Germany, Garbage, and the Green Dot: Challenging the Throwaway Society.

Almost every country is experiencing problems from too much waste -- much of which is packaging. Germany decided to address this problem head-on with its 1991 "Ordinance on the Avoidance of Packaging Waste," based on the polluter pays principle. The basic thesis is simple: if you produce something, you are responsible for it after its useful life is finished.

Germany, Garbage, and the Green Dot is a fine examination of regulatory changes concerning packaging in Germany and the potential implications of these changes for world-wide shifts in resource management, manufacturers' responsibilities, product and packaging design, and employment patterns.

Under the …