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For ten years, Rocco Rorandelli—a documentary photographer from Italy—had traveled the world and researched the social, economic, and environmental effects of the tobacco industry.
The photographic treasure he compiled along the way will now be published as a book, titled “Bitter Leaves”, by the London-based GOST Books, and include photographs, info-graphics and extended text-captions that document his journey and findings.
While many believe that the number of smokers around the world steadily decreases, the reality is precisely the opposite, as smoking only becomes more prevalent.
In his book, Rorandelli exposes the harsh reality behind the smokey pall of the tobacco industry, and reveals that the damage it inflicts extends far beyond the smoker itself. With an escalating revenue rate—which now equates the GDP of countries like Israel and Ireland—the tobacco industry wreaks havoc on vulnerable communities across the globe, engages in child labour, exploits undocumented migrants, and exposes its workers to highly dangerous chemicals.
Rorandelli also sheds light on the aggressive campaigning strategies of tobacco companies and their relentless lobbying efforts with small governments in order to promote its interests and increase sales.
Among the deadliest effects of the tobacco industry, as demonstrated in Rorandelli’s book, is the devastating damage it inflicts on the environment. Tobacco cultivation reportedly accounts for 12 percent of the world’s cut trees—with roughly 9 million acres of deforested areas annually—and aggressively promotes the destruction of farmlands. The industry also generates approximately 5 percent of the world greenhouse gas emissions and cigarette butts are believed to constitute the world’s greatest oceans polluter.
Visit Bitter Leave’s kickstarter page to learn more about Rorandelli's mission and journey.
Pre-order his book today and help the printing and dissemination effort of this incredibly important project.
Image credit: Rocco Rorandelli.
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