Can I Recycle This?, Jennie Romer
Can I Recycle This?, Jennie Romer
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Can I Recycle This?
A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics

Author: Jennie Romer

Narrator: Jennie Romer

Unabridged: 3 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 04/13/2021


Synopsis

The first illustrated guidebook, now adapted for audio, that answers the age-old question: Can I Recycle This?

Since the dawn of the recycling system, men and women the world over have stood by their bins, holding an everyday object, wondering, "can I recycle this?" This simple question reaches into our concern for the environment, the care we take to keep our homes and our communities clean, and how we interact with our local government. Recycling rules seem to differ in every municipality, with exceptions and caveats at every turn, leaving the average American scratching her head at the simple act of throwing something away. Taking readers on a quick but informative tour of how recycling actually works (setting aside the propaganda we were all taught as kids), Can I Recycle This gives straightforward answers to whether dozens of common household objects can or cannot be recycled, as well as the information you need to make that decision for anything else you encounter. 

Jennie Romer has been working for years to help cities and states across America better deal with the waste we produce, helping draft meaningful legislation to help communities better process their waste and produce less of it in the first place. She has distilled her years of experience into this non-judgmental, easy-to-use guide that will change the way you think about what you throw away and how you do it.

About The Author

Jennie Romer is a lawyer, sustainability expert, founder of PlasticBagLaws.org, and former Legal Associate for the Surfrider Foundation’s Plastic Pollution Initiative. She is the author of Can I Recycle This? and has worked on plastic pollution reduction policy for nearly 15 yearsChristie Young is an artist and illustrator currently based in Austin, Texas. She’s collaborated with clients of all shapes and sizes, ranging from Penguin Random House to Bumble to Madewell. Her work is a reflection of her interests in nature, travel, and storytelling.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jennifer on August 03, 2022

There was a lot I wanted to say about this and just don’t have the time to give it justice. It was eye opening and I had to put it down several times because of all the bad news in it. Needless to say I’m painfully aware now of the mess we’re in because of plastic. It’s an epidemic and it feels like......more

Goodreads review by TS on August 24, 2021

A great reference book to identify what can or cannot be recycled, as well as understanding the current limitations of recycling - be it technology or just simply the prohibitive cost of doing so.......more

Goodreads review by Steve on February 23, 2023

Well done, Jennie Romer. This is an accessible, helpful resource that not only answers the nagging question posed in the title, but also offered plenty of food for thought on the latter issue of reducing single-use plastics (although, as the book makes clear, it address far more than plastics). I gue......more

Goodreads review by Laura on August 01, 2021

Useful guide to recycling and especially reducing! Well organized and super smart. Love the illustrations, too. . . . My favorite parts: ‼️ focus on personal waste audit #canirecyclethisaudit(I’ll be doing mine this coming week!) ‼️ the reminder to pay attention to greenwashing (#isthisgreenwashing) ‼️ sp......more

Goodreads review by Ash on August 05, 2023

Very digestible, the art was very cute and was a nice compliment to the actual information. I appreciated the breakdown on all the bits of recycling we don't really think about. I'm definitely guilty of wishcycling, and with the help of this book I'm hoping to wishcycle less :)......more


Quotes

“If you’ve ever been perplexed by the byzantine rules of recycling, you’re not alone. And if you wonder how the system even works — and how you can make it better — you’ll want to read Can I Recycle This? A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics. The book provides an extensive look at what you can and cannot chuck into your blue bin.” —The Washington Post
“In her must-read new book, [Jennie Romer] shows you how not to be a “wishcycler”— someone who wishfully thinks things they recycle will be recycled. You’ll be unpleasantly surprised to learn which of your “recyclables” and “compostables” don’t actually get recycled or composted, and instead, end up creating air and water pollution, and contributing to climate change.” —The Sierra Club 

“Can I Recycle This? A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics handily mixes practical information with shots of hope. . . . Young illuminates Romer’s points with wit and can-do cheer, and a vibrant color palette that helps elevate a weighty topic into something more engaging. She’s a natural fit with Romer’s conversational prose.” —Pasadena Weekly