Garbage archaeologist William Rathje once said, "Garbage isn't generic junk. It's elements of our behavior all thrown together." The history of human civilization is reflected in what societies have thrown away over the ages. But in recent decades both the quantity and types of waste generated by human activities have changed radically. In this course we will address the philosophical, social, and management challenges associated with waste in Canadian and international contexts, as well as examining some of the technological and scientific aspects of specific waste management problems.