What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet (Protect the Planet)

**What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet** is an enlightening and essential read for anyone interested in understanding the impact of waste on our environment. Part of the **Protect the Planet** series, this book takes a comprehensive look at the journey of waste and the critical role that recycling plays in preserving our planet.The authors do an excellent job of breaking down complex concepts into easily digestible information, making it accessible for readers of all ages. Engaging illustrations accompany the text, keeping young readers captivated while educating them about the importance of sustainability and responsible waste management.One of the standout features of this book is its focus on practical solutions. It not only highlights the problems associated with trash and pollution but also empowers readers with actionable steps they can take to make a difference in their own lives—whether it's reducing waste, recycling effectively, or advocating for eco-friendly practices in their communities.Overall, **What a Waste** is a crucial resource for fostering environmental awareness and encouraging proactive behaviors to protect our planet. It’s a must-have for classrooms, libraries, and homes, inspiring the next generation to take charge of their environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future!

My kids love this book. They love the illustrations and all the info. They are learning a lot from it.

Just finished reading this with my 8 year-old and bought a second one as gift for a friend. The info in here is eye-opening--we were ashamed of how much waste we produce, not even knowing! Definitely raises awareness about waste-related issues. Pictures and diagrams are very informative, too. My only recommendation would be to include a bibliography/reference section for people who want to double check statistics (i.e., I found it somewhat odd that 80% of water waste in the US is caused by lawn watering). Otherwise, well done!

Illustrations are well done and content is perfect for environmental studies.

Most main stream zero waste content glosses over the main issues - this book does it less than most. It does mention, for example, that 10% of the waste created is in domestic situations. It also mentions agricultural waste but doesn't suggest even just eating less meat or eating local meat. It covers subjects like air pollution and plastic pollution well, and in a colorful and engaging way. It even covers pollution from clothing, which is excellent (and surprising). I guess I leave most zero waste content with this question - if eating one less hamburger saves as much water as not showering for a year, why am I using low flow shower heads? And if I'm not in a water scarce area why am I using low flow shower heads? I think water use in that sense, is perhaps overstated. I'd love to see more about animal consumption (I say this as a meat eater) and eating locally, two things I've become convinced are a major factor. Overall, easy to understand (my 6 year old enjoyed it), colorful and engaging. Well done.

My 7 yo daughter loved it. She’s into environment and cares for wildlife. English isn’t her first language, but everything is simple enough for her to understand, plus it contains lots of illustrations. This is an amazing book to teach kids about recycling and how they can make an impact. I recommend!

Currently the students are working on researching an environmental problem and solutions and are writing letters to public figures to make a change. This is by far the most popular book of all the ones I got. I only have three copies of this book and they go fast and the kids keep begging me for more copies!!

Great book with plenty of facts and ways to help the climate crisis. Great for using it to teach young children about the effects and importance of caring for the environment.