January Book - Plastic Inc. by Beth Gardiner (2026) 352pg

from the publisher
"Plastic, the foundational material of modern consumerism, is everywhere in our daily lives. But the oil and petrochemical companies making it are hiding in plain sight. Because for all the vivid coverage of where plastic ends up, there is remarkably little discussion of where it comes from. Today, industry is pouring billions of dollars into plans to double, or even triple, the amount it churns out, even as individuals concerned about plastic’s out-of-control proliferation try to use less. As Big Oil stares down a future of diminishing demand for fossil fuels, plastic has become its financial lifeline.

Award-winning journalist Beth Gardiner gives readers an up-close look at the plastic industry’s relentless growth, its extraordinary profits, its toxic pollution and its hidden role in exacerbating climate change. Every chapter in Plastic Inc. brings new revelations, including how Big Oil pushed the lie that recycling was the answer to our plastic mess, even though companies always knew it couldn't work at scale; the hidden health crisis caused by chemicals and microplastics in the items we use every day; and the alarming parallels between the marketing strategies used by plastic producers and those of tobacco companies and Big Pharma."

Please RSVP if you intend to come and change it if something comes up.

Please also bring ideas for book titles we might want to read as a group in the future

Barnes & Noble opens at 10am on Sunday.

Plan to order something to drink from the Cafe, then find us in the cafe seating area. I'll bring a sign for the table with the group name.