No readers, I have not started dumpster diving just yet, but I have thought about it when I see the local supermarket throwing away so much good food. Dumpster diving is a perfectly good solution to prevent food waste, and you could probably feed a small village with the food that just one supermarket throws away in a single day.
I have, however found a cool video that shows what is actually being thrown away and collected by some people. It goes to show how much stuff is actually wasted from supermarkets, and how inefficient and wasteful the whole food distribution system really is.
The Perennial Plate Episode 84: Dumpster Diver from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.
See what I mean. I came across a similar incident today, not necessary in the dumpster through. At work this morning, I have noticed that when the staff deliver the milk on Monday morning, they check the existing milk in the fridge and pour down the sink any milk that is past its used by date. 5 two litre bottles were tipped down the sink today. The shame!
So my thinking is that on Friday afternoon, when I leave, I should check how many bottles are in the fridge that will be thrown away on Monday, then bung them in the freezer and take them home on Monday. That way they would not go off and I could make some cheese for the office staff as a treat. Cool idea I think.
So here is the question of the decade. Who of you would dumpster dive if you saw supermarkets throw away perfectly good food? I know I would.
Unless you are going to make something quick and easy like ricotta, don’t make cheese with ” stale ” milk.
I tried this last year and the cheese doesn’t age well, even 1-3 month cheese is very disappointing, has quite an acid taste.
Cheers
Pam
Hi Pam, that would have been my choice, maybe even some feta would be nice as it only takes a few days to mature.
Gav x
My first question is ‘why is there that much spare milk in the fridge?’ Shouldn’t the first action be to prevent the waste, rather than rescue it? Ten litres of milk is a lot to have spare on hand unless you’re a cafe.
In Canberra we have an organisation called Oz Harvest http://www.ozharvest.org.au/ who rescue supermarket food so it doesn’t go to waste.
every morning on my way to work I see the dunkin donuts people empty the whole case of donuts into bin liners and throw them away.
Those donuts cost an absolute fortune. that is why they are left on the shelf. You can buy the supermarkets own brand donuts, 5 for £1. ok so they dont have frosting but they have sugar and jam in the middle.
Those donuts are at least £2 each it is disgusting. and just down the road there is a soup kitchen they could give them to, but they wont! It makes me livid.
When I was a lot younger I worked in a supermarket. and the food that used to get chucked away would make you cry. And to stop people from climbing the wall to take it, they used to pour washing up liquad or bleach on it.
drives you nuts.
I have taken things from skips before. When people have renovated their house. I have had some chandeliers for my parents old victorian house, a coffee table that had a cup ring on it, solid mango wood (I thing that is what it is called). Sanded it and waxed it. I gave it to my brother as a house warming gift and everyone asks him where he got it.
I of course always asked the owner of the house where the skip is. They love you taking it away as it means they can get more in to throw awaymore stuff. saves them money. And makes me happy for the free stuff.
when we lived in the city,we used to take the children dumpster diving in the target rubbish bin..clothing ,dinnersets gosh allsorts…Food i’m not so sure about..I used to collect bread from brumby;s for charity..we would get sometimes 5 to 10 bags of bread and sweets
Although I am horrified by the waste, and admire people who dumpster dive for food, I don’t think I could. Mind you, if I was hungry I would. I suppose that justs makes me part of the whole problem. *sigh* So much for my quiet revolution.
I agree with Melinda. Oz Harvest does a wonderful job rescuing food from supermarkets, caterers etc. I work in a community organisation that receives this food which we then give away to people in need, make up excess fruit etc into jams, and serve them at a community meal each week. At times it is the best food I get to eat in a week.
The bins at fruit and veg shops and supermarkets are a fantastic source for organic matter for gardens – either for compost, or for feeding chooks (and composting what they leave) or for worm farming. You actually have to get in quick to get the fruit and veg throw outs from the supermarket in my country town. Chooks also really love milk that has just been left out in the sun till it turns into curds. I know it sounds gross, but they love it and it’s high protein food.
My work takes me out to the back dock of supermarkets. The smell coming out of some of those dumpsters turns my stomach, particularly this time of year. No way I’d scrounge there.
Donna
We don’t dumpster dive, but we DO get the bread from a local bread shop that hasn’t been sold on Tuesdays. So maybe we do dumpster dive after all… just without having to actually go diving!
Saving the milk from work sounds like a great idea.
I’ve tried dumpster diving once, although we didn’t have much sucess. I write about it here. I hope you don’t mind me sharing a link. http://www.littleecofootprints.com/2010/03/i-went-dumpster-diving-sort-of-no-spend-update-day-5.html
Most of the bins in my city are now locked and thankfully we have OzHarvest Food Rescue – a great organisation that saves food from supermrkets and resturants and distributes it to the homeless.
Hmmmmm. I’ve collected a few curbside finds, but not food. I would collect building materials if I ever found any. I knew a lady that worked part-time at the grocery and they gave her all the fruits and veggies they were going to toss out. She ate the good parts. I’d be like Linda – most of it would be turned into compost. I’ve scavenged bags of leaves and grass from the curbside too, all for compost or mulch.
I hate the waste, but haven’t gotten to the diving stage just yet.
brenda from arkansas
Wouldn’t be able to do it around here – the bins are in a secure area, and there’s a security guard at the dock.
Since I wrote this post, I checked out behind some of our local supermarkets. All dumpsters are locked up tight, so there will be no diving in this town. I will have to do the next best thing and call local cafes and see if I can collect coffee grounds from them, just like the people at Ground to Ground!
Look for a post about this soon!
Gav x