Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret

by Catherine Coleman Flowers, Bryan Stevenson (Foreword)

The MacArthur grant–winning environmental justice activist’s riveting memoir of a life fighting for a cleaner future for America’s most vulnerable A Smithsonian Magazine Top Ten Best Science Book of 2020
Catherine Coleman Flowers, a 2020 MacArthur “genius,” grew up in Lowndes County, Alabama, a place that’s been called “Bloody Lowndes” because of its violent, racist history. Once the epicenter of the voting rights struggle, today it’s Ground Zero for a new movement that is also Flowers’s life’s work—a fight to ensure human dignity through a right most Americans take for basic sanitation. Too many people, especially the rural poor, lack an affordable means of disposing cleanly of the waste from their toilets and, as a consequence, live amid filth. Flowers calls this America’s dirty secret. In this “powerful and moving book” ( Booklist ), she tells the story of systemic class, racial, and geographic prejudice that foster Third World conditions not just in Alabama, but across America, in Appalachia, Central California, coastal Florida, Alaska, the urban Midwest, and on Native American reservations in the West. In this inspiring story of the evolution of an activist, from country girl to student civil rights organizer to environmental justice champion at Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative, Flowers shows how sanitation is becoming too big a problem to ignore as climate change brings sewage to more backyards—not only those of poor minorities.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Science, Memoir, Politics, Social Justice, History

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2020

Reviews

[Beata · Rating 3 out of 5]

The dirty secret of which I was unaware, that is thousands of households with no proper sanitation across The South, was a total surprise to me, hence, this book opened my eyes to America I never knew existed in the 21st century. Ms Flowers is an activist who grew gradually to fight for the underpriviledged with regard to their basic needs and commodities, and for this she should be applauded.
The downside was the writing quality and too much of the memoir as I wanted the first chapter to continue rather than read about the Author's way even though I appreciate all her efforts, so this part was a little of a disappointment to me. Having said that, I think the book is worth reading as it tackles an issue of the poverty and inability to shake it off.
*Many thanks to Catherine Coleman Flowers, The New Press and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*

[Danna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in Waste. The initial chapter grabbed me: I couldn't wait to learn more about what Catherine Coleman Flowers describes as America's dirty secret--that there are thousands of citizens living without adequate septic systems. It was an eye-opener for me and I'm sure will be for many other readers (welcome to liberal privilege). While Waste does describe the abominable circumstances, it does so in a meandering way. Waste reads part memoir, part investigative journalism and I think both would have been better written as separate books.

Catherine Coleman Flowers is an incredible activist. Learning her history, from childhood in rural Lowndes County, Alabama, through her education, and moves to different parts of the country is a fascinating journey. I have no doubt that Flowers is a force and a beacon, but the writing is simplistic and not always linear, which made for a lackluster reading experience. A lot of the book felt like a name-drop fest; you know that person who annoys you because they always want to tell you which famous person they just met? Flowers irritated me in this way. And I feel badly about it because it is so cool that she has interacted with so many politicians and activists, but the style grated. It all followed the same formula: I informed so-and-so that the issue existed and that Lowndes County needed help. They didn't believe me. Then, I brought them on a tour of Lowndes County, they saw how truly deplorable the conditions are, and I had their support.

I have a hard time rating nonfiction like this poorly. I feel like I'm rating the person and they'll take it personally (and, honestly, it's possible they will), but I want to be very clear: the content here is essential reading; the delivery was poor. Everyone should know about Flowers and her unique history of activism from high school till current day. I'd like to read a biography of Flower, written by someone else. And I'd like to read about Flowers's wastewater work, either by someone else or in a long article/essay form. The combined narratives didn't work for me and the writing wasn't strong enough to pull it together.

Thank you to the publisher for a NetGalley ARC.

[Marissa]

This book is a MEMOIR.

I was hoping for a nonfiction investigation and expose about poor sanitary conditions in America, the lack of running water, and how it breeds tropical diseases, along with the intersection of race, class, and history.

It's not that. It's primarily a memoir. Something to know going into it.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is hard for me to rate, as the topic is incredibly important, the author impressively credentialed and inspiring, and the message needs to be shouted from the podiums of every auditorium in the U.S. Flowers opens the reader's eyes to the horrific instances of untreated waste in rural parts of our country, to the Third World abhorrent conditions of waste and toilet paper in the backyards that we ignore and minimize. But the book itself is a huge disappointment. After a brief initial mention of the wastewater issue, Flowers switches to a biographical account of her life that is written in a very factual, dry, journalistic style. There is some repetition, some unanswered sections (whatever happened to her amnesiac husband?), and none of the storytelling that makes nonfiction engaging. Finally, when she gets into the "Waste" part of the book in the second half, she continues in the same style, drily recounting names and dates and committee names, briefly explaining the lives of the people trapped in this "wasteland," but never telling us enough to bring them to life. This story could have been great and should be a movie...but the script needs to be written by someone who knows how to craft a story and keep the reader or viewer enthralled.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first chapter of this book was captivating, and I wanted to hear more details about this issue affecting so many Americans in rural areas. Instead I almost DNF. I admire the author's social and environmental justice work, but this read like a Who's Who of famous people she met along the way and her accolades, and it rubbed me the wrong way. It's a memoir and not an environmental novel like I expected. And the writing was frustrating...she jumped from topic to topic sometimes within the span of a paragraph instead of fleshing stuff out. That being said, the issue is worth looking up and she brought it to national attention to help many people.

[Tina Cardone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eye opening book on how the intersection of poverty and racism result in terrible living conditions in Alabama. This book is fascinating on multiple levels. First the details of the issue itself. I had no idea that septic systems failed depending on soil type, or that people were arrested for not installing septic systems! The cycle of poverty is so brutal. Second, the journey of an activist who has found so many allies yet still hasn't found a system level solution for her cause. It's never one hero, but a whole community. Join in and shed more light

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In part, I would blame myself for not liking this book as I didn’t realize it was a memoir, as opposed to a book exploring the history and lack of attention to the not-so-sexy subject of rural waste infrastructure which is what I thought it was

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that this story is so important but the way it is told is really very dry. There are many chapters of memoir before getting to the issue so I wonder if a less linear approach after the first chapter would have helped.

[Briayna Cuffie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this as an eARC free of charge from the publisher via NetGalley for a fair review.

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While the structure of this book could use some work, it was much more coherent the last handful of chapters. The history, details of livelihoods, and humility can’t be beat. While I was aware before that I “don’t know what I don’t know” about environmental justice, this book makes it abundantly clear that I’ve been barely scratching the surface. The author takes what you think you know about poverty in the U.S., to a new depth. Her track record is long, but the fruitful (monetary) outcomes and investments are few – which is no surprise given the bureaucracy of the United States government. As a woman that has always lived in a suburban or urban area, the vastness of this issue is...breathtaking; especially when the only personal comparisons I could make from my life are anecdotal camping experiences, and extremely minor plumbing inconveniences that can often be resolved within days and without a professional plumber.

I would love to hear this topic take center stage in a national debate. Acknowledgement of and commitment to eradicate plumbing and sewage issues would radically change how we discuss infrastructure in the political realm. Catherine has been able to meet so many powerful people over her decades of work. Honestly, I’m a little baffled that some of the wealthy folks haven’t outright paid for what needs to be done for people (surely there’s a way to write it off!). One could say this book adds to the case for reparations in multiple ways, including as a way for companies that have been enriched at these peoples’ expense, as recompense.

[Anna]

My review: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/bo...

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit dismayed when one of my reading groups chose this one. Why would I want to read about human waste?

It turned out to be educational and inspiring as well as disgusting. Sanitation in the low income, especially Black rural areas, is a disgrace in the world's most prosperous nation. I had no idea! Another example of the negative side of capitalism and the ingrained racism at all levels of society and government.

I admire Ms Flowers' energy, activism, ability to cross political barriers and make changes. I always admire strong women and she is one of them.

[Holly Dowell · Rating 3 out of 5]

WASTE: ONE WOMAN’S FIGHT AGAINST AMERICA’S DIRTY SECRET shares the author’s story of activism from a young age, culminating in her current work as an environmental justice champion with a focus on rural Alabama.

Catherine Coleman Flowers is a truly remarkable woman with a lifetime of stories and then some. Born to community leaders and activists in Lowndes County, Alabama, Flowers took on the injustices around her, beginning with educational inequalities. Over time and through engagement in a variety of public actions, she built up her network and became an international voice for change on behalf of neglected rural communities. In the book, she talks about coordinating the study that exposed the existence of hookworm in Alabama. She uses her passion and connections (some seriously big names like Cory Booker, Rev. Barber, and Jane Fonda) to shed light on the devastating, persistent issue of wastewater injustice that she has now witnessed across the country. Many poor, rural homes do not have functioning septic systems and are prevented from installing them due to soil challenges and prohibitive cost. Flowers rightly calls this out as an environmental justice issue that entrenches poverty and will only worsen with climate change.

While Flowers’s story was moving and her fight is exceptionally important, I have two criticisms of the book. Primarily, I think it was mis-marketed. The first half is dedicated to Mrs. Flowers’s background in activism and would be better named a memoir rather than an “exposure” as the subtitle suggests. In and of itself, the story of her life is worthy of telling! Second, I thought the writing was a bit lackluster and had a bit of an “and then and then and then” quality, verging on plodding. I would have enjoyed some variation and a bit more depth.

[Kaitlyn Hermansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapter of this book is fantastic- setting up a book discussing the black belt of the south- and how many people in the area are criminalized for their lack of sewage systems. Flowers sets the scene beautifully for a book about the systematic and racial prejudice that plagues Lowndes County… and then chapter one ends. Instead of what chapter one set up and what the summary promised, Waste turns into a memoir. And not a bad one- just not what I was marketed nor what was given to me in the first chapter. Flowers is an amazing activist and has done fantastic work across the country. I really enjoyed reading some of her stories. But ultimately this book let me down and was disappointing. I wish this book was a continuation of the first chapter, and it was not.

[Polly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

This book was part memoir, part environmental justice non-fiction. Going into it, I didn’t expect it to be as memoir heavy as it was. I enjoyed parts of Flowers’ background and the history of Lowndes county, which is essential to the story. However, I also wish that we’d gotten to the “non-fiction” part faster. In all, I’d say this is required reading for anyone interested in the environmental justice movement.

[Olivia Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish this were more than one book. There are three stories in this slim volume that all deserve their own book. The author's history alone should be a book - and another on how we got to this place in America where so many have poor wastewater options. And a very important third volume is how we move forward. There is so much that needs to be done and funds and interest are limited.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling memoir of the author's work on the frontlines of environmental injustice.

[Ella]

this is essential reading to anyone who cares about the climate crisis, environmental justice, and public health. that being said, chapters 2-3 are a bit slow, however, the story is inspiring and eye-opening!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this, I wanted to learn a lot, but the author was so busy dropping names and tooting her own horn that I really was very distracted. The last third maybe had the Content I was looking for.

[HR-ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave 4 of 5 stars.

The late civil rights icon & US Congressman John Lewis said
"Get in good trouble, necessary trouble & help redeem the
soul of America." Author, Ms Catherine Coleman Flowers,
(hereafter CCF), got in plenty of 'good trouble.'

CCF was born in rural Alabama, & her parents were active
in the civil rights movement. Her mother was sterilized,
w/o medical justification, after the birth of her 5th child!
CCF & her parents knew she had a substandard HS education
IE the principal hosted afternoon school dance parties and
tried to get fresh with select girls, the superintendent had
low standards. CCF, her parents & others exerted pressure
and these 2 resigned & were replaced by more capable
administrators.

CCF had many talents, and even recited her original poetry
on local radio. She had excellent rapport with others, event-
ually became a teacher and helped many students reach their
dreams, beyond what some fellow teachers & the principal
thought the students capable of achieving.

CCF noticed her rural home town residents & neighbors had
sewage back ups into their bathtubs or as pools of waste in
their yards or nearby fields. This health hazard effected
those with or w/o a waste treatment system in place. The
Georgia red clay absorbed more water, the sewage became
worse when it rained. Many lived in trailers. As the rural
development director, she contacted scientists who tested
the water + sewage & discovered evidence of hookworms.
She involved the (clueless) State Bd. of Health and politicos
on 'both sides of the aisle' to try to create a solution. She
later learned via her travels that waste backups weren't
exclusive to poor areas. And climate change (resulting in
extreme weather ie heavy rain etc ) made it even worse.

CCF used ingenuity to get the word out and worked toward
real solutions. Some solutions were v. complex. We should
all be grateful for this gutsy, tireless advocate!!!

[Annapurna Holtzapple]

This story is fantastic, if you’re interested in environmental justice / environmental racism, waste, public health, climate change, or water policy this will be interesting and relevant for you. If you’re an American this book will feel urgent to you.

However, to be totally fair, despite the invaluable work described and incredibly important content, this book reads like, “And then I did this, and then I did this, and then I met this person, and then I did this.” Honestly, the most artful and engaging writing in the whole book is the forward by Bryan Stevenson.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Coleman Flowers is a powerhouse of an activist. Fighting for social justice in every aspect of her life, culminating in her work on environmental justice issues in rural America related to waste water. Overall I thought the book was a good read. Four stars instead of five because there are a TON of names to keep track of and it gets a bit repetitive near the end. But a very compelling story by a very impressive woman.

[Lauren D'Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rural water systems are a beast and a problem throughout the US, from the nitrate-contaminated small water systems in California's Central Valley to the broken or nonexistent septic systems in the Black Belt, plagued by the very soil that gives the region its name, that cause raw sewage to flood back into homes.

Flowers, to me, is the definition of an activist. Her parents were activists as well, veterans of the Civil Rights movement (her dad was also literally a military vet himself), impressing the importance of fighting for what's right, no matter how difficult it is, upon Flowers even at a young age. Many other reviews have complained that this book is more of a memoir than what was advertised on the cover, a story about rural waste and environmental justice. But I'm fine with that. To get the full picture of Lowndes County and Flowers herself, you need to understand the multilayered, rich background, set against the urban-rural divide, with the Selma to Montgomery March a major shaper of the history and culture of the area.

You learn that Lowndes County is directly between Selma to Montgomery, and those making the pilgrimage in tribute to MLK and the other organizers pass directly through it. But the contrast between these two cities and this intermediary rural area couldn't be more stark. You need to understand that Flowers was an activist since she was knee-high, fighting segregation in schools and universities, attacks on affirmative action, racial disparities in school disciplinary actions. She endured a hell of a lot of hardship and racism, from her mother being forcibly sterilized to her Army husband getting injured and suffering from major amnesia just two years after they were married. (Flowers had to fight for years against gaslighting, medical and institutional racism, and bureaucratic red tape in order to get her husband the medical discharge he deserved.) Maybe I would object to this personal history if it ballooned the story into some massive tome, but this book still sits at a slim 208 pages.

The second half of the book turns to the issue at hand: rural wastewater and all of the environmental and social justice issues that she uncovered digging into this problem. Homes in rural areas aren't connected to municipal sewage systems like in cities, so each home (home, shack, trailers, etc.) needs to have its own septic tank. The soft, permeable soils in the Black Belt mean that wastewater can't percolate as it normally does, and septic tanks fail very, very often. Bizarrely, Alabama laws are set up so that not having a functioning septic tank translates to heavy fines and arrests for homeowners. Soil studies, septic tanks, and installation are prohibitively expensive for these folks, many of whom don't make even close to living wage, and these fines and arrests are completely counterproductive - just another way of criminalizing poverty.

Flowers was born and raised in Lowndes County, and was probably one of the first true-blue activists to plant her feet on this issue and get significant stakeholder engagement on it, drawing names from Bryan Stevenson to (yes, you're reading it right) Jeff Sessions. Some reviewers expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that Flowers hasn't seemed to make much headway on this issue by the end of the book - other than the utterly tragic story of her organization raising funds to buy a new house for one of the Lowndes County residents only for her to pass away of COVID-19 related symptoms before she could move in. I don't share this view at all. Anyone familiar with organizing knows that these issues are marathons, not sprints, and you can't expect progress on some of the toughest environmental and social issues our country faces in the span of even ten years.

I so admire Catherine Coleman Flowers, her writing, her activism, and her ceaseless, persistent sense of righteousness and the need to work towards what is right, even when faced with issues that may seem insurmountable. I have a feeling that she agrees with the classic MLK quote: "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." I highly recommend this book and hope you open your horizons to read it.

[Siobhan Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of the prominent thoughts I had while reading this were (1) you have to go see the world and see how others live (2) you have to be curious and question how things are or could be.

I loved this book. It was absolutely heartbreaking, inspiring, insightful, and thought provoking.

I did read this through a day of travel, but stopped between each chapter to gather my notes and try to process all the incredible work one woman has put into motion because of those two aforementioned thoughts.

This review could be forever long, so I’ll try to keep it brief. I’m impressed and also kind of sad how a teenager was responsible for SO much change in her community. To read how a principal ruled a school and ruined students’ lives intellectually, emotionally, and physically for generations only a few counties from where I currently live is heartbreaking. If it wasn’t for Flowers and her committee, how much longer would the corruption have continued?? I also have questions about the assistant principal but again, trying to be brief.

I gained so much context on Alabama and the colleges we have. I’ve driven past ASU countless times and had no idea about the attempted merger of schools in the Montgomery area and the possible repercussions if that came to fruition. Again, Flowers led change by preserving the history and integrity of ASU—this time as a college student.

The way she fought for her students when she was a teacher in DC and NC and pushed to ensure they were given engaging learning opportunities. It gives so much hope for the progress of students’ education while removing limitations others push upon them. Can’t forget her advocacy for her husband to get proper medical care even though it was only her and her dad fighting for his wellbeing.

And how she’s fighting to educate not only the US but herself on unfair treatment of those living in poverty. She’s inviting people to witness how citizens of Lowndes Co aren’t provided the right to sanitation and instead are presented with consequences to actions beyond their control. She also takes time to visit other areas of the country, such as PA coal mining museums and the Dakota Access Pipeline protests to gain a deeper understanding of how America needs to turn inward and focus on creating sustainable solutions for its people, no matter how “small” some might perceive these issues.

It’s such an important reminder that just because someone isn’t doing something “your way” doesn’t mean they’re doing it out of spite. We need to set aside our biases and take time to get to know people and their situations before assigning blame. We need to help them define and create solutions that can be implemented and maintained.

I respected how Flowers was willing to work with anyone, regardless of political party, because she prioritized doing what’s right over everything else.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘My story starts in Lowndes County, Alabama, a place that’s been called ‘Bloody Lowndes’ because of its violent, racist history.’

I read a review of this book and was horrified. Could it really be true, I wondered, that an estimated 90% of households in Lowndes have failing or inadequate wastewater systems? Surely not in the USA, the richest country in the world? I borrowed a copy of the book from my library and read on.

At its heart, this is the story of how and why Catherine Coleman Flowers became an activist. It is a memoir and a social history as well as a fight to ensure human dignity through basic sanitation. Ms Flowers writes of the health issues encountered by those forced to share their yards with raw sewage, often living in rotting trailers with mould covered walls. She writes of Pamela Rush’s situation, and how help was at hand when Pamela Rush died of COVID-19 at the age of 49.

I finished the book, hoping for change and wishing that Pamela Rush had lived. I hope that Ms Flowers and others continue to make a difference. I finished the book wondering how the richest country in the world can have some of its citizens living in such awful situations.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Zahra]

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to!! I think the problem of waste in America is a very big one, and Coleman does a very good job in explaining how it disproportionally affects black, rural communities. I just found it a little ridiculous that the repeating catchphrase of the book was that, “first-world Americans were experiencing third-world conditions” and how unfair that was. random comparisons to India (??) and EVEN more one liners being appalled that “third world conditions” could exist in America lol. I just found the language of it ( and lack of recognising the problematic nature of it??) soo redundant. Also interesting was the emphasis on social justice and environmental justice but the constant praising of Vietnam veterans/ US military with one liners like how “ our brother who served in the Middle East was living in third world conditions” like huhhh. By the end of the book flowers was hanging out with billionaire bankers and I felt like it was so against everything she seemed to have stood for in the beginning of her advocacy. Anyway, I think the issue of waste is a vvv important issue!! But I think Flowers was polarising in her narrative + very neoliberal and it took away from a lot of its importance

[rowan m · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy, where do I start... the most important thing to know is that this book is mainly a memoir and only about 4/10 chapters are actually about wastewater treatment issues. Flowers' writing is beyond dry, and the chapters focusing on her life are more lists name-dropping every person of note she's ever met than actual accounts of her emotions or personal connections. There's also an undercurrent of pro-military, pro-America, Christian ideas that I definitely didn't love; but again, this being a memoir (which it is not advertised as), it makes sense for Flowers' own ideologies to come through.

All this being said, chapters 1 and 8-10 were genuinely good and opened my eyes to issues regarding poverty, race and the lack of wastewater treatment that many people in the US face. So if you're interested in learning about those issues, my advice is--no hate to Flowers, she's a very accomplished person, but--to only read the chapters I recommended. Otherwise, the book would've been better if someone else had written it about her life rather than Flowers herself.

Also, will we ever know what happened to her amnesiac husband...?

[Khalisha]

I might not agree with everything the author says—or haven’t made up my mind yet—but it has answered questions I’ve been grappling with for months. Someone I met at a recent workshop recommended it after we talked about environmental justice. I’d shared my struggles in figuring out where to start in addressing justice within my field, especially regarding marginalized communities and women. I’m deeply grateful for her suggestion.

And to be honest, I thought this book will focus on the investigation about the wastewater issues, but yeah, this book is more of a memoir (I'm not complaining tho).

Catherine Flowers shows how impactful activism can be when it’s organized effectively. Activism often gets unfairly dismissed as mere protests with no real impact, but this book surely will change that perspective. It demonstrates how activism succeeds when we seize opportunities, collaborate across differing views toward common goals, and approach the work with patience and resilience. While not all activism achieves its goals, that doesn’t mean it’s futile, it just needs the right approach in the right context. This book reinforced that meaningful change is possible, even if it takes time.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for sharing this book in exchange of honest review.

Just as the title, this book is about the activist's fight in raising awareness and finding solution for the neglected people in poverty that live in poor infrastructure.

Most of us don't think about where the waste goes after we flush the toilet. However, there are people that do not have have a septic system and practically live with pooling wastewater.

The author goes into more details in discussing why there is poor infrastructure in areas of low income, real stories that exposes living conditions, and consequences of living near wastewater.

This book got me thinking of the little things should be grateful for.

[Mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book after visiting Alabama this year for a work event.
Learning briefly about how the UN visited the state after a hookworm infection broke out, I connected to this book.
It’s a really interesting and important story to tell. It’s a shocking (maybe it’s not really that shocking though if I’m being honest) about rural poverty, and structures that keep people in poverty, and more specifically, plumbing infrastructure in rural America.
Catherine Coleman Flowers is an impressive woman working years and networking tirelessly to bring this topic to the light, to make it “sexy” enough for people ti care.
We need more people like her-grassroots fighters who won’t quit. With that said, these types of academic books take me forever to get through hence the 3 stars

[Lillie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part of Waste is an eye-opening book about America's inequalities when it comes to sanitation and those ties to health, economics, and racial justice, but I have to say that I felt misled by the book.

The first chapter really grabbed my attention and was exactly on-subject. However, the proceeding half of the book seemed off-topic as an autobiography of the author. While I do appreciate how Flower's civil rights background paved the way for her investigation into access to waste management, it could have been much more succinct (and less name-drop-y) or the book could have been billed differently to more reflect it's autobiographical nature.