Geographies of Garbage
16 September 2009 Geographies of Garbage
For most of us, getting rid of our everyday garbage has become such a natural process that the act rarely receives a second thought. When we throw stuff away, though, where does it go? On Thursday, Sept. 17, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Darrin Magee will address this question and many more in a Finger Lakes Institute-sponsored seminar titled, Geographies of Garbage: Worldwide Waste, Local Impacts.
Modern disposable societies create regional, national, and global geographies of garbage. In fact, within a short distance of Geneva lie two of the largest landfills in the northeast United States, having a combined daily permitted disposal capacity of 9,000 tons. Despite modern landfill technologies that promise safe disposal and even green energy, such large landfills often cause significant concerns in the communities where they are located. With this in mind, Magee will discuss the geographies of garbage that impact us in the Finger Lakes as well as people on the other side of the planet dealing with someone elses waste.
Magee says the talk will appeal to anyone with an interest in garbage and issues of sustainability and social justice from the local to the global scale.
Magee earned his Ph.D. in geography from the University of Washington. He has a masters in international studies, also from Washington, and bachelors degrees in math and in French from Louisiana State University.
The Seminar will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17 in the Finger Lakes Institute Classroom, on South Main Street.