Dumpster Diving
By Nikki Willhite
www.allthingsfrugal.com
Who, What, When, Where and Why?
Dumpster Diving is not for everyone. However,
Dumpster Diving has become very popular, and is considered a great resource by
many people. We live in a time of excess and waste, and I don't think we should
look down on those who find a way to use that "waste".
When we moved a few years ago, we found a store that didn't
crush all their boxes, and spent a month checking their dumpster every day for
boxes that we could use in our move. That dumpster served us well!
I decided to do some research on this latest craze of Dumpster
Diving. Here are some things I found out.
Definition
Dumpster Divers are
people who search for things that other people have thrown out that are still
useful, can be recycled, and have value. Dumpster Divers will not only pick up
discarded items left at the curbside of people's homes, but they will climb into
dumpsters at apartment buildings and behind shopping centers.
However! Most don't actually get in the bins. Most people have
some sort of long pole which allows them to just lean over the dumpster and pull
the items up to them. People enjoy this hobby. It's like a Treasure Hunt.
If you think about it, at one time or another we've all been
lazy and thrown away something that we could have given to Goodwill or recycled.
If we've done it, think about the people who don't watch their finances
carefully. They are throwing away things right and left!
Dumpster Diving can also be profitable. You can make money with
everything from aluminum cans to items that can be resold at garage sales.
People have been known to give up their day jobs to do this!
Common Finds
Many interesting and unexpected items can be found when diving.
Here are some of the more common:
Furniture Food Products, such as Meat, Fruit, Vegetables, &
Pastry Things that get outdated, and are not worth the store's time to return -
everything from dishes to greeting cards.
Great Finds
Computers & Accessories, VCR's, Televisions, Radios, Lawn
Mowers, Vacuum Cleaners, Power Tools, telephones, answering machines, and
bicycles.
Equipment
If you are going in the evening, you are going to need something
to light up the dumpster. Some people carry a small flashlight. They attach a
cord to it, and then hold it in their teeth to keep their hands free. Others
wear a headlamp! You can find them at reasonable prices in the bike area of
discount stores.
You need something to pull the stuff to you- some kind of pole
with a hook at the end. A hoe works. You can also buy long poles that will pick
up a quarter in the corner of an empty dumpster.
A stepping stool will help you reach over the top.
Bags- Trash Bags, Plastic Bags, etc., and duct tape in
case your bag splits open.
Wet wipes to clean up with, and anti-bacterial lotion
for afterwards.
A basic first aid kit, in case you hurt yourself.
Potential Hazards
Never climb into a Dumpster with Medical and Hazardous
Waste. Anyone can throw out a needle that could jab you. Wear protective
clothing.
Lids that suddenly slam shut when windy.
Sharp Objects
Icky stuff- like dead animals.
Legal Implications- Make sure that there are no
ordinances that make this activity illegal in your area.
Favorite Spots
Apartment buildings where people move often and leave
stuff behind.
Dumpsters behind stores that sell merchandise you are
interested in, like bakeries, florists, toy stores, bookstores, etc.
Dumpter Etiquette & Rules
Don't go behind a closed fence to reach a dumpster.
Don't leave a mess. Leave the dumpster better than you
found it so those who enjoy this hobby can continue.
Don't take paperwork with people's confidential
records.
Take only what you can use, and leave the rest for
someone else.
Other Resources
Here is a newsgroup for dumster diving: alt.dumpster
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Maybe next time you go by someone engaged in this hobby,
instead of looking the other way, you might ask them if they found anything good
today?