The Scavengers' Manifesto - by Anneli Rufus & Kristan Lawson (Paperback)

About the Book

Rufus and Lawson invite readers to discover one of the most gratifying--and inexpensive--ways there is to go green. "The Scavengers' Manifesto" offers eco-minded people a framework for adopting scavenging as a philosophy and a way of life.

Book Synopsis

Destined to become the bible for a bold new subculture of eco-minded people who are creating a lifestyle out of recycling, reusing, and repurposing rather than buying new.

An exciting new movement is afoot that brings together environmentalists, anticonsumerists, do-it-yourselfers, bargain-hunters, and treasure-seekers of all stripes. You can see it in the enormous popularity of many websites: millions of Americans are breaking free from the want-get-discard cycle by which we are currently producing approximately 245 million tons of waste every day (that's 4.5 pounds per person, per day!).

In The Scavengers' Manifesto, Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson invite readers to discover one of the most gratifying (and inexpensive) ways there is to go green. Whether it's refurbishing a discarded wooden door into a dining-room table; finding a bicycle on freecycle.org; or giving a neighbor who just had a baby that cute never-used teddy bear your child didn't bond with, in this book Rufus and Lawson chart the history of scavenging and the world-changing environmental and spiritual implications of "Scavenomics," and offer readers a framework for adopting scavenging as a philosophy and a way of life.

Review Quotes

"The eco-minded 'Scavenomics' philosophy that takes 'recycle and reuse' to a new level."
-Chicago Tribune

"Forget haggling. In this economy, scavenging is the new closeout sale."
- Boston Herald

"Practical ideas and tips pop up amid theories about Darwin, economics and fashion industry trends. With its "live-in-the-moment philosophy," and list of do's and don'ts for scavenging, "Manifesto" provides an insightful if roundabout guide to environmentally friendly living."
-Florida Times Union

"With retailers desperate for consumers' money, and consumers increasingly holding onto that money more tightly, paying full price has become about as uncool as wearing mom jeans. In their new book, The Scavengers' Manifesto, Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson explain how to live for less by becoming a scavenger, which they define as anyone who collects what other people discard, or, more broadly, people who avoid paying full price for just about everything."
- (web site for US News & World Report)

About the Author

Anneli Rufus is the critically acclaimed author of four nonfiction books including The Scavengers' Manifesto and Party of One: A Loner's Manifesto. An award-winning journalist and poet, she has written for dozens of publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, and Salon. She lives in Berkeley, California.