Wasted: How We Squander Time, Money, and Natural Resources-and What We Can Do About It

by Byron Reese, Scott Hoffman

Wasted is a riveting exploration of the complicated, and often surprising, ways that waste occurs in our businesses, our communities, and our lives“A smart, unconventional book that takes readers far beyond what they think they know about a complex subject.”—Kari Byron, former cast member of MythBusters Waste. We spend a great deal of energy trying to avoid it, but once you train your eyes to look for it, you’ll see it all around you—in your home, your business, and your everyday life. In Wasted, futurist Byron Reese and entrepreneur Scott Hoffman take readers on a fascinating journey through this modern world of waste, drawing on science, economics, and human behavior to envision what a world with far less of it—or none of it at all—might look like. Along the way, they explore thought-provoking issues such as • why the United States got a higher proportion of its energy from renewable sources in 1950 than it does today • whether the amount of gold in unused mobile phones can be extracted for profit• how switching to water fountains on a single route from Singapore to Newark could prevent the use of 3,400 plastic bottles—on each flight• whether the amount of money you save buying goods in bulk is offset by the amount you lose when some spoil. Ultimately, the question of reducing waste is scientific, philosophical, and, most of all, complex. According to Reese and Hoffman, the rush toward simple answers has often led to well-meaning efforts that cause more waste than they save. The only way we can hope to make progress is to treat waste as the complicated issue it is.  While the authors don’t promise easy answers, in this compelling book they take an important step toward solutions by examining the questions at play, giving actionable steps, and ensuring that you’ll never see the world of waste the same way again.

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, Environment, Sociology

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a loving well-written catalog of all the ways we waste things, from food to energy to human time. It's very informative and, although the author says it's a book of hope that we can solve most of our problems by wasting less, at the end I felt like I should apologize to the Earth and never buy anything again. Still, quite a good read. Recommended.

[Fate's Lady · Rating 1 out of 5]

While some of this book addressed actual waste, way too many other parts of it focused on "WELL ACTUALLY, if you define waste in this specific and narrow way then this stuff isn't wasteful at all because you wouldn't be sitting in your car for 45 minutes in traffic if you didn't think it was worth it. Not waste!" I don't know if this was libertarian wankery and intellectualism at the expense of reality or what, but I found it extremely distasteful at best and in some ways actually potentially harmful if people are taking them seriously. Hilarious to think that I spent the last hour or two of this book thinking "Good gravy what a waste of my time..."

[Angela Hepworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book a while ago for Goodreads Giveaway, however, I had a hard time getting through this book. I'm not sure if it's because of the writing style or if it was because I feel that there was not much new I learned. For most people this book will redefine waste. If you want a better understanding of what waste is then I would advise this book. If you want a solution to the issue then I'd suggest trying other books. #GoodreadsGiveaway

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and humbling book

The complexity of the world is so often lost in the rush to express deeply held and uninformed opinions. People on all sides of the issues of the day are guilty of this. This book does a great job of illuminating what should be clear to us all but which is frequently obscured in our politicized times - that most things in the physical world we inhabit upon inspection and analysis are simply not what they seem and are far more complicated than we know, or can know. This book is a lesson in the much needed virtue of intellectual humility. Kudos to these authors. The book is witty, informative and challenging. It is hard to look at the physical world in quite the same way after reading this book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd just happened to see this book in the New Books section at my library and picked it up on a lark.

Very fascinating and filled with tons of random facts, looks at simple things -- is it better to use a paper towel or a dish rag to clean up a spill, but also major things like driving vs. flying, air and water pollution, the wasted clothes of disposable fashion, as well as wasted human potential -- think of all the would-be Picasso's who never picked up a brush because they toiled in the fields all day eking out a subsistence existence. And so much more!

Fascinating! Learned a lot, and it was actually a fun book to read! (FYI: better off with a dish rag, unless you're heating the water each time to get it wet, then paper towel is usually better.)

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an eye-opening exploration of how waste permeates our lives, businesses, and communities, challenging us to rethink everything we thought we knew about the topic. With a blend of science, economics, and human behavior, the authors unravel the surprising complexities of waste, from renewable energy inefficiencies to the untapped value in discarded electronics. Their engaging anecdotes and actionable insights inspired me to see waste not as a simple problem but as a multifaceted issue requiring thoughtful solutions. This book is both a fascinating read and a call to action, and it left me with a fresh perspective and practical tools to make meaningful changes. A must-read for anyone interested in sustainability and systems thinking!

[Reggie Carlisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided me with a new perspective on waste. I learned much about how and what we waste. If you are looking for those things, this book is great.
It would also be useful if you were looking for a place to begin research on waste. There are many studies referred to, but none go into depth. It is a surface look at waste and offers no absolute solutions to the problems presented.
What is does offer at the end (instead of solutions) is an opportunity for self-reflection. For you to take the time to decide what you can and will do to make a difference in the sphere of waste. One person cannot change everything, but you can definitely do your part.

[Patricia Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this book to find out how I could not waste time, money, food, sleep, etc. found out that about the only thing that could really help is to plant lots of trees. driving to a local farm market to buy that local product is not necessarily the best as I waste gas and time just to get there and then perhaps buy stuff that is not local. could have driven to the closer local supermarket to buy that same veggie or fruit less wastefully. probably will not give up sleep.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This perspective on waste will open your eyes not just to the complexities of the world but also the complexities of what "waste" is, and how some of the actions we take to reduce waste are actually more wasteful. As with Reese's other works, there is a general tone of optimism here, and I appreciate that. Instead of feeling a general sense of impotent guilt there is an under current of hope which is very inspiring.

[Codylink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sobering look at all kinds of waste. Gives a good perspective on categorizing and comparing waste on a marginal basis. Expectedly americacenteric, comparing things to the size of a certain state or referring to popular characters in US history, but not annoyingly so. A very good read, and international focused versions would be valuable school reading material. Also surprisingly relevant. Overall a great read!

[Eric Pratum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of interesting information, and although I know that many of the things they discuss are so complicated that it's difficult to present a truly comprehensive argument, I felt they did a good job laying out the information they felt was relevant.

I listened to the audiobook, and once they got to the chapter on wasting time, I found myself actually laughing out loud multiple times because of some of the subtle (and overt) comical statements they put in there.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of interesting facts but I'm not sure I learned an overarching framework for evaluating waste other than "it's complicated and sometimes your gut is right and sometimes it's wrong" but not how to tell whether it's right or wrong so when the facts fade from memory, I'm not sure there will be anything that stays with me long term

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should you go to a farmer’s market for your fruit and veg, or is it less impactful if you get them from your local Whole Foods? Is it possible to waste one’s talent, and what is the impact of fast fashion on the environment? If you’ve wondered about questions like these, this book answers these plus much more.

[Russell S. Holdstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

You never knew this stuff

Engaging read, deep insights. The authors’ breezy writing style draws you right in and their solid research opens new doors for your mind. Closes a few doors too, as I unlearned a few things I thought I knew but came to understand they weren’t true. Does buying from local farmers reduce waste? Read and find out! Time well spent.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readable though with a lot of data that bogs it down a bit. My big takeaway was that there is no 100% perfect solution, so do your best given your situation (socioeconomic, geographical location) and don’t give up that we can make things better.

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our world is like a spider web. Every action, inaction and reaction has rippling effects that cannot be controlled,and yet each of us can do a little bit to be better.

[Brendan Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, engaging, and thought-provoking. Do recommend.

[Luigi Benetton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although a bit technical at times, this book dives deep into the ways we experience waste and what, if anything, can be done to counteract different types of waste.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely made me consider my impact on the planet. It was well-researched and organized.

[John Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a frustrating book. More of showing that we waste in so many ways and talks in circles on how to solve it. Didn’t come out with hope but feeling paralyzed that even changes cause new wastes.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope

[Debjeet Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing well researched book. One of the best reads of this year.