Use in Academic Courses

The American Library Association's CHOICE MAGAZINE recommends that "upper-division undergraduate and graduate courses" consider Waste Is A Terrible Thing To Mind: Risk, Radiation, and Distrust of Government "to show what wide range of technical skills and more are needed to thrive in public administration." The magazine describes the book as a "vivid account with extremely valuable insights into the machinations of government and administration in dealing with the public on highly controversial issues."

Waste Is A Terrible Thing To Mind: Risk, Radiation, and Distrust of Government has been used at Cornell University, Kean University, Princeton University, The College of New Jersey and Rutgers University in a variety of undergraduate, graduate and mid-career courses including:

  • Environmental Planning and Management
  • Ethics in Public Policy
  • Introduction to Environmental Engineering
  • Introduction to Urban Planning
  • Land Use Policy and Planning
  • Local Government and the Environment
  • Perspectives on Agriculture and the Environment
  • Processes of Politics
  • Public Policy Decision-Making in the New Millennium
  • Seminar on American Politics

... AND SOME COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS:

"This book was excellent! Assigned for a class, I thought I'd get a head start on it - believing from its subject matter that it would be a tiresome read - but I couldn't put it down. I read the book cover to cover weeks before it was due - and then shared my favorite parts with my amused roommate and friends! Weingart's writing style is down-to-earth and witty, making each chapter more delightful than the last. His anecdotes of working with the public on a highly sensitive matter are refreshingly honest and despite his frustrating encounters, and his consistently hopeful and positive attitude toward the matter remind us why public service is an honorable profession. I am grateful to have been introduced to the book and highly recommend it to anyone."
- Sarah Kohl, Rutgers University, MSW '04

"This book stands apart. Not only is it informative, but Weingart integrates humor, insight, and personal reflection into this tale of a radioactive waste disposal site in search of a place to call home. The book provides a real life look into how the public reacts when given the opportunity to make public policy decisions for themselves. Watching some residents' distrust of government compete with other residents' open mindedness in each town provided cliffhanger moments. The innovative, creative, and flexible ways in which the board handled the siting process kept you in wonder of what they would come up with next. The characters Weingart presents are so real that you feel like you are sitting in the open house meetings with him. You want to hug the mayor that felt betrayed by his friends at the town meeting and scold the Whitman administration for turning their back on the Board at the last minute when it was so close to a solution. Songs, newspaper clippings, cartoons, and references to pop culture lighten the mood of this book and make it fun to read."
- Margaret Watson, Rutgers University, BA '04

"I actually enjoyed Waste Is A Terrible Thing To Mind quite a lot. It was interesting to see the hoops that a government agency had to go through trying to get someone to take the site in their town. It had a nice insider's look with a little humor here and there as well, which was a nice touch."
- Glenn Christofides, Rutgers University, BA '04

"This book was light and fun to read. I used to think nuclear waste is something to be afraid of in all cases, but Waste Is a Terrible Thing to Mind convinced me that one should always consider alternative views and take a more balanced view. The book also showed in a very practical way the dangers and problems of the NIMBY phenomenon and showed how a pragmatic approach to a hugely controversial issue and a creative response to a problem could, but sometimes does not, produce a new type of solution. The book also showed the necessity of government in solving problems that the public refuses to understand."
- Lauren Oleykowski, Rutgers University, BA '04

"It was very well written (accessible to lazy undergraduate seniors with senioritis). It was on a topic that really is interesting and important for the social and human nature issues that it brings up (i.e distrust of experts, fear of things we don't know about; if it sounds bad, it is bad; information mangled by the media, etc). And it has funny cartoons in it."
- Beth Ferliccki, Rutgers University, BA '04