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Dumpster
diving can be life saving act
The
act of dumpster diving has a purpose, however
disgusting it sounds.
Homeless
people do it, scrounging around through
the garbage for food. Usually people walk
by and contemplate the nastiness of the
situation, but for someone in a bind, dumpster
diving can be a real lifesaver. Think about
it. Every day pounds and pounds of food
are discarded for simply being a few days
old, in the case of bread, or for being
past its expiration date, in the case of
milk.
Every
day people throw away food. Food bought
at the grocery store that was never eaten,
or food that was prepared and then dumped
due to the tastes of a picky child. When
you are throwing away half a yogurt or an
uneaten dinner, think about the people in
this country who have no food, who have
to scrounge to find the bare minimum of
nutrition to keep them alive.
And
after you think about that consider how
your dinner could have benefited them, or
how it would have helped a child in some
third-world country. Don't dump the contents
in a cardboard box and ship it overseas,
though. By the time the package arrives
it will be moldier and more disgusting than
anything grabbed from the dumpsters here.
If
you are considering dumpster diving, we
can give you a few tips.
Bakeries
are a great place to start because a lot
of good bread is trashed after closing.
The lucky diver may find some wrapped bread,
safe from the contaminants of the garbage
can. The unlucky diver can just tear the
offending areas off the food and chomp down.
You can avoid grimy crud by searching around
the middle of the dumpster, away from the
disgustingly caked sides, top and lid. We
suggest wearing boots and an outfit you
don't mind getting dirty. After all, those
clothes may need to end up in the rubbish
heap after a busy day of gathering food.
Surprisingly,
most of the food is still good for the eating.
Don't let a little thing like an expiration
date stop you, either. Grocery stores and
markets tend to trash things before or on
their expiration date, so the food found
in the back is not necessarily bad yet.
Another good thing is that many items are
sealed in plastic baggies or containers
that will protect the edible food from the
rotten oozing food.
It
is best to dive at night, when the possibility
of being chased away from garbage is least.
The loveable law enforcement officers do
not look kindly upon the gathering, so it
is best to not get caught. Perhaps bring
a good friend for lookout, one who will
not snitch on you, and will help you make
a clean getaway. Besides, nothing makes
a fast friend like digging through garbage
and reeking to high heaven together. Does
anyone else smell romance?
Dumpstering
in the summer can present some problems.
Be very afraid of expiration dates for items
that should be refrigerated if the temperature
is high and the sweat is pouring off your
brow. Chances are, that refrigerated item
was bad before you popped a leg into the
bin. Stay away from mold and fruit that
looks disgusting even after it has been
cleaned.
Food
is not the only thing you can find. Books,
furniture and any other item you think of
can all be found in the garbage. Some people
actually put items on their lawns to be
taken by passersby. Now, that's not a bad
idea when you need furniture. Just cruise
the neighborhood. Life can be so much easier,
and that hard-earned dollar will go further
when you don't have to buy nearly as much
food.
And
one last thing. If you have any open wounds,
cover them before jumping into the bins.
No one needs that much bacteria invading
their body. Without a tub full of antibiotics
to swim in, that wound can turn dangerous
really quickly after such an escapade.
If
you are ever down on your luck, that tin
bin can quickly become a friend. So next
time you dump a meal or waste food for no
good reason, think about the people who
don't have enough food to eat to get through
the day.
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