Buried Truth

Important events often go untold or are a blur of headlines and thirty-second sound bites. Narrative nonfiction crime writing, however, explores societal flaws in depth and can lead to greater awareness of a litany of public issues. The genre sparks the senses, evokes emotion, and exposes the human condition. Nearly thirty years ago, the remains of four people were discovered in Colorado who had been murdered violently. One was a hard-working truck driver. The other three were transient men, each trying to eke out a meager existence. Their collective story is about how they suffered and lost, and it involves determined detectives, a ruthless killer and his family, and a judicial and interagency law-enforcement system that succeeded and also failed.

Reverse Vending Machines: A Potential Solution for the Florida Plastic Waste Management Challenge

The waste of plastic beverage bottles creates environmental problems and takes up a large volume of landfill space. The high rate of consumption of plastics in the State of Florida is challenging the disposal capacity of waste authorities. The lack of the reverse vending machines in the State of Florida, including applicable scientific or technical literature represented an opportunity for this research to discuss the applicability of this equipment as a potential solution for the management of the plastic waste in Florida. With this research document, I will propose a recycling system for plastic bottles made with PET based on the implementation of reverse vending machines, stressing the importance of the creation of policies that promote recycling and public participation.