RECYCLING

A meager introduction to an important subject. Though the author cites dramatic statistics (``we generate enough garbage each day [in the US] to fill 63,000 garbage trucks that hold 7 to 14 tons of trash each''), he offers little that's new; mostly, fictional sixth-graders report on the problems and suggest predictable, often simplistic solutions. The subtitle (Learning the Four R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover) says it all. Photos are muddy and often marginal—e.g., shelves of potato chip bags. (Are there better ways to package potato chips?) Little attention is given to the real problems of collecting, reprocessing, and finding markets for recycled materials. Most helpful features in this ``Better Earth Series'' entry are the lists of places to write for more information and extensive further reading. Glossary; index. (Nonfiction. 10-12)