The Ethics of Waste - by Gay Hawkins (Paperback)

About the Book

Gay Hawkins explores the ethical significance of waste in everyday life_from the broadest conceptions of waste and loss to how the environmental movement has affected the ways we think about garbage. Do we feel virtuous for reusing plastic bags and disdain those who don't? At ...

Book Synopsis

We spend a good amount of time in our lives managing waste: washing ourselves, taking out the trash, sorting recyclables, going to the toilet, deleting e-mail, picking out old clothes to give to charity, filling the compost bin, multitasking to save time, clipping coupons to save money. But waste is much more than what we want to get rid of or avoid. Far beyond terms like rubbish, trash, or litter, the idea of waste can provoke a minefield of emotions and moral anxieties. Gay Hawkins explores the ethical significance of waste in everyday life_from the broadest conceptions of waste and loss to how the environmental movement has affected the ways we think about garbage, the ways we deal with it, and the ways in which we view others' reactions to waste. Do we feel virtuous for reusing a plastic bag? Do we disdain those who throw away aluminum cans? At what point does personal waste become public responsibility? How does this 'public conscience' affect policy? Placing these ideas into historical, social, and cultural perspective, this thoughtful book seeks ways to change ecologically destructive practices without recourse to guilt, moralism, or despair.

Review Quotes

"Those who read this welcome addition to the field will be treated to a book that is well written, often clever, and surprisingly insightful." --Grant J. Rich, PsycCRITIQUES

"A broad-ranging and highly readable book." --The Geographical Journal

"Hawkins explores the intersections of habits, bodies, ethics, and waste matter, toggling her discourse between acknowledging the material reality of various wastes and the views derived from cultural theory. Presents alternative approaches to waste in today's world." --Choice Reviews

"This book is incredibly stimulating and is carried very lightly by Hawkins' accessible and engaging writing. The Ethics of Waste is essential reading for anybody interested in contemporary approaches to waste but it is also an important addition to the sociological literature on consumption, practice and environment." --Sociology

About the Author

Gay Hawkins is associate professor in cultural theory in the School of Media, Film, and Theatre at the University of New South Wales.