Ever swiped a trashed item off of a neighbor’s sidewalk? How about gone to GoodWill or The Salvation Army and searched their donation bins late at night? What about rummaged through a dumpster?
All of these scenarios describe an eco-friendly, money saving practice known as dumpster diving.
By Leslie Rodriguez,
Sports Editor
Ever swiped a trashed item off of a neighbor’s sidewalk? How about gone to GoodWill or The Salvation Army and searched their donation bins late at night? What about rummaged through a dumpster?
All of these scenarios describe an eco-friendly, money saving practice known as dumpster diving.
Once associated with the homeless, dumpster diving has quickly turned into more than an act of economic necessity for the destitute.
People have various motivations for dumpster diving that include the thrill of the hunt, or the use of discarded items in the creation of crafts and projects. College students often tend to look for items that can be reused in their dorms or apartments.
The reasons for diving may vary amongst each individual diver or diving team, but the feelings that are experienced after a successful find tend to be universal.
�I�ve only been a dumpster diver since mid December 2006, but I love it! I do it for the chance of finding something amazing and when you do it puts you on top of the world,� said Amanda Washburn, a Seton Hill University (SHU) sophomore.
Though dumpster diving may seem like a fun hobby with exhilarating benefits there is often critical debate about the legal issues that surround the practice.
�I would recommend dumpster diving to everyone, but there is a certain amount of risk involved. I mean some people might say it is stealing, but is it really stealing if it’s someone’s garbage? Obviously they no longer wanted it,� said Washburn.
Kaylee North, a junior and avid dumpster diver agrees with Washburn that dumpster diving physically isn’thurting anyone or their business.
�My friends aren’tin support of dumpster diving, but that has nothing to do with the legality of it. It isn’ta legal issue in my eyes at all. The trash belongs to the people. If I was taking the whole metal dumpster then I could see a problem arising,� said North.
Legal issues aside, dumpster diving appears to be a thrifty alternative to shopping in general. The rewards and benefits of the practice seem endless and can truly change the world of a needy college student.
Moira Richardson, an experienced dumpster diver and SHU graduate student suggests the following tips for those curious individuals interested in dumpster diving:
1) If a dumpster is locked, leave it alone.
2) Leave the area cleaner than you found it.
3) Share the wealth with your friends and family.
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