In California, nobody leaves trash at the curb and in some cities they have now made laws that the trash company owns all trash on the curb and in dumpsters. Here in Oklahoma people leave things at the curb to be picked up. I saw an old metal chair on a pile of trash I'd like to have, but my luck some raving maniac would chase me down the street screaming "Stop Thief". How about everyone else sharing their trash experiences? When I was first married I was working for a sales company that required information on certain businesses that seemed near impossible to get. I am embarrassed to say I resorted to going through the company dumpsters because I was paid per piece of info. I made my income, but felt rather ridiculous. Needless to say the job soon was gone. While doing so I found out that people throw way too much stuff away. I read an article on dumpster diving a while back, that talked about making sure to stay down in the dumpster to avoid detection.The thought kinda made my mind play the "Mission Imposssible" song. Talk about covert activity! Du Du DuDu Du Du DuDU...

-- Little Bit Farm (littleBit@compworldnet.com), August 21, 2001

Answers

Little bit Farm Loompanics put out a book on dumpster diving. You would freak if you saw all the stuff thrown out at major colleges. A friend of mine got permission to go through it one year. He found 18 recliners, a couch, 6 leather jackets, 26 jewelry boxes full of jewelry, 50 sets of curtains (wonder how many moms got po'd about that?) 6 microwaves, 2 mini refrigerators and 34 boxes of assorted clothes. This on the day after graduation.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), August 21, 2001.

No lie Kenneth.

When I had moved into an apartment complex years ago, the superintendent had mentioned offhandedly that some of their previous tenants had left without taking their belongings. He invited me to look around and gather what I could. He said that every six months or so, they had to ditch lots of stuff.

I took him on his offer. Damn me, but there was lots of stuff. Sofas, lamps, microwave ovens, clothing (I passed on that), you name it it was there. It seemed that moving the stuff was going to cost the tenant more than the stuff was worth, so it was abandoned. Saved me a fortune.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), August 21, 2001.

I always preferred the small industrial parks under the cover of the night (because I worked during the day!) when I lived in Cali. Got tons of carpet for soundproofing, wood for shelving, desks, chairs, sofa, plates and cookware that folks were throwing out after a garage sale. Heck the first two places I lived were furnished with dumpster diving finds. The other cool thing there was the amazing grapefruit and lemons that were just falling off the trees.....Probably the best thing there! And if you only asked people were happy to let you take as much as you wanted.

As to the diving, if it was possible to ask, I would ask. But if it was obviously being tossed out, and no one was around I would take it. I never took anything that there was ANY question about.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), August 22, 2001.

Doreen

dumpster diving is becoming a "thrill" trip to teenagers. Who would have thought that in the 21st century it would be rated 9th on the top ten "I might get caught" list.

Go figure.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), August 23, 2001.

It was pretty amusing to watch, the other day in McArthur, Ohio there were two nice looking upright vacume cleaners put out to the curbside for trash pick up. This was at one of the several local welfare offices (we have almost two thousand people here, got to have at least five welfare offices). I do not know what was wrong with the vacume cleaners, might have been full who knows? As they were set out almost immidiately a van stopped. This was a brand new overlength van with "state of Ohio" license plates. A large black man got out and scooped up the vacume cleaners; then he drove away. This was especially noticible because the black man had a tie on, and because the entire black population of this county could fit in the van all at once.

I found out later that the black man is a state employee who delivers lottery tickets to vendors. I guess that he has a little diving business on the side, complete with state vehicle. Probably has a flea market stand in the big city, who knows? Just more and more tax dollars at work...

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), August 25, 2001.

Just a note here in NC it's illeagle to retrieve, remove, cause to be removed any item from our trash bins. They call them recycle centers but if you remove anything it's a $500 fine 1st time $10,000 the second. NOW YOU TELL ME Is This Sane Or Has the Guberment gone NutZ?

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), August 25, 2001.

Does anyone know the "diving" laws in PA? Where do you find out?

-- CJ in PA (coidogg@aol.com), February 08, 2002.

People throw out the most usfull of things i clamed 10 new boxed glass butter churs from a milkyard that closed down. 5 brand new boots all the same just the leather was marked and all my size.

i LOVE looking in skips over hear in england as it is not illiagal to take it if you just ring on there door and ask they allways say yes as it costs them for the skip so if they can lose a little they can fill it up a little more!

-- Luke Davison (Tarot_boy@hotmail.com), January 12, 2003.

i cant even begin to LIST all that i have picked up but ill estimate:

30+ computers most work some dont (used comp stores) 15-20 computer monitors 3 15" subwoofers 1 amazing 600 watt car amp 3 tv's 4 color printers all kinds of cables 49 blank cd's from a spindle of 50 legal copys of windows certifacate included 5 20gig hard drives that work 2 10 gig 1 6gig 1 4gig 10+ 2gig plus alot that im forgetting

-- tomithy (tomithy83@yahoo.com), April 25, 2003.