Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

An exposé of the plastics industry warns of the damages done to human beings and the planet. Enck and her environmental advocacy group, Beyond Plastics, have put together a heavily footnoted book that details the many ways in which plastic is harmful to the environment and to human health, from the presence of microplastics in the ocean to the adverse impact on communities where plastic is produced, to the dangers of incinerating plastic. Much attention is paid to plastic recycling as a false panacea “designed to make us feel better.” With a tone that varies, sometimes in a single chapter, from term paper to peppy exhortation, the book shows certain signs of authorship by committee. And it’s not always clear who the intended audience is, with sentences like “Once upon a time millions of people lived on a planet called Earth and—get this!—survived without plastic.” As a manifesto, it’s certainly dramatic. Although it does pause occasionally to point out actions that individual consumers can take—shop in bulk at food co-ops, “avoid single-use plastic water bottles”—the primary villain here is not the average citizen but “fossil fuel, chemical, and plastic companies.” The book contends that “the most powerful change comes from pushing for governmental regulation of plastic.” Providing documentation of small-scale success on the local level, it offers multiple links to forms. “This is a long process,” the authors write, “but we know that citizen action works—it’s how we removed lead from gasoline to safeguard children’s health….We can do it again, but it will take collective effort and persistence.” While it’s hard not to wonder whether the campaign might skew more idealistic than realistic, the authors’ goals can’t be faulted. No one will come away from the book doubting the importance of limiting plastic. A call to action that could be stronger—but is hard to dispute. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Library Journal
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The first half of former EPA administrator Enck's book enumerates plastic's problems, which will be familiar to many readers: the material itself, along with its manufacture and disposal, is a massive source of pollution, with well-documented negative impacts on humans, animals, and ecosystems. The chapter on more recent developments in plastics recycling and disposal highlights how chemical recycling, biodegradable plastics, and waste-to-energy solutions fail to address the pollution and exploitation inherent to plastic. The real solutions are also well-known: make less plastic in the first place (especially single-use plastic) and utilize less of the plastic that is made. Of most significant interest and substance here are Enck's recommendations for how to do this, including forming activist communities and regulatory advocacy. Enck, the president and founder of Beyond Plastics, writing with climate and environmental reporter Adam Mahoney, encourages readers to get involved with her own organization as one option. VERDICT A reasonable and mostly well-reasoned summation of both the problems with plastic and how they might be addressed. For readers interested in learning more about environmental subjects and seeking ideas for how to engage.—Genevieve Williams