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Everyone's Trash: One Man Against 1.6 Billion Pounds

by Duncan Watson

The people and systems behind the waste stream

Critically Recognized
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Awards & Recognition

  • Critical praise

    Booklist praise

    Booklist describes the book as a fascinating look at the social aspects of a local landfill and waste disposal a...

AlbakiReads Editorial

The people and systems behind the waste stream

Duncan Watson draws on 33 years running Keene, New Hampshire’s solid-waste program to connect the daily work of disposal and recycling with the community around it. The book combines accounts of waste management with stories about people Watson encountered at the local facility, placing a municipal program within the broader scale of what Americans throw away. Its subject is both practical and social: how waste is handled, what recycling means in everyday life, and how a public service can become a gathering place. The setting in Keene gives the account a specific local focus while opening onto wider questions about consumption and shared responsibility.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in municipal waste management and recycling
  • Those curious about the people and communities connected to local public services
  • Readers seeking nonfiction about environmental practices and everyday consumption

Themes

Waste management and recyclingCommunity and public servicesConsumption and shared responsibility

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"... a fascinating look into the social aspects of the local landfill and the intricacies of waste disposal and recycling. Watson enthusiastically makes the case that 'recycling is a positive action that you can take to make a difference.' His engaging and heartfelt stories of people he's met through his work add depth and humanity to this portrait of a place that is often taken for granted but that is an absolute necessity and often a social community hub." -- Booklist

Each day, every single person in the United States, all 324 million, discards about five pounds of waste. Be it a bottle that gets placed in a recycling bin or a piece of paper crumpled and tossed into the waste bin, every bit of the daily 1.6 billion pounds cast-off has a story. This book is full of those stories. It will wake you up and give you hope. As the author, Duncan Watson, says, "More people in America recycle than vote. Recycling is more popular than Democracy!"

Watson has been running the City of Keene's solid waste program for 33 years. He has brought national attention to the program for solid waste disposal that Keene, NH, has built. He spins a good yarn, and the rich characters who populate the "dump" in Keene, New Hampshire, provide endless entertainment and a lot of laughs. He is also a yoga teacher, dog lover, and he visits Comic Cons all over the country, as he was a voice actor of Charlie Brown in three movies in his youth; "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown", "You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown", and "Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown."

"By turns hilarious and heartwarming, distressing and hopeful, Everyone's Trash is about way more than recycling and trash. It's a poignant Xray of a small city's soul--and a testament to the power of connection, compassion, and community." -- Sy Montgomery, NYT Bestselling author, Soul of the Octopus, Of Time and Turtles

"Duncan Watson turned his passion for recycling trash into creating a nationally recognized facility in southwestern New Hampshire. Now he tells his story, filled with unforgettable characters, self-deprecating humor, and a larger message for today. Like one of those unexpected discoveries many of us have picked up on a visit to our own recycling center, Everyone's Trash is a treasure." -- Dayton Duncan, author, The National Parks: America's Best Idea

"From his first Recycling Center job in California to his Municipal Recycling Facility-MRF- 'Murph, ' in New Hampshire, Duncan shares the humanity of his life well lived and the intertwined storylines that come alive in every chapter. His skill as a recycling and waste professional is only surpassed by his ability to share heartfelt stories of humanity with his readers. It is the rare author who can be this honest in his narration and every reader will be the richer for the experiences he recounts." -- Mike Durfor, Executive Director (Ret.), Northeast Resource Recovery Association
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Customer reviews

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AlbakiReads
Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

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Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

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Olivia

Smooth.