A Television, a working Ipod and a painting of a Seaside villa. This is what can be found when dumpster diving in any major city in the United States. Many people can even pick up abandoned furniture on the street, but the better finds are definitely in the dumpster of any Condominium Complex in a small rural town or even the back dumpsters of a New York USA Hotel. Many who dumpster dive, go to the dumpsters behind grocery stores; they can find a lot of eatable produce. Even dumpsters behind bakeries will provide one with that day’s bagels.
What was once deemed a repugnant act, dumpster diving has gained a broad-based appeal among all parts of society. Due, mainly to the fact of this down-turn in the economy. Although the majority of people dumpster dive for just the possible thrill of finding something very valuable, there are others who dumpster dive for the necessity of finding food tossed because of it’s expiration date and other reasons like making the public aware of how much it is truly wasting with over consumption. They also bring awareness for the need of better recycling. Nevertheless, rummaging through the pungent ripe garbage isn’t always what describes a dumpster diver. A group in Singapore, called the Karung guni, take the art of dumpster diving to a whole new level. The group members go around door to door asking for garbage and any other unwanted goods. Truly, this is much better than digging through the putrid muck of the dumpster, but it doesn’t have the flare of anticipation and the build up of excitement in what will be found. And the great stories one can tell when at a party or a coffee shop about the particular find. Not only to tell the story, but to watch the surprised or disgusted look on the listeners face.
An new growing sub-culture which has popped-up is the ‘freegan’. The word is a combination of ‘vegan’ and ‘free’. The concept caught on even with meat eaters. It’s a way of life; people who have reduced their spending habits and live off consumer waste. The popularity of the freegan has moved into the corporate world, many business people disillusioned with corporate life and corporate waste and spending have left the corporate world and created what is known as simply living and have taken the gauntlet and have incorporated the freegan lifestyle.
Related posts: