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.
A penetrating exploration of the surprising ways that waste occurs in our businesses, our communities, and our lives-and how it can be reduced or even eliminated.
“A smart, unconventional book that takes readers far beyond what they
think they know about a complex subject,
Wasted is filled with surprising insights, careful analysis, and fascinating factoids. There’s something on every page for those who want to know more about science, business, and human behavior, all shown through the lens of, well . . . waste. This book isn’t just for geeks—but geeks of all stripes will love it.”
—Kari Byron, former cast member of MythBusters“The collection of amazing factoids makes for entertaining reading.”
—Kirkus ReviewsPraise for Byron Reese and The Fourth Age
“
The Fourth Age not only discusses what the rise of A.I. will mean for us, it also forces readers to challenge their preconceptions. And it manages to do all this in a way that is both entertaining and engaging.”
―The New York Times
“In
The Fourth Age, Byron Reese offers the reader something much more valuable than what to think about artificial intelligence and robotics—he focuses on
how to think about these technologies, and the ways in which they will change the world forever.”
—John Mackey, co-founder and CEO, Whole Foods Market “Timely, highly informative, and certainly optimistic.”
—Booklist 
