Bea Johnson (1) (1974–)

I wasn't sure I would like this book, because I'd been mostly watching YouTube videos on zero waste, and felt that many "zero-wasters" came across as pompous know-it-alls who have "arrived" and who just want to be paraded around and have people admire them – rather than being humble mentors.

Bea Johnson's book proved that Bea, at least, isn't like that. She grew up in France, living a modest lifestyle, then moved to America as an adult and took on the "American dream" lifestyle. After living this way for awhile, she started to realize the troubles it brought and moved toward zero-waste. I love that she recognizes that zero-waste is a goal, but it will never happen for any of us (there will always be a certain amount of waste) and the things that each of us compromise on will be different.

She says toward the end of the book, "Some said that our household doesn't do enough because we are carnivores and travel to France, for example. Others said that we do too much, that our lifestyle is unrealistic or extreme. How is it unrealistic if I am living it?" -p. 253

The book itself is incredibly thorough. There are only illustrations on the chapter intro pages, and the rest is pure text (apart from a few illustrations to help explain various processes she describes, such as papermaking). There were so many questions that have popped into my head during my online exploration of zero waste, and she answers nearly all of them. The resources section is also full of truly practical resources.

My biggest beef with the book is her section on kids. She claims (as do many zero-wasters) that overpopulation is the cause of a failing environment (without citing any real facts), and suggests we all reconsider having large families, even suggesting that we adopt, instead. I'm a huge advocate for adoption, but it's certainly not rooted in environmentalism! (That's not a good enough reason to adopt – adoption should be about a child joining a family, rather than seen as a means to make one feel better about his ecological footprint.) She also talks about "protecting ourselves from surprise pregnancies" and includes Planned Parenthood as a resource. (I definitely can't get behind that organization!)

At the end of the day, I strongly believe that over-consumption and incorrect-consumption (that is, using plastic and synthetics instead of natural materials that can be returned to the earth) is the problem. If the entire global population began living, overnight, with a desire to redeem the earth and care for it, many of our "waste" issues would be a thing of the past.

Anyway, that chapter is what bumped my rating from 5 stars to 4. I would definitely still recommend it as a very comprehensive read for anyone interested in going plastic-free, or just in implementing a few resource-saving habits into their regular lifestyle.… (more)

I liked this book for what it was but I don't feel like it's necessary for someone who wants to reduce waste. In that case just go on her blog. This book consisted of lists and ideas that weren't really fully fleshed out. This book was more like a compilation of her most popular blog posts. Though she explained how she got to the process she uses for whatever routine in her house she doesn't totally cover the benefits. She lays them out like a check list of sorts: reduced cost, less time spent, less exposure to plastics. Yeah but at least explain these benefits. She did mention her husband crunching numbers and confirming they were spending less but nothing much about the other stuff.

I wouldn't suggest purchasing the book unless you want the check lists in one easy to find place.… (more)