Will garbage turn out to be the proverbial sand upon which we are foolishly building our civilization? Our ability to produce trash is growing exponentially and, contrary to popular opinion, not always in a way that reflects industrial progress, but rather breakthroughs in marketing strategies. Consider, for instance, the commercialization of water. Its imprisonment into nondegradable plastic containers has, perhaps more than any other product, created mountains of waste, an unwelcome strain on our already bulging landfills.

And yet, despite the fact that we are constantly shedding trash, the stuff has managed to remain out of sight and out of mind for an astoundingly long time. In her book Gone Tomorrow: The Hidden Life of Garbage, Heather Rogers takes a bold look at the refuse that our society leaves on its path to dizzying heights of consumerism. As she sifts through it, she describes a story that is as fascinating as it is sordid; a story that reveals mankind for the tragically shortsighted being that it is.

Gone Tomorrow explores the historical, technological, economic, political, and environmental aspects of refuse production and management. The book describes what happens to our garbage when we dump it in the chute, drop it off at the curb, or force-feed it to our drain—in other words, when it is whisked off to oblivion. The resulting journey is pretty sinister, but what is even more alarming is the fact that we are intentionally being kept in the dark (which suits most people just fine).

Rogers deftly exposes the reasons why consumers are encouraged to forget about their trash and reveals the methods and players behind this cover-up operation. She describes the tremendous increase in manufacturing efficiency that occurred in the fifties, the coercion of workers into accepting consumerism in lieu of political power, and the constant struggle of industries to “manufacture consumers” through “built-in obsolescence” and fashion trends. Finally, the book reveals how manufacturers increase profit margins by selling needless packaging materials while at the same time having consumers pay for their disposal.

Gone Tomorrow shows that the only feasible solution is a governmental mandate enforcing recycling and reuse. If industries are left to police themselves, their efforts eventually dwindle to meager “greenwashing” scams. The current situation where the government protects industries’ unfettered access to resources, but denies the population any involvement in the production process seems highly undemocratic.

But in addition to exposing the grave environmental consequences of our wasteful modern lifestyles, Gone Tomorrow is a fascinating tale: the history of garbage is intimately linked with the struggle of mankind against disease and poverty. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book is highly enjoyable and illuminating. It is an essential text for anyone interested in responsible stewardship of our planet.

Related Articles:

• RU Recycling and Consumption: How Green is Our Valley?
• A Stain in Our Valley?
• The Green Corner
• Green Corner: Recycling Changes on Campus