“Garbage Wars” is a book about how garbage is handled in Chicago and the politics that surround it. The book is authored by David Pellow a lecturer and the head of the sociology department at the University of Minnesota. The book offers detailed accounts of how garbage affects the people who live in vulnerable areas and the accompanying health risks of handling garbage. Pellow also delves into the issue of racial politics and how this issue plays out in the garbage management arena.
The author of this book is able to maintain an ethnographic tone throughout the book. As a renowned psychologist, the author stays within his area of expertise and delivers an insightful account of the sociological impact of degradation. According to the book, racially motivated ideologies are one of the main causes of degradation.
The book traces the origins of the federal waste management to the Second World War when recycling policies of the Nazi Regime were racially motivated and tended to favor the elite and oppress the minorities. The author notes that the racial aspect of recycling is not limited to small organizations, but even large organizations are culprits.
The effects of degradation are more severe to the lower and working class members of the society. The book also relates degradation to other historical events such as struggles for labor rights, civil rights, and women’s rights. According to Pellow, environmental degradation is also a major cause of inequality in the modern society.
“Garbage Wars” provides a rich account of how the efforts to reclaim and process garbage have affected the lives of the citizens. Although the book refers to several historical accounts and figures, all of these are easy to corroborate. The author is also able to refrain from turning the book into a speech about inequality. Overall, the book is a valuable asset to scholars, environmentalists, and social activists.