Archaeology is the study of "material traces resulting from human behaviour." Garbology is a subdivision of archaeology. What most archaeologists do is not the exciting digs for ancient pharaohs and fairytale treasures but, instead, digging through ancient trash. Archaeologists piece together the day-to-day life of forgotten societies through the whispering remains of garbage.
What makes garbologists different is that they are digging through "material traces" of societies that are still living and available to interact with. Garbologists are also unique from archaeologists because they are not only recording data about a society but are also proactive problem solvers. William Rathje, a professor at the Universtiy of Arizion, is the leading garbologists today. He has done more to develop and progress the science and benefits of garbology than anyone else. He is the founder of the "Garbage Project" which was created to solve the problems of the massive accumulation of trash in the United States.
More information about the Garbage Project and William Rathje can be found at:
http://info-center.ccit.arizona.edu/~bara/gbg_in~1.htm
http://www.leadingauthorities.com/search/biography.htm?s=3763
http://www.flwi.rug.ac.be/AAHE/garbage.htm
I used the topic of garbology for my workshop because it is allows for a mutifunctional, flexible backdrop for many methods and styles of learning. Garbology is a way to see the world from new angles. Its a hands-on science. Some of the main functions of my workshop were critical thinking, group problem solving and cooperation, and creative interpretation. Trash doesn't lie, but it also doesn't speak for itself. It needs an interprerter.
The workshop started off with a short introduction to garbology and then I sent everyone off into the field as garbologists in training. Before the workshop set-off, I asked everyone to try and erase any ideas of what they already knew about the surrounding area and society. I sent them away with the "Garbologist's Tool", the question "why?" I told them to ask "why?" with every piece of garbage found. "Why is it here?" "Why did someone throw it away?" "Why is it now trash?" "Why has it lost its usefulness?" I also asked them to take a pen and piece of paper along to record all data and where and in what fashion it was found. (It's important to note that if the same kind of trash was found more than once it should be recorded.)
I divided my group into two research groups. One group stayed outside to record findings of trash along roadsides or directly in nature and the other group was sent inside to poke around in garbage cans. I told everyone to work individually, however, with a bigger workshop people could work in pairs. I set a time limit of 30 minutes and then we all met back to discuss what we found. We read our findings and then discussed "what they could mean!" I tried to lead the workshop into reconstruting the society from what the data told us. Looking at reoccuring patterns is a fundamental aspect of garbology.
From garbology data, you can discover pros and cons of a society. Potential problems can be avoided and existing problems can be uncovered and solved. This was another facet I tried to emphasis and incorporate as group problem solving.