Rubbish! : the archaeology of garbage / William Rathje and Cullen Murphy ; with a new preface by the authors.

Main entry:

Rathje, William L.

Title & Author:

Rubbish! : the archaeology of garbage / William Rathje and Cullen Murphy ; with a new preface by the authors.

Publication:

Description:

263 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

Notes:
Originally published: New York, NY : HarperCollins Publishers, ©1992.
Includes index.
Part I: An introduction to the Garbage Project. Yes, wonderful things ; Garbage and history ; What we say, what we do -- Part II: The landfill excavations. Into the unknown ; The myths of biodegradation -- Part III: Interlude: diapers and demographics. A garbage census? ; The diaper dilemma -- Part IV: Garbage and the future. The technological fix ; Closing the loop ; Life-style override ; The ten commandments.

Summary:

It is from the discards of former civilizations that archaeologists have reconstructed most of what we know about the past, and it is through their examination of today's garbage that William Rathje and Cullen Murphy inform us of our present. Rubbish! is their witty and erudite investigation into all aspects of the phenomenon of garbage. Rathje and Murphy show what the study of garbage tells us about a population's demographics and buying habits. Along the way, they dispel the common myths about our "garbage crisis"--About fast-food packaging and disposable diapers, about biodegradable garbage and the acceleration of the average family's garbage output. They also suggest methods for dealing with the garbage we do have.

Resources:
cover image

ISBN:

0816521433 (pbk. ; alk. paper)
9780816521432 (pbk. ; alk. paper)

Subject:

Garbage Project (University of Arizona)
Refuse and refuse disposal Research New York (State) New York.
Refuse and refuse disposal United States Case studies.
Déchets Élimination Recherche New York (State) New York.
Déchets Élimination États-Unis Études de cas.
Déchets Élimination Recherche New York (État) New York.
Refuse and refuse disposal.
Refuse and refuse disposal Research.
New York (State) New York.
United States.

Form/genre:

Case studies.
Études de cas.

Added entries:

Murphy, Cullen.

Holdings:

Location: Library main 315899
Call No.: 315899
Copy: 1
Status: Available

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