Material Value: More Sustainable, Less Wasteful Manufacturing of Everything from Cell Phones to Cleaning Products

A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree

"Meticulous editing and a succinct style.... Exemplary for its balanced and reasonable viewpoint, the text deserves to be classified as a reference tool for countless professionals." —Publishers Weekly, BookLife Prize

Creative Solutions from Smart Businesses

Are you concerned about plastic waste and its effect on public health and the environment? You're not alone.
Read Material Value to learn about the challenges facing the manufacturing world and how to make choices that are less wasteful and less harmful to people and the environment.
Discover: How metals and plastics are made and what happens when they are recycled The challenges that manufacturers face when trying to make their facilities and products less toxic and less wasteful How manufacturers can extract the value of materials while doing less damage to human health and the environment How smart companies are embracing the triple bottom line—profit, people, planet—to make manufacturing safer and more efficient Why some big corporations painted as evildoers deserve a second look
Get the inside scoop from: A business owner recycling scrap from airplane manufacturing A former geologist running a chain of donut shops Two entrepreneurs committed to improving e-waste processing An executive promoting social and environmental responsibility at a major electronics company A chemist developing safer cleaning products
“This book is an antidote to a world too dominated by extreme opinions: it is a detailed, balanced and fascinating account of how we can make the modern material world more sustainable.” —Mark Miodownik, author of Stuff Matters and Liquid
"If you want to take informed actions to support a better world, read this book.”—Anne Janzer, author of Subscription Marketing and Writing To Be Understood
Material Value is organized in four parts. Part I sets the stage with a discussion of chemicals and toxins, the responsibilities of businesses to be transparent, and the challenge of resource reduction. Part II explains how engineered materials, specifically plastics and metals, are made, providing both historic and forward-looking information. Part III delves into manufacturing methods and explains why some are more environmentally friendly than others. Part IV looks at steps that companies and individuals can take and discusses the effect of various incentives, from taxes and bans to green business certifications. Interviews with inspiring business professionals are sprinkled throughout the chapters to illustrate the concepts with examples and personal stories.
The challenges are huge, and the answers are not always obvious, but Material Value shares a message of cautious optimism. Smart and creative entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives from companies large and small are working on solutions and individuals can help them succeed.
If you care about making the material world more sustainable and want to learn more, read Material Value to discover the true value of materials and how we as a society can use them more wisely.