TIP OF THE Landfill The ABC’s War on Waste
The problem with much of the waste generated by our capitalistic culture is that it’s invisible. We are largely disconnected from how things are produced, where waste goes, and the environmental and human costs of consumerism. After the useful bits have been used up, packaging and waste goes into the rubbish or recycling bin, and then they disappear from our lives, never to be thought of again. We trust that ‘someone else’ will take care of things responsibly.
While most people understand, in an abstract sense, that consumer culture is wasteful, they can’t be outraged in a way that leads to behavioural change or a refusal to engage, because there’s no transparency around what happens to all that waste. In a climate wherein we’re so prepared to be outraged, for the most part, we’re not given this opportunity when it comes to the substantial amount of rubbish we generate. However, this is changing – a recent spate of nonfiction titles is lifting the veil on what’s become a global crisis, educating audiences about the issue of wastage worldwide and, with the future of the planet in view, inspiring them to improve their consumption patterns.
One such title is the ABC’s War on Waste. Hosted by Australian television personality Craig Reucassel, best known for his time with satire group The Chaser, the series’ first three episodes were released in May 2017. Each episode helps to uncover the true state of household and commercial waste in5 billion lightweight plastic bags used in Australia every year. And Episode 3 reveals the general public’s massive misunderstanding around the recyclability of single-use coffee cups, and shines a spotlight on the 6 tonnes of clothing that gets thrown out every ten minutes in Australia.
