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megatsunami's review against another edition
4.0
This book was really good. Takes you through the history of plastics, from the heady early days of "OMG we can make this amazing stuff which will revolutionize our lives and make things accessible to people!" to the current state of "Oh s*$%&, this stuff is PERMANENT." I thought at first her choice to tell the story through eight different objects seemed gimmicky, but it really turned it out to be a great way to explore the diverse types of plastic and the role plastic plays in so many different areas of our lives. Comes out with a pretty strong message that we really need to change our plastic usage.
bridge_enginerd's review against another edition
4.0
The loss of a star is only due to her somewhat flippant attitude towards people she considers "extreme" - plastic-free and zero waste advocates. Sure, ZW is not for everybody, but those who live a ZW or drastically less-waste life are helping to solve a lot of the problems that she expounds upon. How can you read a book like this and NOT question your waste production?
carstensena's review against another edition
4.0
Genius organization and excellent, readable writing style. I learned a lot from the book, and it was mostly fascinating. Enjoyed the section on chair design as much as anything. But also learning more about where our recycling goes, and what becomes of it.
alh118's review against another edition
4.0
Informative, fascinating, and thought-provoking. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I thought it was a bit too long at times. The great irony is that I listened to this on a Playaway device which is of course made of plastic.
misterfix's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable, lively and informative book on a subject that is tough to make palatable and pleasant to read. Avoided being preachy yet tried to offer case studies and observations from individuals and corporations who engage with the spectrum of plastic use/production - from waste to frugality and wise use. Felt well balanced in relation to criticizing industry while also allowing for and detailing efforts that some have made to reduce and re-use, etc. of course this is the first book on this subject that I have read so my basis for this judgement is limited. If you are looking for an 'activist' book this is not the one as there are not a lot of "we must do this" exhortations and for that I was pleased yet would have appreciated a bit more energy in the conclusion vs a sort of shrug and maybe this or maybe that...
voldie's review against another edition
3.0
Surprisingly balanced book on the side effects of plastics. I have expected to get a silly rant of white female 40something American nothing-to-do housewife (the main driving force in the most ferocious brand of modern ecology) but there was not a bit of it inside (except the some "wink-wink" filled paragraphs about one such woman, poor lamb). Although the author mostly skips some hard questions (which I think require other books), overall there is no noticeable bias. Easy to read too.
machielse's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting read that talks about the past, present, and future of plastic. More importantly, it examines the paradox that is plastic.
For example, someone hooked up to vinyl tubing, IVs, and machinery in the hospital is being kept alive by plastics, while simultaneously being exposed to leeching additives. In the consumer world, paper grocery bags take a lot more energy to produce than plastic, though paper recycling is far more ubiquitous.
There is no one-sided story. But a common theme develops: plastic has enabled society to create a “throwaway culture.” The problem is not plastic, but rather our attitudes towards consumption. Our society uses synthetic polymers that last for thousands of years to produce items designed to be used for a few hours or minutes. Think before you consume. Choose durable goods. For the most part, recycling beats the landfill, but reducing, i.e. never using the thing to begin with, has an infinitely lower impact.
For example, someone hooked up to vinyl tubing, IVs, and machinery in the hospital is being kept alive by plastics, while simultaneously being exposed to leeching additives. In the consumer world, paper grocery bags take a lot more energy to produce than plastic, though paper recycling is far more ubiquitous.
There is no one-sided story. But a common theme develops: plastic has enabled society to create a “throwaway culture.” The problem is not plastic, but rather our attitudes towards consumption. Our society uses synthetic polymers that last for thousands of years to produce items designed to be used for a few hours or minutes. Think before you consume. Choose durable goods. For the most part, recycling beats the landfill, but reducing, i.e. never using the thing to begin with, has an infinitely lower impact.
ijsselmeer13's review against another edition
1.0
The only good sections were the chapter about chairs and the epilogue. Wasn't really what I expected.