Robert M. Lilienfeld and William L. Rathje

Robert M. Lilienfeld and William L. Rathje are publishers of the ULS Report (Use Less Stuff), a newsletter about preventing waste. In the following viewpoint, the authors argue that although the amount of garbage and waste being generated must be reduced, the problem of waste disposal is not as bad as many people believe. In fact, some aspects of waste disposal have even improved over the years. The best ways to continue to reduce the amount of garbage, Lilienfeld and Rathje maintain, is to improve products so they do not need to be replaced as frequently and to reduce and reuse the packaging for the products.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the real problem with landfills, according to the authors?
2. How do Lilienfeld and Rathje respond to the claim...