In Waste Not Want Not By Bill Mckiibben Summary

“Waste” is a short essay in which Wendell Berry critically analyzes the growing epidemic of trash that is polluting the nation’s land, waterways, and the air. Berry explains to the readers how the remnants of floods and litter that leave farmlands scattered with trash, makes more work for the farmers who have to rid their land of the trash before they can use it. Along with the floods, roads and highways also lead to a barrage of garbage from people who are too lazy or ignorant to take proper care of their garbage, which Berry claims leads to “. . . a constant precipitation of cans, bottles, the plastic-ware containers of fast food joints, soiled plastic diapers, and sometimes whole bags of garbage,” (Waste 1) along the edges of their fields. The garbage of the country continues to be a burden for everyone, whether it impacts them directly or not. Although it would be impossible to eliminate garbage completely from the country, the waste could be greatly reduced. Most of today’s trash is a consequence of the laziness of American society.

Our world is wasting valuable resources left and right, as addressed in both essays “Waste Not, Want Not”” by Bill McKibbens, and “Forget Shorter Showers” by Derrick Jensen. In “Waste Not, Want Not”” Bill McKibbens focuses on the importance of preserving our recourses. He mentions how wasteful the human race is, and how un-necessary all of the things that cause waste really are. In “Forget Shorter Showers” Derrick Jensen leans more towards the idea that no matter what humans do, they are incapable of wining. Either they lose their opportunity for economical and intellectual growth, or they lose their precious recourses and clean world. Both writers realize that we are wasting recourses, and believe that change is necessary for advancement. While the writers may have similar views, they have different ideas on how to solve the issue, and use different methods of communicating their ideas.

Lars Eighner once found himself homeless, scavenging dumpsters for his next meal and looking for possessions that could benefit him in this difficult time. While on this journey, Eighner discovered how wasteful today’s society is when it comes to vital materials in life. In his article, “Dumpster Diving”, Eighner uses an informative tone to emphasize the fact that people take things for granted by wasting valuable items they could still benefit from. Eighner establishes his use of logos by emphasizing his view on wastefulness in today’s society.

Author Derrick Jensen states in “Forget shorter showers,” that simple living will not solve the environmental problem. First, the water, energy, and waste used by industries and agriculture are far greater than the amount used by families. Next, switching to more green technology can still cause more damage than it is intended too. Finally, placing the blame on simple living people is not where the actual problem lies. Orion contributor Derrick Jensen argues, “Municipal waste accounts for only 3% of the total waste production in the united states” (341).

The article “Waste Not” by Elizabeth Royte was published in March of 2016 in National Geographic Magazine. It depicts the wastefulness of the food industry and shows the path of food from field to consumers’ homes. During the article the story focuses on Tristram Stuart; a food utilizing activist and naturalist, who is gathering wasted food for a food conservation event for the public. Stuart visits many different farms and markets to receive food that is not desirable. Throughout the world nearly one third of food that is grown is thrown away or wasted due to consumer needs and wants. This means that because there is a need and want for good quality food products that not only meet food eatable standards but also

“Does the U.S. have a chance of reducing the amount of waste in the world today?”

The amount of waste that’s produced by the lack of concern for the environment is huge. We as Americans don’t see it as a total problem because we’re doing different things that we don’t pay attention to. We as people need to learn the concept of not wasting anything to harm the people and other things around us.

In the essay “On Dumpster Diving,” Lars Eighner, as a homeless person, used his own life experience as a dumpster diver to reflect on the wastefulness of American society. Eighner states, “...although if I could I would naturally prefer to live the comfortable consumer life, perhaps - and only perhaps - as a slightly less wasteful consumer owing to what I have learned as a scavenger”(88). He pointed out how Americans are not a consumer, but a waster from a scavenger’s perspective. The comfortableness of the consumer life makes Americans think that their wasteful action is appropriate. Eighner also points out how American, specifically adolescents does not appreciate the things that they possess.

Zero waste, zero pollution, zero struggles. Try forgetting all about pollution, it's not a problem anymore. That would be amazing, that is exactly Lauren Singer’s goal. She has a jar of trash that she has produced for the past 4 years. This trash is things that are impossible to recycle and there is no way to prevent it. Lauren singer has the huge goal to have zero waste in the world. She has this goal because she read “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson and got inspired. She now realized that this is a problem that must be solved.

Did you know there is about a million pounds of material in order to provide one average middle-class American family 's needs for one year? In sum, Americans waste or cause to be wasted nearly 1 million pounds of materials per, and did you know that an average person waste is 4.3 pounds per day? Did you also know that the water in the lake and river have about 3 tons?

Chapter 15 of Adam Minter’s Junkyard Planet showcases the difference and the confusion that a consumer may come across based on our “ sustainable “ habits. Ultimately, he captivates readers minds and hearts to persuade us to think before consuming for the benefit of our economy and futuristic planet. He here fosters a close relationship with everyone dragged by the same wave, consumption. He proves to us how we have come to rely on recycling bins and other countries to take in our junk. Minter’s hinders a question to provoke thought, if we did not have any recycling procedures would we be living on Junkyard Planet?

A Conservationist Manifesto In A Conservationist Manifesto, Scott Russell Sanders argues that consumerism is a destructive force in the nation. He offers a solution: “As an antidote to this culture of consumption, extravagance, and waste that dominates America today, we need to imagine a culture of conservation.” Sanders encourages readers to think of a new way to exist in the natural world. Sanders enlightened my perspective on the mass amount of consumption that we suffer in America.

In the last 40 years, the rate of solid waste recycling in the U.S. has steadily increased. The now old adage, “reduce, reuse, recycle” has become ingrained in the fabric of today’s culture. The impact of your ecological footprint is a constant concern, but you may know someone who thinks less about the environment and more about their own self-interests. Most everyone knows at least one person whose self-centered view of the world leaves recycling to everyone else. In this article, learn how to appeal to their selfishness by explaining how recycling can benefit them.

In the age of commodities and consumerism, the U.S has emerged as one of the leading over-consumers in the world. Overconsumption is a catastrophe, as humans exploit more than the environment can sustainably provide. People consume water, energy and minerals on a daily basis at a rate that is depleting the earth’s life-sustaining systems. Americans make up to 4.5% of the world’s population and consume more than 20% of its energy (WPB). The lifestyle and culture exhibited by Americans are unsustainable resulting in significant problems that add to the issue of global warming, species extinction, and accumulation of toxic wastes. Part of the consumption is linked to the high population. Whereas the U.S accounts for 4.5% of the 7.1 billion population of the planet, the relative consumption of every individual account for the largest consumption rate in the world thus leading to environmental problems such as air and water pollution. An analysis of the relative consumption rate in the U.S indicates that the U.S population is associated with heavy levels of consumption that accelerate the rapid depletion of resources.

Being able to address environmental issues can save the world. One of the many environmental issues that are occurring every day is waste management. Waste can be categorized by things humans have no use for (Carolan, 2017). With the world being at such a large population, waste will continue to grow. Without there being a direct and or safe form to remove waste from the planet, problems will continue to arise. Since there is a social context of being able to remove human waste, nobody ever bothers to discuss the overwhelming waste on earth. Social construction is an important approach that can be discussed to better tackling the waste problem that is overwhelming the environment.