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Garbology: Uncovering Societal Truths Through Trash Analysis

Delve into the fascinating world of garbology with the University of Arizona's Garbage Project, led by William Rathje. Explore how examining our waste can reveal societal truths, such as inaccurate reporting on alcohol consumption and socioeconomic differences. Discover the reliability of drawing inferences from physical remains and the diachronic study of refuse disposal practices. Learn about modern trash disposal processes, landfill structures, and the surprising truth about landfill contents. Compare our garbage practices to those of the Classic Maya civilization to avoid their fate. Uncover the secrets hidden within our trash and understand the implications for our society.

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Garbology: Uncovering Societal Truths Through Trash Analysis

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  1. The Archaeology of Ourselves The University of Arizona Garbage Project “Wait a thousand years and even the garbage left behind by a vanished civilization becomes precious to us” (Isaac Asimov, 1920-1992) “Why wait a thousand years?” (William Rathje)

  2. The Garbage Project • William Rathje (University of Arizona, Tucson) • “Garbology” • Essentially ethnoarchaeology of our own society

  3. William Rathje

  4. Garbology in Action

  5. Examining social issues • Previous sociological studies in Tucson investigated several social issues • Example: Alcohol consumption • Q: “How many bottles/cans of beer do you have in a usual week?” • Results of such surveys taken as accurate • Sociology studies don’t accurately reflect material remains • 15% might report drinking alcohol, but over 50% of household have over 8 beverage containers/week in their trash • Asparagus consumption was over-reported by 200 percent • Socioeconomic differences • Low-income households reported no alcohol consumption • Middle-income households reported some, but underreported actual amount

  6. The Point • People are not telling the truth in statistical analysis! (consciously or sub consciously) • Drawing inferences from physical remains of a society is reliable data.

  7. Linking Past to Present • Diachronic study of refuse disposal practices • How have our refuse disposal practices changed over time, and why? • Food waste has declined over 20th century (25-30% in 1918, to 10-15% in 1973) • Technological advances in food preservation • Surprisingly, modern degrees of recycling are often far below earlier “pre-recycling” rates

  8. Landfill Structure

  9. Modern Trash Disposal

  10. Landfill Processes • Numerous misconceptions (very little actual research on landfills conducted by their designers; designed based on assumptions, not on data) • Plastic: not so bad after all; less than 15% • Styrofoam, disposable diapers: less than 3% • Polls: most people believe these categories account for up to half of landfill contents • Paper most prevalent material (50%+ and rising) despite recycling efforts • 14% is just newspapers alone; single largest item by weight and volume in landfills • Construction debris: 20 to 30%

  11. Landfill Processes • Biodegradation: mostly a myth; 65% of material in landfills is biodegradable, but… • Material not broken down prior to deposition; little water or oxygen penetrates (anaerobic preservation) • little movement of materials once deposited; compaction of materials, but little decay; preservatives (20 year old hot dog) • Only half of food and yard waste biodegrade, creating heat (temperatures of 80 to 140 degrees), methane. • Landfills: supposed to act like composters, but really act as “mummifiers”

  12. Modern Garbage

  13. Prehistoric Analogy • Rathje compares our own garbage practices with those of the Classic Maya • Describes Classic Maya Period as “…one of profligate waste, followed by a period of decline.” • Late Classic Maya: increased recycling, decreased disposal, but too late • Post-classic Maya societal collapse • Rathje places our own society in a “classic” period • Advises radical change, to avoid fate of the Maya

  14. Imagine you are coming from an alien planet… You have found the following remains of intelligent life. What things can you tell about this society?

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