One of the unique features of modern society is specialization. Your ancestors likely handled countless tasks on a near-daily basis, from planting and harvesting crops to baking bread to to manufacturing clothing. In the United States of 2019, it is uncommon for all those tasks to be performed by members of the same household. As society has become more specialized, people tend to focus their efforts more heavily on a limited number of areas. And while most would argue that this has improved society overall, there is little question that an individual’s concerted focus on a few tasks has led to us putting the things we are not concerned with out of mind.

Take egg-laying. In a previous column, we discussed Backyard Poultry, a publication that advises people raising chickens — what was once a common enterprise, but is now something of a novelty.

Another example is waste. There is a portion of the population that deals with trash as part of their livelihood, but that group is relatively small. For the majority of 21st-century Americans, matters of waste are fairly distant to us. (We might take out the trash and recycle, but wouldn’t think about trash much beyond that.) However, waste is a matter of incredible import, and if you want to learn more about the topic, a good place to start would be by reading Waste Today.

According to its website, Waste Today:

covers collection and transfer news, organics, recycling, conversion technologies, waste to energy, landfill management, special and hazardous waste, markets and contracting news, mergers and acquisitions and more — all aspects of the solid waste industry in North America.

Published every other month as a print issue, Waste Today also offers interested readers a free weekly e-newsletter, and its website posts stories regularly. Some recent stories from Waste Today include:

The publication’s readership, in all likelihood, is largely comprised of professionals in the waste and recycling industries, but it is sure to be veritable landmine of information for any waste novices looking for more information about the space. Note that the website will also connect you to other resources, including industry classifieds and events.

If you’re interested in checking out Waste Today today, they have current and back issues online. Also, don’t forget to follow Waste Today on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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