• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

All over the world, people are joining the low-waste movement and getting tough on their trash.

Maybe you’ve heard the reports of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch swirling in the ocean. Maybe you’ve seen the photos of whales and sea birds with trash in their bellies. Or maybe you’ve heard that only 9 percent of our plastic waste actually gets recycled.

We can all do our part for the planet by creating less garbage. In Less Is More young readers will discover how to avoid waste in the first place, reduce how much they use and reuse what they can, before they recycle and rot (compost) the rest. With small, simple actions we can become part of the circular economy. Find out how you can join the low-waste movement—and get your friends and family on board too!

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Leah Payne is a writer, editor and mother. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Simon Fraser University and a master’s degree in library and information studies (MLIS) from the University of British Columbia. She is the author of Less Is More: Join the Low-Waste Movement in the Orca Footprints series. Leah lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she loves spending time in nature with her family.

Leah Payne's profile page

• Short-listed, The Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award - Children’s Nonfiction
• Commended, Children's Book Council Teacher Favorites Award 3rd - 5th Grade
• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred selection

“A very enlightening and inspiring book. Payne includes ideas that will appeal to all ages. An accessible, fun, and useful book that will give middle schoolers interested in the environment increased knowledge of waste reduction and strategies to act on that interest.”

Friends Journal

“Orca provides its usual perfectly matched-to-topic photography and helpful sidebars...Young environmental champions will have everything they need to continue on their paths to being better citizens and do their parts to support the Low Impact and Zero Waste movements.”

Erica Sommer

“Writing with a friendly tone, Payne offers facts and occasional statistics about the problems created by high-waste societies and addresses herself to kids and families who want to become part of the solution through individual decisions and actions… A very readable, practical addition to Orca’s Footprint series on environmental issues.”

Booklist

“Very worthy of purchase. Recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Gives many ways to make just ordinary, daily tasks a lower waste process…A perfect introduction to anyone who wants to understand how much waste is being handled every day, and how, if we all just do our part, we can all make a contribution to end much of our waste, and become part of the Low-Waste Movement.”

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)