On September 25, 2025 Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Ed Humes spoke at the Michigan League about his newest book, Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World. Speaking to a full audience in the Michigan Room, Humes explored how our waste problem ties into bigger questions about ethics, community, and how we relate to one another and the environment.
Throughout his talk, Humes shared stories from self-sustaining small towns that have found creative ways to live more sustainably. He described places that run on wind power and neighborhoods where people get around by golf cart instead of a car. This showed how small changes can build stronger, more connected communities. These examples helped the audience see that reducing waste is not just about recycling but about rethinking how we live together.
Humes also encouraged everyone to pay closer attention to how they create waste in their own lives. He asked the audience to think about what they buy, what they throw away, and how their choices fit into a larger system. His mix of storytelling, research, and real-world examples made the topic feel personal and urgent.
By the end of the presentation, listeners left inspired to be more aware of their daily habits and to think about how even small, thoughtful choices can help create bigger change.
