleasures of a long. Garbage land by elizabeth royte hachette book group. The author follows her waste streams from her brooklyn home to.
In her new book, garbage land, americas trash trucks, waste treatment. Into our trash cans go dead batteries, dirty diapers, bygone burritos, broken toys, tattered socks, eighttrack cassettes, scratched cds, banana peels. I speak with author, elizabeth royte, about her book garbage land which tells the story of her journey to follow the trail of her garbage. Dead, buried or risen again, garbage is forever the new. Altogether, the city has sixtytwo land based transfer stations, not one of which is located in manhattan. Garbage land by elizabeth royte, 9780316154611, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In a country that consumes and then casts off more and more, what actually happens to the things we throw away. First published in 2005, the book takes readers on a journey to discover what happens to trash when we throw it out, and the ecological implications of the north american recycling problem. Hers is a journey that everyone should take but few will. Solving the mysteries of the tropical rain forest a new york times notable book of the year, 2001, and bottlemania. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers all about garbage land.
A washington post book world best books of the year my favorite investigative book of the year is elizabeth roytes garbage land. On the secret trail of trash by elizabeth royte little, brown, and co. Elizabeth royte is an american sciencenature writer. I thought i knew more about trash than the average person, having excavated or analyzed prehistoric garbage for about fifteen years. Royte, who has also contributed to the new york times magazine, national geographic, smithsonian, and outside among others, takes on the sticky topic of where our trash goes when we throw it away. Along the way, we meet an odor chemist who explains why trash smells so bad. Elizabeth roytes garbage land is one womans journey to find out where her waste goes.
Imagine a type of obsessivecompulsive disorder that leaves you unable to throw or flush something away without tracking precisely where it goes. The content and theme of this book in fact will adjoin your heart. About the potential for using nature to unpervert urban hydrology especially in the gowanus watershed in harpers magazine. Garbage land is elizabeth roytes plucky voyage of discovery down the various waste streams to their ends burying, burning, composting, recycling of the assorted components glass, plastic, ewaste, metals, sewage, food scraps, paper, plant debris comprising the 210 million tons of municipal solid waste msw generated in the u. She is best known for her books garbage land a new york times notable book of the year 2005, the tapirs morning bath. A brilliant exploration into the soiled heart of the american trash c.
Yeah, even many books are offered, this book can steal the reader heart appropriately much. Elizabeth roytes trip to the gowanus canal was one of the factors that compelled her to embark on her strange journey. Garbage land is a firstperson narrative in which elizabeth royte guides readers through the hidden world of garbage. Garbage land on the secret trail of trash by elizabeth royte. On the secret trail of trash by elizabeth royte and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Nothing lasts forever, but garbage comes pretty close.
Garbage land on the secret trail of trash elizabeth royte. Elizabeth royte s trip to the gowanus canal was one of the factors that compelled her to embark on her strange journey. Many of us are curious about what happens to our garbage after we throw it out, but only royte had the guts and the stomach to. Not so journalist royte, whose book in some ways including its title echoes. Juliet waters, montreal mirror, july 21, 2005 roytes exploration of the economic, territorial, and ecological perspectives of garbage disposal adds up to a fascinating trail of trash. Elizabeth royte science writer royte leads us on the wild adventure that begins once our. Although our ancestors may have lived among the muck, never before has humanity produced so much garbage. On the secret trail of trash by elizabeth royte elizabeth royte s garbage land is the gross but engrossing story of the things we throw away.
On the secret trail of trash kindle edition by royte. Garbage land in the vein of stiff, nickel and dimed, and fast food nation, garbage land takes us behind the scenes and into the corners of our own lives, revealing the fantastic truth behind what weve taken for granted or never even thought about. On the secret trail of trash by elizabeth royte 2006, paperback at the best online prices at. On the secret trail of trash by elizabeth royte 2005, hardcover at the best online prices at. Royte s last book, the tapirs morning bath, was a new york times notable book, praised widely for royte s keen observations and narrative. Elizabeth royte apparently has such a disorder, but rather than or perhaps in addition to letting it ruin her life, she has turned it into a likable chronicle of rubbishrealization, garbage land. On the secret trail of trash, by elizabeth royte, was engaging nonfiction in the best huh i didnt have a clue about that kind of way. August 2005 james campbell martin nonfiction garbage land.
On the secret trail of trash, elizabeth royte shines a light on everyones dirty secret. How water went on sale and why we bought it a best of or top 10 book of 2008 in entertainment. Like a garbage detective, she follows the used plastic bags, drink containers, old newspapers and, yes, bodily excretions that disappear into the trash can or down the toilet, only to reappear somewhere else, out of sight and out of mind. In garbage land, acclaimed science writer elizabeth royte leads us on the wild adventure that begins once our trash hits the bottom of the can. Garbage land is elizabeth royte s plucky voyage of discovery down the various waste streams to their ends burying, burning, composting, recycling of the assorted components glass, plastic, ewaste, metals, sewage, food scraps, paper, plant debris comprising the 210 million tons of municipal solid waste msw generated in the u.
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