Forum dedicated to increasing awareness of green living through beneficial dialogue.

Now as for Waiting for Items to reach the landfill before taking them. As Emraldo pointed out once an Item reaches landfill it is most always unuseable. In the case of food products it is even less so. I have recovered many pounds of produce that I would not have been able to use if I had waited till it reached landfill. Same with eggs and some meats. Of course to many the idea of getting ones food from a garbage can is reprehensable but if you consider that that same food not minutes before was on a shelf for prices more inflated than some peoples tires. The fact is 40% (*) of the food produced in America is either lost or thrown out. That's a hell a lot of waste if you ask me why not take it from the dumpsters of corporations that throw it away. Privacy is the least of a persons worries. Especialy when there are people in this country that are starving because they can't afford to buy their groceries. I can but I still choose to get much of mine from a dumpster.



*http://www.organicconsumers.org/Politics/foodwaste081005.cfm

Took some time off because the Summer heat makes dumpsters very hard to handle... You dive in and immediately begin to sweat. Then of course there's the pungent smell that over takes the senses after the first two or three minutes. Just really hard to bear. Don't mis understand what I'm saying I still dove this summer but not like I do during the cooler winter months. So back in the saddle. I've gone out 4 times in the last week. Brought home jackets, lots of office supplies and some candy and a couple boxes of donuts... However, the biggest find has been an olympus camera brand new 8 megapixels (thrown away because the "protective" plastic bag was missing. Two HP Photosmart C5580 printers and one Epson printer. all work all brand new. So far I have given away almost 1000 dollars worth of Avery office labels and roledex business card holders at my school and I plan on giving away much much more. Of course all of it was found in a dumpster.

Stay tuned for more of Urban_Foragers Dumpster Dive Finds.

I still feel shocked whenever you list some of your finds UF.. The idea of just throwing away a new camera because it wasn't in a plastic bag, and several printers...

The more I think about this the more I couldn't even consider doing it. It's outside of my realm of common sense. To each their own, I suppose.

Orry,

I dive because I have to. Not because I need food or clothes or anything like that. On the contrary I am very comfortable in that aspect but I have to dive because if I don't and I don't tell you about what I find then you can go blissfully about your day with out any concern in your life about the waste that is produced by our corporations and society. Think about the cost of your printer. If you bought it new you paid 100 or more for it. In a few cases you payed less but... Now think about what you would pay if we didn't create items that we wasted (we only create what is needed, or recycle those things that are not). I wonder if the fact that 3 printers where thrown out a couple of days ago has any influence in the price of the Item. I will say Yes. Basic economics accounts for loss in product. The price you pay takes loss into account. But what if it didn't have too. What if the cost you pay is the true Cost of the product. And thats just the financial side of things. Environmentaly the cost of your printer is double because the printer that just got thrown away with out being sold. Every thing we do has an impact I dive to show that by telling people what I have found. By giving away what I find, by eating what I find or by using it. Sometimes I even sell it if I need the money. Diving isn't for everybody and I can see why It's nasty inside of dumpsters there are bugs, vermin and smells that noone should ever have to experience but I do it because if we don't change our habits we will be putting ourselves at risk of resource scarcity. Maybe not you or I, Maybe not our childrens children but humanity at some point will be in danger. That is why I dive. To teach, to bring to your attention, and to inspire thoughtfull dialog and change.

I don't think i could do it.. but that's just because i am a girlie and wouldn't want to get my nails chipped. Not squeamish about smells and crawlies and stuff though.

You've certainly opened my eyes about the amount of waste though UF. I mean everyone knows stuff gets thrown away recklessly, but when you find three new printers....

I do understand the concept and what you're saying. I couldn't do it for a number of reasons, but I do hear you, and as long as you aren't going on private property, there's nothing that says you can't do it either. That's how police get DNA and evidence half the time. :}

If at first you don't believe look and look again. These two pictures represent 10,000 dollars original retail value in software. Yup... Dumpsterdiving to show waste has its good points




Ask yourself why you are charged hundreds of dollars for something that is just going to be thrown away at some point anyway... why not charge a reasonable price for a reasonable product? This is the kind of waste that makes me sick!!!

WOW.. That's impressive Urban! What do you plan on doing with all that software?