Does dumpster diving do any real harm?
Bothered by the guy shuffling through your blue box? Then you really have to meet David Brown and Greg Mann.
The pair are part of a growing movement of not necessarily down and out dumpster divers, also known as “freegans” or “urban harvesters”.
Documented in their film I Love Trash, they decide to rent an unfurnished apartment and fill it from the bins around them. They start out with only the clothes they're wearing and a flashlight, but end up furnishing their digs surprisingly comfortably.
In fact, it turns out that they are not only able to 'survive' but are able to find pretty much everything they could need and more.
What's more, during their project they uncover many other dumpster divers and discuss all the different reasons the loosely knit tribe prowls the city's dumpsters. It's an education.
For some, dumpster diving is simply a great way to save money on groceries. For others, it's about making money, on seen on reality shows like A&E's Storage Wars.
Other freegans do it because they want to live more simply, are concerned about the environment or see themselves making a statement about recycling.
What about you? Do or would you prowl the neighbourhood on trash night? Limited to furniture or does anything go?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: Bryan s. | Jan 11, 2022 4:21:31 PM
Dumpster diving isn't something new. People have been pulling good, usable items out of dumpsters since the first one was dropped off behind some random business in Anytown, U.S.A. Until you actually gaze into a dumpster yourself, you may not be able to believe the amount of perfectly fine items that get thrown in the trash every day across this continent. We are a land of wasters.
Posted by: mike | Jan 11, 2022 8:08:09 PM
dumpster diving is not as bad as many people think.
i have know many people that have made a surprising amount of prity cool items from every day items that have been dumped. i my self have found a 18 carrat gold and diamond ring in the dumpster once.
Posted by: kate | Jan 11, 2022 9:58:17 PM
After having been to several Third world countries, then coming back to North America, it is truly appalling how much we waste. It seems as if we see ourselves as entitled to have whatever we want. We shop for pleasure,as if the next purchase will be the one that makes us happy. As a culture, we have been trained to be Consumers of whatever Thing is being advertised as a need we must fill.Instead there is a tremendous vacuous black hole that is never satisfied. The Need of yesterday fills the dumpsters and the viscious cycle goes on and on and on...
Posted by: Bob | Jan 12, 2022 1:21:11 AM
Raiding blue boxes hardly qualifies as dumpster diving. The recycling program is offset to a degree by the revenues returned from recyclable products. If these are not present then the system is operating at a cost to the taxpayer and returning nothing. Or, why not lay off all the employees that collect by recycling and park the trucks that they use.
Then let scavengers collect the items at no cost to the taxpayer. This is theft by another name......
Posted by: Jack | Jan 16, 2022 1:43:15 AM
Never!
Posted by: Justin | Feb 2, 2022 2:10:14 PM
Ideally, this practice would generate no real harm. But in actuality it poses a dangerous threat.
Some divers or "freegans" scour for goods to use, cradle to cradle style. While others seek to sell found goods for profit. This difference will ultimately result in competition and we all know that competition can become violent.
Alos, legal liability always comes into play in any situation. Eventually, a "freegan" will become injured, infected, or possibly diseased from the contents of someone's refuse and a very costly lawsuit to follow.
For the most part, "freegans" are more accommodating and free spirited individuals who will less likely cause, or be part of any violent altercation outlined in my first point, so this risk can be assessed low.
But until there is legislation in place to absolve the property owner of responsibility of physical and biological threats and bear the onus of responsibility upon the voluntarily searching "freegan", there will continue to be differences among people on this issue and it represents a high risk.