dumpster diving

[fflo]

Well, we didn't actually dive into any of the dumpsters---they were heaped too high for that. But yesterday squirrelykat and I did some serious reuse reclaiming recon in the trash from the departing U. Mich. crowd, apparently some of whom are just as well off and wasteful as we imagine. Her big find: a Prada purse. Mine? Hmmm... I like my new towels & shelves, and I'm glad to have the free cleaning supplies, but the top scores are (1) the deco repro clock (I like me some clocks), (2) the two very nice wooden coat hangers (two of this hanger, in fact:



), and (3) the nearly-full 3-lb can of Maxwell House. My bean grinder bit the dust recently, so it's not even disappointing that my free coffee is already ground.

The roller blades and snowboarding shoes weren't my size. And I already have a Swiffer---a shame, cuz there were plenty of those to be had.

Comments

hmm....

[squirrelykat.livejournal.com]

spoiled rotten rich college kids. the vase I got was nice, the
plastic storage units are way helpful. i liked the flasks, too!

i was so torn afterwards - happy about our scores, and the scores
for the homeless guys, and the perpetual garage sale guy with the
pickup truck, but the disgust for those kids turned my stomach.
the excess, the lack of thought of their disposal system - throwing
away recyclable stuff, stuff that shouldn't be in a landfill, like
you said. and all those clothes - even if I can't wear them, they
will get a good home. What tiny girl wouldn't want abercrombie,
forever 21, and polo clothes!?!

Re: hmm....

[chubbycore.livejournal.com]

I miss dumpster diving after college move out, and like you, seeing what these kids throw out just made me angry. I already have class isues, and seeing what was garbage to them makes it worse.

a friend of mine used to do clean outs in a college neighborhood. he routinely cleaned out apartments where it looked as if someone got out of bed and just left. these kids would just abandon everything. he told me that each of his kids has their own television, they have like 3 or 4 game console thingies, and like 3 COMPUTERS. Last I talked to him, even his extended family had so much salvaged stuff that it was running out of their ears.

i'm totally jealous, because I often secretly (or not so secretly) wish i could be that spoiled and privileged.

Re: hmm....

[fflo.livejournal.com]

Great picture for this one! Yeah, that's the thing about class privilege & human nature... it's easy enough to see why people don't want to give it up.