John C. Ryan (1)

Brilliant. Oh hell, that's not a review. This brief natural history of several daily items, is probably not even outdated. A worthy read, over 20 years later. I'm sure, unfortunately, that the energy intensive life cycle of each consumer itme, has not changed much.

Awesome little book! Easy read. Very informative! It goes over the resources used in making a specific product (e.g. a t-shirt, a hamburger, a newspaper, coffee, cars, etc), using it, and disposing of it. The information is presented in a fun, easy-to-read manner. I've assigned this as a textbook in a lot of my classes. Students really love it!

This book is simply wonderful. My bicycle and my public library have both seen more of me since I read this book. Read it, live it, change the world for good.

A basic guide to the materials that make up your everyday "stuff." It includes descriptions of the manufacturing and natural resource extraction required to get the finished product to you. A quick and easy read on the topic. Something like the "State of the World" reports from the WorldWatch Institute are good for those seeking more detail.