" 'Dumpster divers' rate best trash eats"-Metro- NY Newspaper
so i remember i was reading some post here that mentioned "freeganism" or something and i decided that i really wanted to do that. I didnt think my bf would want to, but when i brought it up one late night, he said "so you want to do that? i could do it." I was sooo excited when he said that-i didnt think he'd be willing at all!
so i've been thinking about doing it but kind of too scared, and he didnt mention it again.
well yesterday when he came home from work he said "i brought you a newspaper." he always gets himself the newspaper at work, but i never really had interest in it, so i wasnt sure why he did that. well he hands it to me and it's about dumpster diving! about people who, mostly, do it at trader joes and get tons of food and blah blah. he said "it's a sign." though he was joking, we've both decided were going to do it at the trader joe's in brooklyn, which is pictured in the newspaper and the closest one to us. yaaay, i'm so excited. wish us luck!
Good luck!
I really need to do more of that, the way this society wastes is just disgusting. And its not only food, my boyfriend dumpstered at a blockbuster and he found like 100 dvds, in their cases, but they had been intentionally scratched so that no one could use them! How effed up is that?
Urrgh
Good luck!
I really need to do more of that, the way this society wastes is just disgusting. And its not only food, my boyfriend dumpstered at a blockbuster and he found like 100 dvds, in their cases, but they had been intentionally scratched so that no one could use them! How effed up is that?
Urrgh
I don't understand why people insist on throwing stuff away like that!
Its like, if you can't sell it, give it away! for crying out loud.
Very selfish people..
It makes me mad that stores would rather be wasteful than donate old food to a shelter or something....
However, I hope I don't sound too prissy, but I wouldn't eat something from a dumpster. Just couldn't do it.
More power to ya!
Be ready to practically wait in line around midnight for trader joes employees to roll out the bins.
Its very easy, but it has been getting crowed. There are a few funny older regulars...
If the economy worsens or more take wind and heed of decent produce being tossed there is going to be a supply and demand issue.
I don't understand why people insist on throwing stuff away like that!
Its like, if you can't sell it, give it away! for crying out loud.
Very selfish people..
I agree, it is selfish and its part of capitalism... as members of society it is our duty to constantly consume! Forget sharing, or re-using.
It makes me mad that stores would rather be wasteful than donate old food to a shelter or something....
It makes me really mad too, I think everyone would be mad if they knew how truely wasteful corporations, including grocery stores, truely are.
I want to fight against this but sometimes I feel like I am alone in the battle!
Its a loosing battle because there's some people out there that'll take advantage of it in a bad way that would ruin it for the rest...
Do you mean people who do not need the food will take it? I'm not sure what you mean...
Its a loosing battle because there's some people out there that'll take advantage of it in a bad way that would ruin it for the rest...
I get what you mean. (1) the DVDs - someone could have taken them not to have but to sell (thought I guess the ethics of selling someone else's garbage aren't entirely cut and dry)
(2) we weren't allowed to leave food out for the homeless at the end of the day at Starbucks. We left it in the dumpster in the back corridor (which many people, not all homeless, figured out how to get to and took the food anyway). The reason is that apparently before there have been people who ate the food we (as a company) left out and got ill (not refrigerated, expired) and threatened to sue :( By throwing it in the trash it seems to absolve you of legal responsibility of what happens to it afterward (it becomes public domain).
Yeah, that makes sense... there should be another way to make it public domain without throwing it in the trash, because technically it is illegal to dumpster dive, at least where I live.
And to be honest, my bf probably would have sold the dvds had they worked. At least the resources wouldn't have been completely wasted. I'm not sure how I feel about that ethically, I'll have to think about it more.
yea, it is a very complex thing. Its like.. should you draw a line and where would the line be if you did....
there's a lot of people who like to take take take and give nothing in return, but is that bad?
I personally think dumpster diving should be legal....
and I think pouring chlorine on food in a dumpster should soooo be looked down on.
Who is it hurting if someone takes trash? I only wish it was easier to freecycle for all people...
myself included. I usually put stuff on the curb with a free sign and hope someone takes it...
I posted this before on a different thread
Retailers intentionally destroy items wether it be DVDs or clothes
They would rather take the loss then to donate the items.
It ends up being a better tax benefit to them
I posted this before on a different thread
Retailers intentionally destroy items wether it be DVDs or clothes
They would rather take the loss then to donate the items.
It ends up being a better tax benefit to them
I recall having a similar conversation with a local bookstore that was going out of business.
All the books were being piled into a dumpster, I asked the managed and from what I recall that was the response.
Its and ethical dilemma; feed and educate or opt for better tax benefits. A serious flaw in capitalism.
so i remember i was reading some post here that mentioned "freeganism" or something and i decided that i really wanted to do that. I didnt think my bf would want to, but when i brought it up one late night, he said "so you want to do that? i could do it." I was sooo excited when he said that-i didnt think he'd be willing at all!
so i've been thinking about doing it but kind of too scared, and he didnt mention it again.
well yesterday when he came home from work he said "i brought you a newspaper." he always gets himself the newspaper at work, but i never really had interest in it, so i wasnt sure why he did that. well he hands it to me and it's about dumpster diving! about people who, mostly, do it at trader joes and get tons of food and blah blah. he said "it's a sign." though he was joking, we've both decided were going to do it at the trader joe's in brooklyn, which is pictured in the newspaper and the closest one to us. yaaay, i'm so excited. wish us luck!
How did the dumpster dive go? (If you went yet)
I told my bf I wanted to do it, he was like why? we can afford food. I know we can, but why not use it if it's free and its less waste. I thought he would be against me going, but he said he didnt care. And honestly, with the economy now, we've been feeling the pinch real bad since Christmas. We are still able to afford the same budget for food, but now we have no money left for anything else. So if I can save on food, then Im all for it!
The town where my SIL lives, they have this unused store space that is always open. And people bring anything they dont want anymore like clothes, toys, dishes, tools, etc. and you can take anything you want/need. I assume that's what freecycle is? I think all towns need something like that. Also the town I grew up in, this guy had this business in his basement. He sold jeans, brand name for REALLY cheap! He had contacts with manufacturers and I guess when a button has the logo upsidedown or the wrong color thread or color is wrong in the jeans, they would throw the jeans away. He figured he could sell them and most times, you couldnt find the 'mistake' in the jeans. It was awsome. Levis or guess jeans for like 25$. I love a good bargain!
I think we underestimate the infrastructure and regulations required to allow businesses to just dispose of their waste products as they please. I think it's not so much people being selfish and looking for ways to not share their things with others on purpose. It's just that our system isn't conducive to it, which is a flaw.
it reminds me of all the food places I've worked at where
1. they don't recycle.
2. they don't compost.
3. they don't donate.
I understand why though. It costs extra sometimes to recycle.. its way too time consuming and involved to compost.
And it can cost to donate if you have to drive it out to where it needs to go...
I do wish our structure was a tad more capable of doing some things, there are some places that do this stuff, but not nearly enough...
Another reason for a business to dispose of items is if something happens when the person takes it they are not liable.
I am thinking of asking the local market if I can have there throw away produce again.
They used to give it to my ex when she asked.
Would come home with a large trash bag about everyday.
Perfect for the raw foodist and someone like me who feeds all the wildlife on my property.
I work at a farmer's market stand and we do that for a lady who comes in for lettuce for a bunny! haha.
I work in a lrge grocery store in Washington State. In my city, the food bank sends a truck to all the local groceries to pick up anything they have to donate. There are actually quite a number of regulations regarding what can be donated and what must be thrown away, however. Almost all of our produce is donated, and any dented cans, cans with torn or missing labels, and dairy items that are not out of date, open, or obviously spoiled. It's a good program for our area, the pickup is done by inmate workers, the food bank sorts through everything to make sure it's all usable, and all the stores are happy to participate, some moreso than others.
I must admit most of what I dumpster is perishable. In nyc they have city harvest. I also used to volunteer with food not bombs.
There are good current institutions but there is still surmountable waste.
My friend scored it big with the odwalla dumpster once again, this time there was a pallet of boxed and cased bars. He managed a dozen boxes. Thats over 1000 bars, I was offered 300. So now I am eating two a day plus two juices. As I think about that, its got to make up ~40% of my diet, 800 cal and an equal reduction in food expense. Seems that I spend ~$20 every 5 days or so on groceries and ~$75 once a month at Trader Joes or Whole foods.
My friend scored it big with the odwalla dumpster once again, this time there was a pallet of boxed and cased bars. He managed a dozen boxes. Thats over 1000 bars, I was offered 300. So now I am eating two a day plus two juices. As I think about that, its got to make up ~40% of my diet, 800 cal and an equal reduction in food expense. Seems that I spend ~$20 every 5 days or so on groceries and ~$75 once a month at Trader Joes or Whole foods.
LUCKY!
/totes jealous
....I've still not been brave enough to search the city for good dive spots. There are just SO many homeless and destitute people in Atlanta that I'm sure there isn't much to go around. I mean, I've actually gotten used to the sight of ragged-clothed, old-beyond-their-years folks digging through public trash cans and digging out fast food wrappers to scavenge whatever they can. :'(
I'm sure that my co-op has tons of good stuff that they have to pitch once it gets too bad to sell (they do sell "discounted"/less-than-pretty produce at the end of the aisle, which I always nab), but I'm willing to bet that they leave it out for the homeless in the area. I mean, there are plenty in this neighborhood (L5P), but they're really chill and not at all "threatening" like the folks downtown.
*sigh*
basically, it's slim pickin's around here, and I wouldn't feel right taking anything for myself even if it were available.
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