Dumpster Diving!

Howdy all,

Man these past two days have been a flurry of dumpster diving scores!
Students are moving out and dumpsters are overflowing with items/food that students just "can't be bothered" with finding proper disposal (donation) routes for.

It all started when I volunteered for the Donation Drive at OSU. Students living at the dorms have had three weeks to donate whatever possessions they couldn't take with them in these giant bins in their dorms' main lobby. AKA, OSU's attempt at keeping as much stuff out of the dumpster as possible, because that's where it would end up otherwise.

On the last two days of finals, volunteers picked up those bins and sorted them in the recycling warehouse to donate to local nonprofits. For two hours each day, I was in the warehouse sorting.
And oh my goodness, what a reminder of the stuff that some students accumulate and then so easily shed. Clothes with tags still on them...like-new electronics...etc, etc.

They even had a team go out to the dorms' dumpster to see what they could salvage. It was incredible! For example, there was a couch in beautiful condition just left down there by the dumpster. And tons and tons of bedding and such. Mind you, this is only what I saw in the tiny 2-hour window I was there. Imagine all the stuff that came in while I was gone...let alone the stuff at the volunteer teams couldn't even catch!

It was a great volunteering opportunity and one that inspired me to go and explore dumpsters in apartment complexes in our neighborhood.
I have got to share with you the incredible haul I picked it up from my many trips.
A couple of gems include:
- ipod (!!)
- accessories for just my model of cell phone
- craft supplies
- one-piece bathing suit, never been worn
- beautiful hair clips

And last but not least:

High-quality rain boots with tags still on them!!

Then there was the food.

We all know that a lot of food is wasted in the USA, but on my dumpster diving trips, I really saw a shameful amount of waste going on. Don't these students know about the local Food Share program?? I would come upon bags of perfectly good food, tossed out only because they're under a tight deadline to leave their apartment. So often the food wasn't spoiled or anything! All I'd have to do is feel a bag and if it was cold I knew it had just come straight out of somebody's fridge or freezer.
Some things I got include (most in pristine condition, unopened, etc):
- huge vial of sea salt
- 2 lb. frozen blueberries
- bananas, oranges, carrots, potatoes
- various yogurts
- four dozen eggs
- cereal of varying levels of consumption
- canned food galore
- frozen sausages, veggies, ready-made meals

It's mostly a lot of processed/packaged food that we don't eat or buy, but I don't mind having it in the kitchen if it means diverting it from the landfill and padding our food supply in case of emergency and whatnot.

Just check out our fridge/pantry now. We NEVER have it this packed:

And that's after clearing out and consolidating a couple boxes already

So what's your opinion on dumpster diving?
Are you "above it"? What are your hesitations about it, or are you all for it?
Lemme know, I'd love to talk dumpster diving techniques/experiences/theories, etc~!

Until then, take care and Happy Dumpster Diving!