http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dumpster-diving-decorating-green-or-gross.html
Dumpster Diving Decorating: Green or Gross?
A few years ago I was perusing a tile store looking for tiles for a DIY mosaic project and asked the tile salesman if he had any chipped or broken tile for my project. He pointed toward the direction of the dumpster out back. At first, I was put off by the idea of rummaging through the store trash, but took the plunge anyway. Not only did the trash bin prove to be “clean,” it was a treasure trove of beautiful, brightly colored shards of broken and unbroken tile. This find was just ripe for my DIY tesserae mosaic project. As my husband and I backed the car up to the dumpster, I asked him, “Is this an all time low of insanity, or are we on to something green?”
Wikipedia defines dumpster diving as, “The practice of sifting through commercial or residential trash to find items that have been discarded by their owners, but which may be useful to the dumpster diver.” There are several ethical arguments to justify dumpster diving. By reusing resources destined for the landfill makes dumpster diving a green endeavor. Another is the wastefulness of a consumer society and its throw-away mentality that prompts some individuals to rescue usable items from destruction.
Is it illegal to take something from someone’s trash or go through a store dumpster? I did some digging around and found that since trash has no value, it is generally not theft. But, make sure that there are no local ordinances or laws that make this activity illegal in your area. Also, get permission if trespassing on private property.
Is there an art to dumpster diving? For decorating purposes here are some recommendations, adapted from, Should you decorate your home with trash from the streets?:
- Don’t be a snob. There are great items that people throw away, and you could provide a great new home for them.
- Be discerning. Just because something is free doesn’t mean it’s going to work in your home or that it should be in anyone’s home. So use some commonsense and throw in a dollop of good taste.
- Be cautious of upholstered items. Sofas, cushions, pillows, and other soft goods may have become infested with little insects and other critters while they spend time outside.
- Steer clear of old mattresses and wall-to-wall carpets. Both house dust mites and other allergens.
- Broken items like old china and chipped vases can be handily recycled.
- Make sure chair and furniture parts are sturdy and strong once again.
- Turn an old bookcase, chair, or table into something really fun for your home with just a new coat of eco-friendly paint.
Ever since that first plunge into the tile store dumpster, I keep my eyes peeled for creative ways to convert tossed items into decorative decor for my EcoNest. What do you think? Are you a dumpster diver? Is rummaging through a dumpster a way to hunt for treasures for your home something you are willing to dive into, or an adventure in grossness?
Ronnie Citron-Fink lives in New York with her husband, two children (when they come home to the nest), two dogs and a cat. Ronnie is a teacher and a writer. She has been a contributing writer for Family Fun magazine. She currently writes articles about education and home design. Her writings are in four books including Family Fun Home and Some Delights of the Hudson Valley.
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37 comments
add your comment »Sounds great... just don't try it in the UK... it's illegal! Unless you ask for permission first.....
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This was such a surprise to find this article, There was a time, when My friend and I started a thrift store and most of the items we got was from dumpster diving, I never thought I would admit this, but when I saw this article, I was happy to have saved a lot of things from the land fill and made money at the same time.
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A couple of caveats that I would add here.
1. Beware of mold. People have mentioned insects and allergens, but bringing in moldy items can be just as dangerous, if not more so. Breathing problems and hives are not worth it and neither is the risk of spreading mold all over your home.
2. Some items are not worth repainting, because you have to strip them first. This means either harsh chemical strippers or sanding, which will kick up endless amounts of dust and may harm the underlying wood. I had this experience with some garage sale items and ended up getting rid of them. Some other stuff from garage sales, however, has stayed around for the past 18 years.
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People around here probably think I'm nuts. haha They keep leaving out tables, chairs, end tables that are in perfectly good shape for the bulk pick up guys to get.
10 minutes ago I just went out to check get the mail. It's bulk pick up day and my neighbor had put out a perfectly nice quality glass table! They are always buying something new and leaving the old on the street.
Ya'll should have seen me taking two trips rolling the 2 parts up the hill to my house.... in the rain.
SCORE!
I can just hear the ghost of my mother-in-law saying "she have no shame". lol
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Dumpster Dipping (safety first) is a great eco friendly hobby and substitute for the more common and damaging practice of shopping. see http://instructables.com/ Dumpster Dipping for a hobby primer and instructions, etiquette, and suggestions.
My family "got into it" a few years ago to help the neighbors who were preparing to landfill the contents of the house next door. We would go over and pull re-usables out and put them at the curb (gone by morning) or donate them magically creating more dumpster space.
Later we discovered dipping the nearby college dumpsters. WOW! now we donate tons of re-usables to charities and sell thousands of dollars of books plus make art and bikes from discards. We also do enough of moving recyclables from the landfill bin to the recycling bin to offset our own greenhouse gas impact. (moving a pound of paper or cardboard from the landfill bin to the recycling bin saves 3 pounds of greenhouse gasses.) It turns out the average U.S. household has 5 times as much indirect emissions from its purchasing and disposal as from its direct tailpipe and stack emissions of fuel burning.
There are many niches and opportunities for resource rescue.
I met a fellow diver who focuses on rescuing, fixing and reselling the vacuum cleaners that apartment dwellers toss when a belt breaks. His activity shows the model: Rescue, Refurbish, Resell (craigslist), Repeat.
Think "Upcycling" and enjoy the hobby of undoing environmental damage for fun and profit
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When I started doing crafts a few yrs ago it's amazing how you can look at something & think about what else it can be.I've sanded & painted a beautiful desk that was discarded.I've found old cigar boxes & transformed them.You know what they say One Man's Trash Is Another's Treasure lol
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It is wonderful that there are people who pick up after the "wasters"...
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My husband and I dumpster dive at a cabinet shop and get all kinds of scrap wood. We take that wood and build toys for tots!!!!
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my mother and i used to make a living off of dumpster diving. we'd cruise the streets of schenectady and pick up furniture, the backs of convenience stores and get goods, and street curbs where people would just leave things for free. we rented a tent during the weekend at a local flea market and raked in hundreds of dollars a day off of "trash" that we would clean and refurbish. i think dumpster diving is an inventive way to recycle, decorate, and earn some extra cash. im alllll for that.
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I have a friend in California who is on a very limited income. She dumpster-dives once-a-week (at apartment complexes), after asking the owner. She wears her shabbiest clothes, gardening gloves and even carries a flashlight and sturdy bags with her.
Since the areas are middle-class, she discovers all kinds of "good stuff," especially when a renter had just moved out.
She has found unopened cleaning supplies and shampoos, unused notebooks, paperback and hard-cover books, a bicycle, furniture, crafts and art supplies, a porcelain figurine, a box of unopened X-mas cards, a new blanket (in a bag); plants, washing detergent, new toys, unopened coffee and tea containers, and, and... She is very careful about being neat and always kept a positive atittude about her finds and situation.
Where we live, there's a man in a rusty truck who drives around the day before (or early on ) garbage day. He picks up all metals(bikes, siding etc.) and any appliances (including washers) that he thinks he can fix up and sell.
Personally, I'd never be ashamed to go dumpster-diving, but I am VERY ashamed of all the "garbage" that my community throws away only to fill up perfectly good land areas... Think of the "trash" (and landfill space) we would all save, even if we all would drive to donate to the Salvation Army once-a-year.
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