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.

by Jessica Reeder Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “dumpster diving”

 

• This is a tired dumpster face

  
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  I Day ? of dumpster cleanup, and Im wondering why the bark collar on bando isnt working. Every time something goes kerbang into the dumpster he yowls his displeasure.  We opted for the bark collar because at the apartment he suffers from both dementia and separation anxiety to go along with his OCD ...
  6 days ago

• Waste Not, Want Not, and Food Politics

  
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  Food waste appears to be a hot new topic this year, which is actually something I am really excited about. Not food waste—I find the volume of food wasted in the West horrific—but that people are talking about it, and more than that, thinking about ways to directly address it, rather than trying to shovel the ...
  2 weeks ago

• Identity Theft – Lesson One

  
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  Identity thieves are skilled at what they do. There are a few methods used to steal your personal information. Dumpster diving -   They rummage through trash looking for bills and other papers that have your personal information on them. How to avoid this - When going through your mail, even if its junk ...
  4 weeks ago

• DIY hat renovation

  
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  Some years ago, Christi and the Saturday Crew and I had been digging around in dumpsters, as you do, and I found this hat: It was completely ridiculous. I thought I might use it in a costume context or wear it ironically or something, but I never did. I’m a bit too old for ironic [...]
  4 weeks ago

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