The zero waste solution untrashing the planet one community at a time ; [how cities and towns around the world are saying no to incinerators and wasteful product design and yes to radical recycling, reuse entrepreneurs, and the jobs they create

Waste is something we all make every day but often pay little attention to. That's changing, and model programs around the globe show the many different ways a community can strive for, and achieve, zero-waste status. Scientist-turned-activist Paul Connett, a leading international figure in decades-long battles to fight pollution, has championed efforts to curtail overconsumption and keep industrial toxins out of our air and drinking water and bodies. But he’s best known around the world for leading efforts to help communities deal with their waste in sustainable ways—in other words, to eliminate and reuse waste rather than burn it or stow it away in landfills. In The Zero Waste Solution, Connett profiles the most successful zero-waste initiatives around the world, showing activists, planners, and entrepreneurs how to re-envision their community’s waste-handling process—by consuming less, turning organic waste into compost, recycling, reusing other waste, demanding nonwasteful product design, and creating jobs and bringing community members together in the process. The book also exposes the greenwashing behind renewed efforts to promote waste incinerators as safe, nontoxic energy suppliers, and gives detailed information on how communities can battle incineration projects that, even at their best, emit dangerous particles into the atmosphere, many of which remain unregulated or poorly regulated. An important toolkit for anyone interested in creating sustainable communities, generating secure local jobs, and keeping toxic alternatives at bay. "Waste is something we make every day, but we rarely give it much thought. That is changing, though, as emerging programs around the globe show many ways in which a community can achieve zero-waste status. In The Zero Waste Solution, author and scientist-turned-activist Paul Connett profiles the most successful zero-waste initiatives around the world, showing activists, planners, and entrepreneurs how to re-envision their community's waste-handling process by doing the following: consuming less; turning organic waste into compost; recycling and reusing other waste; demanding nonwasteful product design; and, creating jobs and bringing community members together in the process. Connett is a leading international figure in the decades-long battles to fight pollution and has championed efforts to curtail overconsumption and keep industrial toxins out of our air, drinking water, and bodies. He's best known around the world for leading efforts to help communities sustainably eliminate and reuse waste rather than burn it or stow it away in landfills. In addition to showing how zero-waste status can be achieved, Connett exposes the greenwashing behind renewed efforts to promote waste incinerators as safe, nontoxic energy suppliers. The book offers detailed information on how communities can battle incinerators that emit dangerous particles into the atmosphere."--Publisher's description Most towns and cities recycle or reuse only a small portion of their waste stream and burn or bury the rest. In The Zero Waste Solution, author and scientist Paul Connett shows activists, planners, and entrepreneurs how to reenvision their community's waste-handling process by consuming less, turning organic waste into compost, recycling and reusing other discarded materials, and demanding nonwasteful product design. He also exposes the greenwashing behind renewed efforts to promote waste incinerators as safe, nontoxic energy suppliers, and explains how communities can battle them. With profiles of successful zero woste initiatives around the world, and contributions from key zero waste leaders, The Zero Waste Solution is an important book in the efforts to reduce exposure to toxic substances, generate secure local jobs, and create sustainable communities. Book jacket Summary:Shows activists, planners, and entrepreneurs how to reenvision a community's waste-handling process by consuming less, turning organic waste into compost, recycling, reusing, and demanding nonwasteful product design