Total Garbage: A Messy Dive into Trash, Waste, and Our World

Author Rebecca Donnelly’s middle-grade nonfiction book takes us on a journey through the scientific and cultural history of human waste. Trash has been a part of our lives since the dawn of civilization. It seems like the inevitable byproduct of making and using things, but why?

Donnelly delves into the past and examines modern innovations to answer some fundamental questions: Why do we produce so much trash? Why are we so poor at managing it? And how can we stop us from destroying the planet? She also explores bizarre trash phenomena like the fatberg—a massive sewer clog caused by congealed cooking grease, baby wipes, and other flushed items. The current record holder for size is an astonishing 800 feet long and weighs a whopping 143 tons!

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)