dumpster diving...

[Kiersten]

I don't actually get in the dumpster but we live in an apartment community that has a lot of military. A lot of times, they get stationed somewhere and have to leave behind a lot of stuff. The other day, I found a suitcase (don't worry, I checked it over for bed bugs and it was clean) and about ten unused light bulbs next to the dumpster. I would never actuall climb into the dumpster or use opened beauty products. i always check everything over outside.

 

[Aryn]

That's totally awesome, but I'm not sure I could get into a fast food dumpster even for free flights lol!!! It must have been so gross (but obviously it paid off).

They knew we were coming so the cups were on the top, they were very nice and gave him permission and told him the best time to go, but yes it was not ideal. Totally worth it for 4 free flights.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

UGH, yup. ITA about the spoiled, entitled part. The recycling nonprofit I'm on the board of tried to get the "sustainability officer" at the local university to commit to a plan to re-route this crazy waste to those in need and we just couldn't come up with a workable solution. It should be simple but it was anything but...I came away from the meeting with the feeling that the school would rather just let it all be thrown out and not be bothered.

Our local St. Vincent de Paul's has the University End of Semester furniture waste sewn up. There are stations at all the dorms and around the university area to put unwanted items in. That said, they are pricey and they put out crazy slow. Luckily they haven't managed to sew up the apartments near school so the other two thrift stores grab all of that and put it out quickly. I and many other people plan for this season! I know that some kids do just chunk stuff to the curb, but the vast majority now make sure their cast offs make it to charity. I think it's probably a cultural shift that takes dedicated work on the part of the thrift stores along with a good sized cadre of volunteers to accomplish.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Our local St. Vincent de Paul's has the University End of Semester furniture waste sewn up. There are stations at all the dorms and around the university area to put unwanted items in. That said, they are pricey and they put out crazy slow. Luckily they haven't managed to sew up the apartments near school so the other two thrift stores grab all of that and put it out quickly. I and many other people plan for this season! I know that some kids do just chunk stuff to the curb, but the vast majority now make sure their cast offs make it to charity. I think it's probably a cultural shift that takes dedicated work on the part of the thrift stores along with a good sized cadre of volunteers to accomplish.

It's great that that university has found someone to manage this waste. I really wish we could accomplish this with our local university, but they just didn't seem at all interested. The off-campus apartments are also a cornucopia of waste at move-out time from what I've seen...tons of furniture, clothing, household stuff, etc. all chucked out at once. A lot of students at the local university are foreign and aren't going to take the stuff back with them so it gets tossed. It's an overwhelming amount of waste...100 dumpster divers couldn't make a dent in it. It happens year in and year out too...so sad.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

It's great that that university has found someone to manage this waste. I really wish we could accomplish this with our local university, but they just didn't seem at all interested. The off-campus apartments are also a cornucopia of waste at move-out time from what I've seen...tons of furniture, clothing, household stuff, etc. all chucked out at once. A lot of students at the local university are foreign and aren't going to take the stuff back with them so it gets tossed. It's an overwhelming amount of waste...100 dumpster divers couldn't make a dent in it. It happens year in and year out too...so sad.

It helps that many of the high schools around here require volunteer hours and classify those hours by quality (real work is in one category, fluff jobs are in another), and kids can almost always get "real" hours doing work for St. Vincent de Paul, so those kids already know the work that charity thrift stores do and know what goes on behind the scenes; they're influencers and organizers and are a big part of that cadre of volunteers. Also, our thrift stores have realized what a huge revenue stream May/June can be and organize appropriately on their own. I don't think anyone has ever gone to the university per se and tried to mandate or organize it from the top - that would go over like a lead balloon. Our culture on this came from the thrifts and worked its way up, with a focus on volunteerism and doing good for others among the students.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

It helps that many of the high schools around here require volunteer hours and classify those hours by quality (real work is in one category, fluff jobs are in another), and kids can almost always get "real" hours doing work for St. Vincent de Paul, so those kids already know the work that charity thrift stores do and know what goes on behind the scenes; they're influencers and organizers and are a big part of that cadre of volunteers. Also, our thrift stores have realized what a huge revenue stream May/June can be and organize appropriately on their own. I don't think anyone has ever gone to the university per se and tried to mandate or organize it from the top - that would go over like a lead balloon. Our culture on this came from the thrifts and worked its way up, with a focus on volunteerism and doing good for others among the students.

Our high schoolers here also have to do volunteer hours, so maybe this is a good angle. I've just found out that the recycling non-profit that I'm on the board of is getting it's own office finally (YAY!!!), so now maybe we can go about the real work of trying to divert some of the crazy waste that you hear about from dumpster divers.

The "sustainability officer" at that college told us that a thrift did set up outside one of the dorms a couple of years ago, but it was slow going to fill the truck. They wouldn't allow the truck to be there during the last-minute move-out on the final day when all the stuff piles up though so really what was the point? They said it would be in the way. Um, no, it would save the students the walk to the dumpster with all their stuff All this and the "sustainability officer" said his position was created essentially to bump up the school's "green" ratings for some statistics reporting...it was mind boggling given what all is dumped at the end of the year there. Not so green.

 

[tavettava]

It is against the law here in Michigan. I have never done it. I would be afraid of rats or bugs.

 

[Nakkira]

In my suburban area I always put unwanted but usable items on the curb. (I call it Curb donating). I live in an end unit town home next to a pretty busy road. The item is ALWAYS gone in 24 hours, no matter what it is. From a plant stand, to a Microwave (which I did attach a sign to that said, still works but not Well)
Curb donation is convenient for me because I don't have to go to the Goodwill with the bigger items. (Although I always take the small things there because if I put out a box of clothes or toys I KNOW they would end up scattered all over the neighborhood and in the Street)

The downside to it is when my DH and I were trying to pack for a camping trip we brought everything out to the lawn before loading the vehicle to better strategically use space. As I was coming out with a load a man had just pulled up with a truck and was trying to load my stuff in saying "is Alll this FRe???" I said "No sir, we are packing for a trip" <see open SUV and loaded roof rack> I mean seriously, the stuff was on out LAWN not on the curb near the street. He said, "Oh", put my stuff down and drove off.

 

[Nakkira]

Also, I USED to dumpster dive at our local flea market on Sunday after it closed because people would toss the stuff they didn't sell and didn't want anymore but were to lazy to drive 1 mile to the goodwill to donate, but then they put a locked gate around it, so nobody can grab the stuff anymore. So wasteful.