Salento is picture postcard pretty, which is why it is such a popular tourist destination. But beneath the olive tree roots lies a secret: 270 illegal waste deposits no one seems to care about. Since the 1980s the area has recorded the highest incidence of cancer in the country and Europe. This tale, at times told by persons with grotesque features, reveals a complex, contrasting human landscape. There is good reason to denounce the situation but also to keep quiet and keep the tourists coming. The big question is how to survive.