Plastic Inc. The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil's Biggest Bet

A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice An extraordinary exposé of the industry flooding our world with plastic—and now ramping up to make more than ever “A compelling true-crime story.” —Zoë Schlanger, The New York Times Book Review “Deeply researched, sharply written, and totally compelling.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, author of the The Sixth Extinction “It is impossible not to compare Beth Gardiner’s Plastic Inc. to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.” —John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather 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,