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Dumpster Diving (Srs Bsns Only)

Bob Loblaw

Bob Loblaw

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Mar 1, 2008
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Have any of you guise dumpster dived? If so, how was it? Why'd ya do it? Would you do it again? Any advice?

i haven't ever done it (only eaten food found in public and occasionally i clean people's plates where I work), but I've talked to a few people that have. Serious replies only, please :).
 
^^ Perhaps a bit of a brief explanation as to what "dumpster diving" is?? :)

Note: I may or may not be the only person who doesn't know what you're talking about :D
 
Outside a clinic for one day expired helpful drugs, you bet. (Needles go in sharps containers so you're cool)

Food...REALLY hungry and REALLY broke and I saw it JUST go in Wrapped SUPER SUPER well.....
maybe...can't be any worse that the things you don't know your getting at fast food places...I've worked in a few.
 
I've done it for porn before, and computers etc. So far I've never had to do it for food, luckily.

Oh and sure I'd do it again.
 
I get shit from the trash all the time, lol.
But, NEVER food. won't touch that with a ten foot pole.

I gather things like mannequins, furniture, computer stuff, etc. I never actually get IN any dumpsters, either.Just cruise the alleys around town sometimes with a flashlight. I've found some pretty cool stuff, and I love refinishing projects and I'm always on the lookout for stuff to make other stuff out of (al la art projects, etc).

PLUS, it's free fun. Like a big exciting (filthy) scavenger hunt. I've made a negligible amount of cash from it, too, like from finding a DVD box set that I turn around and sell or something similar.


My biggest beef is that I drive a mini 2 door civic, so I'm occasionally limited in what I can bring home.
 
it wasnt "in" the dumpster, but right next to the dumpster was a perfectly good recliner. handle was gone and it smelled like the previous owner had a big smelly dog, but nothing a pair of vice grips, a vaccuuming and some fabreeze didnt fix.

speaking of dumpster diving for food, i just saw an episode of taboo about "freeganism" that i thought was wild. it wasnt a starving without money thing. it was more a political view of waste not want not. here's a clip from the show:
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/taboo/3609/Videos#tab-Videos/05821_00

lastly, here's an alternative to dumpster diving. its http://freecycle.org/ basically the complete opposite of dumpster diving. people in these communities want to save from adding to landfills so they post stuff they want to get rid of to others who would want it. ive actually gotten a king size bed and a 27" working tv from this site. thought id spread the love.




*hi caitlin :)
 
ive lived off of trash for years
eating from dumpsters and sleeping in em
and getting all kinds of things from em

if you're young and don't give a fuck
its all a game, but then you get older
 
I have dumpster dived on many occasions. I do it more out of the desire to avoid waste than because i have to, i have enough money to buy food. Its incredible to see what grocery stores will throw out. I once found a 25 pound bag of peanuts that was perfectly fine. I know several people that basically feed themselves in this way.

Many people find it disgusting. Im just reminded of that episode of seinfeld where george eats the pastry out of the trash. Just because its in the trash does not make it trash and does not mean its covered in disgusting slime or something repulsive. In fact lots of the food is thrown out because of arbitrary "best before" dates. While this applies to some foods most stay well long after this. The best thing to find is the odwalla drinks that have a really short "shelf life" and get thrown out quickly even though they are perfectly good. Its great to find 10 3 dollar bottles of odwalla.

I also furnished my entire last apartment with couches, chairs etc that was found in the "junk room" of the apartment building.

thanks for the link badboy, now i want to see the whole episode.
 
Most of my current furniture I've gotten through dumpster diving.

Every fall we have "Hippy's Christmas" when students move in/out of their apartments and a lot of people throw away perfectly good things just to avoid having to move them. People can be seen going up and down the roads with flash lights at night looking through stuff. I'm not that hardcore, but I'll look as I pass and if I'm on my way home I might pick up something.
 
i usually hit up hardware/lumber store dumpsters because they throw out a lot of quality wood bits after they cut it for customers that i can still use for carving, they also throw out other strange odds n ends that could probably be used for arts n crafts stuff, and sometimes i come across supplies like paint that have been half used by the staff but are still viable and fun to find uses for :)

those hardware shop dumpsters are usually also full of sharp metals so i always wear steel toed and shanked boots, work gloves, safety goggles and a quality respirator when digging through them.
 
n3o: If you still haven't gotten it, diving is getting shit from the trash or a dumpster or similar.


I know a guy who was travelling with his friend and one night they hit up this Mexican joint. Warm food and all, but even the napkins got in with the food so they kept eating. Said it was just paper ;). I've heard Krispy Kreme throws out bags and bags of hot doughnuts; I need to hit them up...
 
Me and one of my drug buddies used to go dumpster diving, looking for items we could sell for money. We actually found some good stuff - a working external hard drive for a computer, a small television, power tools, furniture, etc. We always did it at night, at spots where there was nobody around. We'd drive his car up beside a dumpster, and one of us would keep watch while the other jumped inside (that was usually me...) :)
 
I used to go into those clothing bin things you see all over, than sell all that shit at the flea market... Great hustle.... :O)


i also did the same thing on Garbage Night with furniture and other stuff like that....
 
here is a FAQ on dumpster diving that i was linked to, when i was inquiring about it not too long ago. i'm sure there are other ones, probably better written too; if anybody knows of a better one, i dont see why linking wouldnt be allowed. PhreeX wrote a really good faq on dumpster diving at pharmacies, but its been lost in the flow of time (if anybody has it though, i'd much appreciate if you'd send it to me!).

i havent gone out dumpster diving yet, as i'm a bit hesitant like i am about doing anything new, unknown, and unusual by myself, but i've been seriously considering it for a while. also, one of the few things keeping me from hitchhiking across the country is the lack of money for food, and dumpster diving sounds like the best solution to this problem.

most people have probably been driving past somebody's trash or dumpster and stopped to take something that was openly sitting out and in good condition, such as furniture, but thats not really dumpster diving imo. dumpster diving would be if you intentionally go out looking for stuff in the trash.

if i can work up the courage, or find somebody to go with me, i'll probably start diving just as soon as it starts warming up.
 
today i got a bag of potatoes, 15 plum tomatoes, 4 avacados, and a loaf of expensive bread. there was much more stuff in there but my backpack was already full and couldnt hold that much.

oh and all of these were still good and clean (though i will still wash them off in case). also all this stuff was near the top of the dumpster, which was full, so im sure there was plenty of good stuff underneath. :)
 
Interesting topic of discussion! I had no idea that the practise of dumpster diving would be so prolific! :)

I have never dumpster-dived (if you will), but in my final year of high school, for our final exam drama performance we went around the streets near our school and picked up some props off the side of the road, e.g. chairs, an on TV that didn't work, stuff like that.
 
spork said:
Most of my current furniture I've gotten through dumpster diving.

Every fall we have "Hippy's Christmas" when students move in/out of their apartments and a lot of people throw away perfectly good things just to avoid having to move them. People can be seen going up and down the roads with flash lights at night looking through stuff. I'm not that hardcore, but I'll look as I pass and if I'm on my way home I might pick up something.
Click to expand...

This is what I used to do. Living in a college town gives you a great opportunity to find cool stuff in dumpsters near apartment complexes. I've found furniture, a complete set of pots and pans, lamps, etc.
 
tathra said:
here is a FAQ on dumpster diving that i was linked to, when i was inquiring about it not too long ago. i'm sure there are other ones, probably better written too; if anybody knows of a better one, i dont see why linking wouldnt be allowed. PhreeX wrote a really good faq on dumpster diving at pharmacies, but its been lost in the flow of time (if anybody has it though, i'd much appreciate if you'd send it to me!).

i havent gone out dumpster diving yet, as i'm a bit hesitant like i am about doing anything new, unknown, and unusual by myself, but i've been seriously considering it for a while. also, one of the few things keeping me from hitchhiking across the country is the lack of money for food, and dumpster diving sounds like the best solution to this problem.

most people have probably been driving past somebody's trash or dumpster and stopped to take something that was openly sitting out and in good condition, such as furniture, but thats not really dumpster diving imo. dumpster diving would be if you intentionally go out looking for stuff in the trash.

if i can work up the courage, or find somebody to go with me, i'll probably start diving just as soon as it starts warming up.
Click to expand...

I'll go with you :)
 
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