I just finsihed reading an article on-line about people who dumpster dive for food, it literally made my stomache queezy reading about this young lady who eats only from dumpsters (by choice) she has a job, and lives comfortably. She even feeds her dog human garbage scraps:(
The only grocery items she said she buys fresh are butter and milk.
To Each Their Own!

FYI....Here's the story: For frugalists, bargain hunting is a lifestyle - Extreme Consumerism - MSNBC.com



And today: there on the daily headlines are 2 articles:
1) on Salmonella poisioning from fresh tomatoes bought and eaten out West
2) TB from infected dairy products in California.

Your initial reaction is understandable, Cathy. But that's because you're thinking of a dumpster as a container holding things like restaurant waste and household trash.

Those types usually are "owned" by homeless folks, who not only stake a claim, they often eat better than we do.

But think about what goes into a supermarket's dumpsters. By and large it is what, in the Navy, we called "clean dirt." For instance, as the Rebecca in the story found, there's a bag of rice on a shelf that gets torn open. The store cannot sell it, so it goes in the dumpster. But, objectively, there is nothing inherently wrong with that rice. It is no different than what you buy in the store, except that the bag there hasn't got a corner torn.

Now multiply that out exponentially, and you'll have some grasp of the tons of perfectly good food (and other products) that get tossed into the dumpsters.

The one that bugs me the most are the trimmings from produce. By law, in Kentucky, the market can not save them for gardeners to use as compost. So all that great organic material (much of which, by the way, is perfectly edible) goes to the landfill.

One of my tests of all the nouvoux-green folks who have suddenly discovered the world is asking them how much recycled food they use. Mostly you just get a dirty look. Apparently, their green consciousness doesn't extend to that.

Another one: How many nouvous-green families have given up Pampers in exchange for cloth diapers? Not very many as it turns out.

So, it seems, we are out to save the world---until our own ox gets gored.

Thanks for the interesting approach of looking at this objectively.

You made an excellent point in referencing the disposable diapers, much to my disdain no one and I mean literally no one I know today uses cloth - that is all I ever used! For me it was a cost factor, the only time I would use disposable was for a vacation. Back then it never crossed my mind that pampers were not earth friendly.

My main thing in reading this article is, of-course healthy and sanitary foods. I can certainly see a torn bag as no biggie, but sandwiches thrown out that weren't purchased and are still a little warm have maybe sat :confused: how long unpurchased in a warmer??! Well.......you know.... food is only bacteria free for a certain length of time. And as "Catholic" as I am about not wasting food I follow sanitary guidelines for food safety.

But anyhow....I find the whole idea well.......with mixed emotions.

You risk your life eating deli foods anyway. Many deli sandwiches, etc. are made from what ever is on its last leg. Ditto for chickens that are spinning and other hot meats. Stores don't waste.

As far as ripped rice bags - sorry - I wouldn't want it. I don't purchase bent cans, ripped bags, etc. I would go without first.

Reminds me of those buying cut up watermelons - after the rats in the store bit into them and it was cut off, cut up, wrapped and sold.

I could go on and on and on -

Sorry - spent too many years in the food industry.....................

My youngest is 35 years old, and I still buy cloth diapers.

The reason: Don't spread it around, or everyone will know it, but diapers actually make the best kitchen towels going. They are very absorbent, of course. And their hard surface make them ideal for wiping knives and similar chores.

Now, if we could just get them to make them without all that sizing in 'em, we could even skip the first washing.