dumpster diving

Dumpster diving: it's not just for hobos! In fact, a growing community of freegans and environmental activists have taken to foraging for their food, clothing, furniture, building supplies, and everything else in lowly (but frequently fruitful) garbage receptacles. In this way, most hope to make better use of items that would otherwise be wasted, while gaining access to things they might not otherwise be able to afford.

Dumpstering is illegal in some parts, and carries a strong stigma in most cities; nonetheless, it is widely practiced and in some cases welcomed by businesses. While most dumpster divers simply wait until a store or bakery has closed before surreptitiously plundering their refuse, some have entered into agreements with local businesses, who donate their day-old, damaged, or expired goods willingly.

Still, this lifestyle is not for the faint of heart. If you want to eat for free, you'll most likely end up climbing inside a dumpster or two. In urban areas, things could get dangerous. Do your research, understand the limits of legality in your area, and find other freegans to work with; once you know how to begin, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how much is available to those in need.

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Latest blogosphere posts tagged “dumpster diving”

• #48: Mini Holiday Cabin

  
  Fine Diving in Chicago — Authority: 119
  There are societies and groups around the country devoted to miniatures of everything from teeny baskets of flowers to books no larger than 3 inches in size.  When put together, some of the miniatures resemble those Swiss chalet barometers, where the milkmaid comes out to indicate sunshine, and the lederhosen-clad ...
  12 hours ago

• Boston’s Best Thrift? $1-A-Pound at the Garment District.

  
  Uprooted, an eco-travel blog — Authority: 111
  By the time I reached Boston, I’d been on the road for ten months. I’d already worn through a pair of boots , and repacked my entire bag with summer clothes. But one thing that happens when you’re traveling is that clothes just don’t last as long. Part of it was due to the fact that I was washing things ...
  2 days ago

• Dumpster Diving for Twilight

  
  MuchMusic.com | Blog — Authority: 488
  I don’t know about you guys and gals, but If I found the sequel script for Twilight , I would have not returned it without full benefits. (cough, what would you do?) But it seems like Casey Ray is paying much more for her ‘good’ deed. Owner of a beauty store in St. Louis, Missouri, Ray was waiting around for ...
  2 days ago

• Jewels from the Sidewalk

  
  Ornamento — Authority: 107
  I walk to and from work every day and I constantly scan the sidewalk for treasures I can use to make something. Trash day is the best day of the week!!! Awhile ago, I wrote about making lampworked beads from glass I found on the sidewalk . Now I have added brown beer bottles to my cobalt blue wine and aqua Bombay ...
  3 days ago

• This Mans Only Savior Is Death

  
  Gucci Little Piggy — Authority: 129
  In this neck of the woods, its commonplace to assume that only the younger generation of men - those in their 40s and below - suffer the brunt of dilapidated marital conditions and evil wives. This news story from the NY Daily Observer shows that men of all ages are doomed. Beefy shrew fingers Angelo Percolo ...
  3 days ago

• So the Thing That Separates Me From Fred Sanford is What?

  
  An Inch of Gray — Authority: 118
  My name is Anna See and I have a problem with CHAIRS. Today we will take a tour into the seemy underbelly of the See household to discover just how many chairs Ive accumulated over the years. Prepare yourself for lots of dog hair, Legos, bad paint jobs, bad judgment and even worse photography. Note: no dust ...
  6 days ago

• City-dwellers can find adventure in dumpster dining

  
  The Temple News — Authority: 517
  From the Center City high rises to the sidewalks of North Philadelphia, columnist Sarah Sanders thinks there’s a thrill to be found in the quest for second-hand food.
  1 week ago

• Oh how I love the gree paper dumpsters

  
  WeUseCoupons.com — Authority: 511
  Oh my goodness what a jackpot we hit last night. We have one in town and the lady that delivers our early papers dumps them there. Man did she have extra this week plus she dropped 2 bundles from last week. So more meter coupons. Yippeee thats 50 more coupons. For this week there was 6 bundles which means 150 pg ...
  2 weeks ago

• The Long, Long Coffee Table

  
  Fine Diving in Chicago — Authority: 119
  Found Item: Wood coffee table close to five feet long Where: In the alley across the street from me.  Some ambitious decorators live in the vintage condo building up the block.  They move furniture in and out, carry up boxes with new kitchen cabinets and lumber possibly to make their closets more ...
  2 weeks ago

• OMG yeah baby!! ty ty ty dumpster gods!!

  
  WeUseCoupons.com — Authority: 511
  i got over 40 redplums from 10/25 ALL with meter coupons in them!! :atnight: i am soooo set!! yeah:superhero:
  2 weeks ago

• Three New Finds

  
  Fine Diving in Chicago — Authority: 119
  Three possibilities for a makeover this week. This chair was found in the alley behind a hotel.  It was discarded because of the worn spots on the arms, so it needs a new cover but the springs and stuffing appear sound.  An Ikea cotton print or a mohair remnant salvaged by Modern Fabrics ? This one ...
  3 weeks ago

• A Scary Dive

  
  Fine Diving in Chicago — Authority: 119
  Those of you who haven’t read a Jane Wheel mystery , how lucky you are.  You have six new books stretching before you.  Six stories swirled like a caramel sundae with estate sales, bakelite, Roseville pottery, Jane’s gay friend Tim, her quirky Kankakee parents….I could go on but there’s no need.  It’s ...
  3 weeks ago

• Article Title Unknown

  
  BIG NEWS — Authority: 426
  Dumpster diving Heh, this looks like fun. I know a bunch of people who get their food by dumpster diving twice a week. Its when you grab a torch, go to the supermarket, look in the bins, and take some food without paying for it because the supermarket has chucked it out. Its amazing what you can find - veges, alcohol, ...
  4 weeks ago

• Dumpster Diving Decorating: Green or Gross?

  
  Planet Green — Authority: 644
  Would you dumpster dive for the perfect piece of furniture? Dumpster diving is a free and fabulous way to decorate your home the green way.
  4 weeks ago

• Food to Energy Plants: A Load of Pig Swill?

  
  TreeHugger — Authority: 727
  Image credit: Prospect Magazine We all know that waste food is a problem, but luckily there are plenty of solutions. Grocery stores are turning food waste into electricity , and Stockholm is even embracing garbage disposals to collect biogas . But is there a better way? Could it be that theres a greener ...
  6 weeks ago

• Dumpster Diving Kansas Style

  
  The Friggin Loon — Authority: 152
  Hon, did ya hear something? A big thank you to the Prairie P&P’ s for passing on this tale of woe. A couple in Wichita, who will remain nameless, decided to do a little “dumpster diving”, which is a term used to describe people who forage around in commercial bins looking for trash. Hmm, but apparently in ...
  8 weeks ago

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