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The wonders of dumpster diving
- Thread starter storafötter
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BertramCooper
Banned
This is a very special thread.
The food is stuff that is packaged in a way that nothing from the outside could infect it (if it could, then how could you even eat food you've bought when people touch everything with their shitty hands, that's as much of a source of bacteria as anything in the dumpsters...) and it's also stuff that just <1-3 hours ago could've been bought by you from the store. If it was good then, why wouldn't it be good a short time after? Just because the package itself might be a bit dirty (though, they often aren't since stuff is usually thrown into the dumpsters in those kinds of big, black plastig bags, so they aren't actually in contact with the insides of the dumpster) doesn't mean shit to the stuff that is inside (assuming there are no holes & the package is undamaged).
And if the package is damaged, of course people don't (usually) take that.
I understand it just fine. And need I still point out I've been doing this close to 5 years and have had absolutely no problems? I've never been even remotely sick let alone gotten a nasty food poisoning. I don't really think you understand what kind of products you get out of dumpster diving. It's pretty safe if you know what you're doing and keep in mind some basic stuff.
Like I say above, the stuff is usually thrown into dumpsters in big plastic bags, so they aren't in contact with the dirty insides of the dumpster, meaning there's less of a chance that anything is even on the packages, let alone the food inside them. A lot of the food I found I cook, so that should kill bacteria as well.
None of my closest friends (who I'd actually ask over for a dinner) have had any problems with it and they've knowingly eaten food I've gotten from dumpsters. Of course I'll tell people that it's from a dumpster and they can choose not to eat the stuff if they don't want to (so far that hasn't been a problem).
Liberty4all
Banned
Ah good old Germophobia 
You don't automatically get food poisoning because something went in the trash you know, especially if it's still packaged. Also there's bacteria on your hand right now, the horror!
Anyway, I don't do it but it's a fairly common practice around here.
Also what's wrong with plate licking? >.>
You don't automatically get food poisoning because something went in the trash you know, especially if it's still packaged. Also there's bacteria on your hand right now, the horror!Anyway, I don't do it but it's a fairly common practice around here.
Also what's wrong with plate licking? >.>
AlimNassor
Banned
How immature of you. So because someone doesn't share the same "hygenic values" as you means you'll ignore their posts? That's just pathetic.
lol I'm pretty sure I'm more hygienic than the majority of people saying that finding sealed boxes of food in trash bins is completely wrong for anybody to do.
Edit: I don't dumpster dive by the way
storafötter
Member
No I am not trying to say that. I am just not comfortable with that everyone thinks that all the food in the trash gets bad. Yes it can get worse by being in the trash without doubt. However it does not have to. Less contaminated food and more packaged food should be better than not. Seriously I picked those bananas from the top of the trash today. It was not even squeezed with anything else, no liquids or whatever and I wont even eat that peel of the Banana. I also noticed by looking at the same trash on several occasions that it remains dry inside and most of the trash is packaged. I cannot say the same for many other trashes.
Same here. I always switch clothes when I get home. Not just from using gloves for the dumpster, imagine that!
I think it is difficult to tell people or anyone your inviting for dinner. It just been one occasion where I used carrots. The food was cooked thoroughly and washed beforehand so I don't see it as more dangerous than a lot of the food I get served from others. I did actually forget about it until they were over as I buy most of my food. I am just trying to do this more often. It is not like I don't buy food every week as I need to have a varied diet which dumpster diving cannot provide (I already am following a strict diet).
I will probably warn people if it is a meal consists of more stuff from the trash and is not cooked.
[citation needed]
I have OCD.
I'm not a dumpster diver but as someone who has seen first hand how much sealed & boxed food gets tossed away, I honestly don't see the problem if someone else chooses to pick it up so it won't be wasted.
I don't dumpster dive
but going around the back of Tesco and seeing pallets of unsold Easter Eggs the day after Easter that were going to be thrown away made me change my mind on people that do
A tonne of good food is thrown away, if you're willing to get it, more power to you I guess.
but going around the back of Tesco and seeing pallets of unsold Easter Eggs the day after Easter that were going to be thrown away made me change my mind on people that do
A tonne of good food is thrown away, if you're willing to get it, more power to you I guess.
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
Moot point. Doing this causes you to cross the line between man and bum.
Mammoth Jones
Member
It blows my mind how much food humans in first world countries waste just because they can. Just right now on CNN I see a caviar eating contest where the winner gets free caviar for a year and I immediate became disgusted.
BertramCooper
Banned
But rummaging through dumpsters does not solve this problem. Not at all.
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
Yup. Replace "Fucking perverse world." with "Fucking perverse economy and culture." and I'll agree with you 100%.
Haha, yeah, there's a Hostess location in my city that always throws away tons of perfectly good stuff. But that stuff is like eating trash even when it's brand new. :lol
storafötter
Member
Maybe it can scare people into throwing less in case us mutated hobos are planning to dig through their trash.
BertramCooper
Banned
storafötter;37167065 said:
Awww.
You're not mutated.
storafötter
Member
I am not so certain about that anymore after reading some of the posts in this thread.
But honestly you don't think they would go. "Why do they throw perfectly fine food?" It is pretty bizarre civilization we live in today. Having such advanced technological leaps being able to produce so much food just to waste it. I am sure they would be in tears and not want to produce any offsprings.
When I worked at a restaurant, we threw away so much perfectly good food. A lot of it still wrapped. The dumpsters were well guarded too. I don't know why grocery stores, restaurants, etc guard their trash so well.
When I worked retail, we had to make sure we destroyed everything in a compacter before we threw it away. We also had to smash edible things so people couldn't eat them. Cardboard was closely guarded as it was the most "stolen" from neighboring stores.
I could understand things that they had to get credit back from the manufacturer for (like cds and books), but the way we treated the rest of the trash was a little ridiculous. Seemed like we were wasting a lot of resources and money keeping people from using our trash. I guess they see it as competition for themselves. :|
When I worked retail, we had to make sure we destroyed everything in a compacter before we threw it away. We also had to smash edible things so people couldn't eat them. Cardboard was closely guarded as it was the most "stolen" from neighboring stores.
I could understand things that they had to get credit back from the manufacturer for (like cds and books), but the way we treated the rest of the trash was a little ridiculous. Seemed like we were wasting a lot of resources and money keeping people from using our trash. I guess they see it as competition for themselves. :|
Dreams-Visions
Member
WHAT IS THIS THREAD
I DON'T EVEN
WHAT WHAT WHAT
oh lawd, the help. I think my ancestors would roll in their graves if they saw me rummaging through a dumpster for any reason other than trying to find something important I lost. Like an engagement ring or a winning lottery ticket.
I DON'T EVEN
WHAT WHAT WHAT
oh lawd, the help. I think my ancestors would roll in their graves if they saw me rummaging through a dumpster for any reason other than trying to find something important I lost. Like an engagement ring or a winning lottery ticket.
I don´t know much about it, but someone that works at a garbage-burning-place (sorry i don´t know the english word for it, but you know what i mean) told me that they actually mix the veggies and stuff with other trash because otherwise it won´t burn good..
So, in that logic, the garbage collectors are actually making way more trash that really has nowhere to go.. I state that the bin divers are the reason we have all these piles of garbage around the world.. .. !
So, in that logic, the garbage collectors are actually making way more trash that really has nowhere to go.. I state that the bin divers are the reason we have all these piles of garbage around the world.. .. !
Alligatorjandro
Banned
Just think that the bananas you found were where some rats had sex on.
Lumination
'enry 'ollins
I don't have the mental fortitude to go dumpster diving for food, but I applaud those who do. We Americans waste too much food (I try my best to never throw away food), and any countermeasure is ok in my book.
eudaemonic
Member
I heard that some casinos won't donate food because it could be a liability if someone gets sick. Apparently one in particular gave to a shelter, woman got ill (no real proof it was only the food) and tried to sue the casino. After that, they nixed the practice. Pisses me off someone in need would ruin it for everyone else in order to get rich.
RIP Sonki. Toronto-Age will miss you.
Also, I don't dumpster dive, but I do keep an eye out for things like computers, television, weights, and other things people throw out on garbage day. Some of it is in great condition, or have parts I can actually use. Picked up some basically brand new Ikea shelves too someone had tossed out back of our apartment.
Also, I don't dumpster dive, but I do keep an eye out for things like computers, television, weights, and other things people throw out on garbage day. Some of it is in great condition, or have parts I can actually use. Picked up some basically brand new Ikea shelves too someone had tossed out back of our apartment.
BertramCooper
Banned
As long as they were wearing protection, it's all good.
Well offcourse, like you seen is this thread, people don´t buy it, they take it from the trash. Sales go down. They have to follow the regulation and laws. Offcourse it´s not bad right away, yet they are not allowed to sell it. Going through the trash is stealing.
If people are really doing it for the whole 'so much food goes to waste while others are starving' idea, they should talk to the shop owner, ask if it´s ok if they go through their trash, and actually pay for it (with a discount, i´m generous like that)..
ViewtifulJC
Banned
I have now read this entire thread.
And STILL I just...
And STILL I just...
I worked in groceries for about 5 years. In those 5 years I was the one that would take the garbage out at night for the bakery, deli, and produce.
The produce I would throw into the eco-dumpster in layers, also depending on the amount of rotten food there was. The deli stuff, unless it was pizza or other "solid" food would just get trashed, but that stuff and all the bakery good (breads, cakes, cookies, etc.) I would put in giant trashbags and leave in a shopping cart outside the back of the store. Periodically I would drive around the back at the end of my shift and most of the bags in the shopping cart would be gone.
During daylight hours when I would need to throw produce away, there was usually someone out back waiting for fresh garbage to be dumped. I would just hand it directly to them.
I have never partaken in dumpster diving, though I have taken home cheesecake that I put out back next to the dumpster in the shopping cart before. It was still cold by the time I got home and never got sick from it. That's as far as I think I will ever get to this fairly recent trend.
There are ways for employees to bypass the whole dumpster scenario, but If I were to have been caught doing that I could, at worst, lost my job. A lot of my managers were understanding and as long as there wasn't shit everywhere behind the store the next day, they didn't mind. The fact that there isn't a standardized way of shipping this stuff to those in need is disheartening.
Though, When I did work at Wal-Mart, periodically we would keep out-of-date product in our coolers and wait for the foodbank trucks to come and pick them up. For as much Wal-Mart gets hated on, that is one thing they are doing right, but they could certainly do it a WHOLE lot more often, as that truck would come about 1-2 times a month. It should be there every 2 days. On average, I would say I threw away about 200 lbs. of food a day from Wal-Mart produce alone. The Deli and Bakery could probably match that, easily. The video posted earlier of Bizarre Foods where Andrew stated that 40% of the food in America goes to the dumpster is absolutely believable based on my personal experience (5 years in grocery).
The produce I would throw into the eco-dumpster in layers, also depending on the amount of rotten food there was. The deli stuff, unless it was pizza or other "solid" food would just get trashed, but that stuff and all the bakery good (breads, cakes, cookies, etc.) I would put in giant trashbags and leave in a shopping cart outside the back of the store. Periodically I would drive around the back at the end of my shift and most of the bags in the shopping cart would be gone.
During daylight hours when I would need to throw produce away, there was usually someone out back waiting for fresh garbage to be dumped. I would just hand it directly to them.
I have never partaken in dumpster diving, though I have taken home cheesecake that I put out back next to the dumpster in the shopping cart before. It was still cold by the time I got home and never got sick from it. That's as far as I think I will ever get to this fairly recent trend.
There are ways for employees to bypass the whole dumpster scenario, but If I were to have been caught doing that I could, at worst, lost my job. A lot of my managers were understanding and as long as there wasn't shit everywhere behind the store the next day, they didn't mind. The fact that there isn't a standardized way of shipping this stuff to those in need is disheartening.
Though, When I did work at Wal-Mart, periodically we would keep out-of-date product in our coolers and wait for the foodbank trucks to come and pick them up. For as much Wal-Mart gets hated on, that is one thing they are doing right, but they could certainly do it a WHOLE lot more often, as that truck would come about 1-2 times a month. It should be there every 2 days. On average, I would say I threw away about 200 lbs. of food a day from Wal-Mart produce alone. The Deli and Bakery could probably match that, easily. The video posted earlier of Bizarre Foods where Andrew stated that 40% of the food in America goes to the dumpster is absolutely believable based on my personal experience (5 years in grocery).
Femmeworth
Banned
I don't think I could ever get myself to eat something that had been in the trash, since I have some OCD tendencies, but I can respect those who do.
Devolution
Member
The amount of stuff that's actually good past poll date is kind of sad but it's not like it can be handed out willy nilly. Plus I've had stuff go bad on me before poll dates despite being in the fridge, the milk lately wtf. While I don't really do dumpster diving, I don't see the need to get so uppity with those who do and know what they're getting into.
Femmeworth
Banned
Try switching to lactose free milk, it takes longer for them to expire.
It wasn't food that had gone bad. It was food that they had no more room for, or it was the special for a weekend, or it went with the special for the weekend, etc. On the retail side, it was stuff like chocolates, candy bars, canned stuff that weren't selling, had new packaging, were out of season, etc. Post holiday clearances didn't move everything.
K
kittens
Unconfirmed Member
Right? People are problematizing the wrong things.storafötter;37167102 said:
storafötter
Member
Or Soy/Rice/Oat milk, takes years for it to expire and it can be in the heat (while unopened). Of course if you want milk it wont replace it taste wise, but it wont taste worse used with cereal.
storafötter
Member
Tell me more as I am always curious.
Of course. But if I had a buddy that did this I wouldn't eat at his house or accept edible shit from him.
I'm pretty sure many would be rolling in their graves if they saw other things that modern day people do outside of dumpster diving that's considered normal today.
Heck, on the flip side, I think that most people who grew up during the depression would probably understand dumpster diving.
::shoulder shrug::
Same thing, if you can´t sell it, it doesn´t mean people should be allowed to take it for free. Stealing from the retailer or restaurant by going through their trash hardly fixes the problem the garbage divers say they are fighting against.
shinobi602
Member
Worked at Target back in high school and can attest to the food wasting.
So much shit was thrown away for ridiculous reasons. I really felt bad at times, so much of that can feed hungry people.
So much shit was thrown away for ridiculous reasons. I really felt bad at times, so much of that can feed hungry people.
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