As consumers - especially as consumers in the industrialized United States - we go through a considerable amount of material goods and create copious quantities of solid waste on a regular basis. Generally, after we dispose of waste (items no longer of value to us), the discarded materials are out of sight and out of mind. However, the effects of our solid waste are not negligible by any means. The materials that we put in the trash, recycling, or elsewhere, can have undesirable effects on human health, human society, the natural environment, and even the climate. The materials chosen to produce various goods can have substantial impacts that far outlive the lifespan of the consumer products. Waste materials break down - or in some cases, do not break down – and the components have the potential to go through phase changes leading to a risk of harming groundwater and air quality. On Earth, we have an ever-growing human population; a constant stream of mass-produced consumer goods; and a finite amount of land and raw material resources. Actively examining and modifying how we manage our waste – at various stages within the materials’ life cycles – is critical when regarding the future of human and environmental well-being. This research, by means of searching through various media resources and conducting interviews, investigates waste and management techniques with a materials-conscious lens. This presentation will delve into some of the main issues in landfills, such as the most problematic materials that don’t decompose well; the pros and cons of current waste management methods; and potential alternatives and solutions – often involving a materials focus - that fit into various parts of the product-to-waste life cycle.