Originally, Rotten Truth (About Garbage) was planned as a 3,500-square-foot traveling exhibition that would contain interactive components, scale models, and artifacts. However, fundraising efforts for the fabrication phase of the exhibition were unsuccessful, forcing the developers to examine alternate ways of bringing this information to the public. Today, the exhibition only exists on-line, in a format that is itself environmentally-friendly and provides educational opportunities that are not always available in a traditional exhibition.

Why am I interested in garbage? Probably because it's off limits, it's a whole realm of stuff we're not supposed to look at.
-- Kathy McLean, exhibit developer

Read an interview with Kathy McLean, Rotten Truth's lead exhibit developer, and find out how she became interested in the topic of garbage. You can also get also get some tips on how to keep the environment in mind when creating your own exhibitions.

The issue of garbage affects everyone, including people who work at museums. Responses to the problem range from running recycling programs, to developing exhibitions on garbage or recycling to engaging in collaborative efforts with their communities to reduce, recycle, and reuse garbage. There are even museums whose sole purpose is to present exhibits and programs on garbage.