squanderism

Check Your Pockets

2010-11-25T19:51:00.003-07:00

When and if you encounter any old jackets, back packs, wallets, hand bags... always, ALWAYS check every pocket.

Just the other day I found a bag full of old clothes, within there was an old purse and the little pocket on the back had within it a crisp forgotten fifty dollar bill. A jacket within that same bag had $1.25 in quarters in one of the zipped up pockets.

I remember putting on my winter coat in the fall as a child and discovering pockets full of soiled tissues and occasionally money. So don't forget to check your own pockets.

Law and the Dumpster

2010-11-25T19:31:00.002-07:00

So, what kind of trouble can I get in for diving into the trash? Well aside from the physical dangers inherent in the practice, some legal constraints do exist.

The supreme court of Canada as well as the US Supreme Court have both ruled that once trash has been discarded it enters the public domain and therefore is not protected by privacy laws, and since the material has been rejected by the discarder, they no longer have legal claim to it.

The Canadian Supreme Court heard the case of R v. Patrick (2008). The police suspected Patrick of running a drug production laboratory within his home. With insufficient evidence to obtain a search warrant the police surreptitiously picked up Patrick’s garbage on six different occasions, once it had been left out for collection in opaque plastic bags. The evidence, found within the garbage, allowed the police to acquire a warrant for the search of Patrick’s home where an ecstasy production laboratory was discovered and Patrick was charged accordingly. Patrick’s defence, in an attempt to challenge the validity of the search warrant, argued that Patrick has a privacy interest in objects left in opaque plastic bags, and within the boundaries of his private property. In this case the Canadian Supreme Court concluded Patrick’s privacy interest was abandoned when he left the garbage for collection. Garbage left at the edge of one’s property is exposed to and accessible by any member of the public. Dumpster divers, animals and garbage collectors may all have access to the contents of one’s garbage, so any privacy interest in its contents is abandoned once left for collection.

The United States Supreme Court concluded in California v. Greenwood, 486 U.S. 35 (1988), that no expectation of privacy can hold over anything which runs the risk of being exposed to the public, therefore your trash becomes public domain as soon as it has been placed outside the home for pickup. In its decision the United States Supreme Court concluded with a statement of the US law of search and seizure: “[w]hat a person knowingly exposes to the public, even in his own home or office, is not a subject of [constitutional] protection.”

So, it’s within our rights to dig through the trash and lay claim to items found there. Where this becomes blurred in the eyes of the law is the subject of trespassing. Trespassing on private property is an illegal act and should be avoided. Business owners, property managers and home owners, if unpleased with your presence, will claim that you are trespassing upon their property in hopes of scaring you off. In most occasions it is wise to take this opportunity to leave the area to avoid confrontation. If the police get involved they will most likely side with the owner of the property. Remember you are within your rights but police officers are not the courts, a police officer will attempt to diffuse the situation and act within the boundaries of the law but in absence of clear guidelines they will leave the consequence to the discretion of the court. Remain calm, courteous, and respectful to all parties involved and accept the consequences graciously. Save your arguments for the judge, if it gets that far. If you left when warned and the owner is satisfied that you were frightened off they may decide to leave well enough alone, if not you may find the garbage secured behind a gate or locked within the bin the next time you drop in.

To clear up the trespassing boundary lines here are some examples of areas that are fair game and those that are off limits. Dumpsters in alleys are placed on public property and definitely on the market, dumpsters within fenced in compounds are on private property and require express permission before their treasures may be plundered. Garbage left at the curb or in the alley for pick up are fair game, however you may want to stay clear of trash left outside someone’s back door well within their property. A locked dumpster could arguably restrict public access and therefore may be protected under privacy laws, however an argument could be made that on the day of pick up the dumpster is left unlocked where by the contents then become accessible to the public voiding privacy protection. The lock itself is considered to be the property of the entity renting the rubbish bin, so the forceful removal of the lock could be construed as destruction of private property and possibly theft under $1000. So think twice before you cut that lock loose. If the lock happens to find its way to an unlocked state without being damaged or lost consider yourself fortunate.

Garbage dumps and waste transfer stations usually have strict no scavenging policies to protect them from liability claims filed from injured scavengers. Though you may not be trespassing you still must abide by their rules. Not all transfer stations are regulated and may have an open drop off policy for their area residents. If this is the case in your area, happy treasure hunting.

In almost all situations you will encounter regarding the law and diving, you can allow common sense to guide you. If you use conduct fitting of a business person you will be treated as one. If you act like you have something to hide you are sure to be treated like a criminal. When approached and asked to leave, remain courteous and accommodating, avoiding confrontation will serve you well. There is no need to fabricate elaborate stories to justify your presence as you have a right to be there. Be confident in that right and don’t allow yourself to be intimidated. Always clean up the area around the bin before you depart, this will show you mean no harm and strengthen your case for being allowed back.

On another note never pass up an opportunity to make a difference. Police officers and business owners are not your enemies. If the owner of a business asks you what you are doing feel free to start a dialogue and be honest about your actions. The owner pays to have their bin emptied so in a sense you are providing them with a valuable service. Let them know you are dedicated to cleaning up the planet as well as your immediate environment; they won’t want you there if you are constantly leaving a mess for them to clean up. Making friends could give you access to goods before they hit the bins or at the very least you may be able to acquire their consent to be there. Business owners usually have connections to other owners and can possibly spread word to others who may want to enlist your special services. If however you are disrespectful they may advise those same colleagues to restrict access to their bins as they plan to do to their own.

Recent developments in larger municipalities are bylaws making dumpster diving illegal. This can occur in larger centers where trash collection and disposal is handled through a contracted private firm. Private contractors are often paid for their services by the ton, hence the more we waste the more they profit. Presumably dumpster diving is a threat to the firm’s profitability and they will lobby the local government to create anti-scavenging bylaws to protect their garbage stream/bottom line. To find out if such a bylaw exists within your area contact your local bylaw enforcement officer, they are obligated to inform you of your rights when asked. While you’re at it make them your friend too, after all it’s not always what you know, it’s who you know.

In the UK it is illegal to scour the skips. Waste is considered to be the property of the discarder until it is collected. At the time of collection the garbage becomes the property of the collector who is responsible for it until it is properly disposed of. This system insures accountability for the waste at all times. Unfortunately the garbage resource is cut off from reclamation and recycling programs. Though the law prohibits skip diving many individuals risk prosecution to pursue their passion for found objects nevertheless. This law is seldomly enforced against skip divers but remains an instrument of deterrence.

Please keep in mind that laws change all the time, become involved in the decision making process through public office to keep your bins accessible. This post will not hold up as evidence in any court of law, do your own home work before you get in over your head. Happy hunting!

"ARGH! We all be wantin' at that treasure."

2010-07-20T14:38:00.004-06:00

Why do we all have a special place in our hearts for pirates? I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with their goofy costumes or crazy euphemisms. Perhaps we all aspire to drink pillaged Jamaican rum while living a life on the high seas. No rules holding us back no 6AM wake ups, no commute to work, no rush hour(s), just the open sea and a flask. This could be it though I keep having visions of the incredibly painful head ache that would accompany that type of life style. No, I think we fantasize about pirates because we all secretly want at that treasure. This same fantasy is what forces us off the road whenever we come across yet another garage sale arrow. We’re all suckers for treasure. And just like a band of scalawags we horde our treasures. If we don’t know what to do with it now we bury it to be unearthed in our greatest time of need.

Scrap ribbons go in the old chocolate box, buttons in one of the many briny smelling jars that once contained pickles, lumber between the garage and the fence, old clothes in the back of the closet (every closet)... All of our treasures have value or at least they might some day. Not too long ago the collecting of useful objects was a necessity as there were little resources to spare. Now I’m afraid this remnant of the hard times of our past has turned from necessity to illness. Either we are unsure how to recognize when we have enough rubber bands and bread tags or this condition is due to the overwhelming abundance of bounty available to us. Some time ago I was introduced to a buccaneer who spoke of life in the time after the last Great War, a time before rural electrification or the commonality of the flush toilet. When I asked this mate why they had hundreds of rolls of toilet paper in their home the response was, “I never want to run out,” and, “They were on sale”.

So we end up saving all these things for a rainy day, praying that such a day never comes, and just like pirates we forget where our treasure was buried. In some cases this may be due to an over consumption of rum and/or pickles, but usually it’s due to the fact that we are all too busy following our soaps to remember and, as it turns out, we all suck at drawing maps. After all how could we possibly be expected to remember all the things we have acquired let alone where we put them? I can imagine what a map may look like... Five paces North, North East from the broken swing set you discarded last week because the kids no longer used it, past the unplanted half built garden plot filled with weeds, West at the pile of half broken cinder blocks you hoped to use to make an outdoor kitchen, three steps South past the collection of worn out snow shovels and broken broom handles, and here you will discover the mind you lost, X marks the spot.

We simply own too many things to account for it all at any given time. Since we can’t seem to keep track of our things without maps we all end up buying more. Here is an example of this neurotic behavior...

“I saved all these buttons in a pickle jar so that I could make a bracelet for my aunt’s birthday. When I went to build the bracelet I couldn’t find the jar so I had to go out and buy some buttons. That’s okay though ‘cause I found this huge hat box full of buttons at a garage sale on my way to the store. I built the bracelet then I stored the hat box on the shelf above all the old pickle jars. My aunt loved her bracelet so much that she said she decided to make some for her friends with a few of the buttons she has in a jar in her basement.”

The above story may or may not have happened to you but I’m sure you can still relate to this scenario somehow.

Burying our treasure makes it harder to find when we need it, and though it is buried it does not go away. Remaining organized with up to date maps can help manage what you have but the best way to stave off this wicked plague is to stop the accumulation at its source.

Perhaps we all would be better off on the high seas, living a simple life with our mates, our rum, and a few euphemisms. After all, these are our true treasures aren’t they?

Score one for the team

2010-07-18T21:52:00.002-06:00

With the outcome of my last outing resulting in an empty hamper I was determined to make a great find. So the other night I went out once again and visited a couple of the bins that were empty the first time I looked. I wasn't out for long but I did discover a bin which should keep my family and friends fed quite well I think. Tonight we feasted on breaded mushrooms and they were divine. As time passes I am sure to find even more great places to plunder.

The hunt will continue

2010-07-15T01:41:00.000-06:00

In a new town once again and time to discover my new route.

I decided to first explore the downtown core to see what the local little guys were discarding. I was not surprised to find most were either guarded by lock or had little to nothing to offer.

Next it was off to the larger stores located on... you guessed it, on the outskirts of town. Often larger grocery stores make use of industrial trash compactors due to the sheer volume of waste they deal with. Compactors are usually sealed up quite tight from the outside and if they aren't, the risk of climbing in is a strong deterrent, not to mention most items are squashed beyond use.

Some of the very large stores will often have a separate bin to handle larger object such as bicycles, old racks and shelving, pallets and all the returned electronics, clothes, appliances and so on. These bins are great, I've even encountered cases of fruit and vegetables thrown out due to too much stock. These are goldmines especially around x-mas.

As with the downtown core the larger grocery outlets and department stores came up dry. I did discover that the large dollar store and the business supply store had open bins, though they were mostly empty at this time and thus unfruitful.

Lumber yards and hardware stores usually have their bins locked up within the yard making them inaccessible. There is a lumber yard in town that has a "Firewood" area where you can come in during the day and pick up all their discarded stock. Just the other day I managed a load of 1x4 fence boards. There were two full pallets available, I took what I needed and hardly made a dent in the pile.

By this time I was feeling pretty down about my empty trunk and was ready to head home when I decided to take a quick look through the industrial area on the far side of town. What I discovered was a lot of oil field related businesses, a few manufacturing plants with chain link fences and commercial shops. On a bright note I stumbled upon a grocery wholesale outlet with a large open bin, empty again but surely not for long, and a cabinet shop with a bin hosting slightly damaged doors, hardware, sand paper and remnants from production. I didn't need any of this but I'm glad I discovered it just the same.

So it was a bust and I came home empty handed. I did however learn a lot about my city and know where to look in the days to come, when the bins have a fresh load. I am going to give some thought to approaching the produce managers directly and ask for their wilted produce, if asked why I could claim to want it to feed my animals, (a.k.a. the family). With the treasure locked up in a compactor I have nothing to lose.

The hunt will continue and the treasure will be unearthed.

Spring-cleaning

2009-05-02T22:01:00.000-06:00

This is the time of year of new beginnings. Mother Earth has shed her shroud of wintry death and come to life once more. That's right, spring is here and with it comes time for spring-cleaning. As many know, spring-cleaning is when you take some time to sort through the mountain of things obtained throughout the last 12 months and decide what stays and what goes. It follows the assumption that we've consumed needlessly and because of this, we have more than we need.

Now, some people choose to rid themselves of their belongings through a mechanism called a Garage Sale. No, no one is trying to sell there garage, though some people do have too many of them, they simply pack all their unwanted things into the garage to have a sale. I myself have attended many of these events and at a time, I once held such an event myself. Anyone who has ever attended a garage sale can tell you this, in fact I mentioned it earlier in this rant, the items at a garage sale are un-needed things. Sure, you might find something interesting, you may even find something rare, perhaps you'll find a great deal you just can't pass up. One thing is for sure, you don't need it. If you needed it, you would have gone out and bought it months ago, that's what people do in our culture.

Now if you are not the type to hold a garage sale or you simply don't have a garage to sell out of you have a few other options. You could donate your belongings to a charitable society who in turn will sell them back to people just like you and me to help fund their cause. You could use a web service such as Freecycle or Kijiji, craigslist, ebay... the list goes on and on.

Another seldom thought of means of trinket disposal is to use a local auction house though it should be noted that items often are grouped for a sale and once the buyer has hold of the item they actually wanted many things end up tossed before the end of the day.

Since the vast majority of the items you are trying to dispose of could easily be cast into the category of JUNK, perhaps what is needed is a trip down repurpose lane. Bed sheets could become reusable grocery bags or covers for the plants in your garden. Old silverware could be turned into a beautiful wind chime. Yesterday's gift basket can be turned into a comfy place for a cat to sleep. The only limit is your imagination.

When you do your spring-cleaning this year try to keep everything, you can from going to the landfill. And this year try to keep from acquiring the un-needed.

"THE DUMP PROVIDES."

2009-04-27T20:33:00.000-06:00

My last trip to the landfill had me leaving with a new mantra and some new baggage.

One of my good friends and fellow scavengers, a.k.a. Trashcan Superman, has shared his slogan with me on many occasions and though I have found it to be accurate in the past, I hesitated to adopt it as my own, until now. It is a simple yet ironic view but accurate nonetheless.

"THE DUMP PROVIDES."

It works like this... I'm in a skip looking through detritus when the weather changes and the wind picks up. Being that I'm at a landfill, the wind tends to pick up any loose debris and thrust it at you like a giant sand blaster. This makes vision a luxury only afforded to those who have come prepared. I try to always be prepared when scavenging but this time I was caught off guard. Luckily, THE DUMP PROVIDES, and as I looked down to find some footing I saw before me a bright blue box containing a wonderful pair of safety glasses that fit great, saving me from losing an eye to a flying bread tag.

I've found unopened bottled water when I thirst, a wheel for my office chair a day after one breaks at home, a toque and jacket just as I start to shiver, a flashlight as it gets too dark to see. The list could go on forever. Just as you have a need for something, you turn around and it's there. It's almost as if the wasteful being who tossed the item knew you were going to need it and very generously donated it to your cause. That must be it, they knew if they left those glasses at the curb for pick up on Wednesday that someone in need would find them just in the knick of time on a Saturday evening while rummaging through the rest of their trash. Bless their little hearts.

While there I also came away with a great hiking pack, a couple drums, two tambourines, a small xylophone and a set of dice to name a few. The hiking pack had tags on it telling a bit of its story. Bought in Vancouver, packed and flown to Honolulu, where it probably stayed in the hotel room, re-packed and flown back to Vancouver. Moved to this area and was discarded. Priced out, this bag is worth $50-$90. My win!

P.S. Another good mantra shared with me while scavenging... "He who digs, prospers." This is also very true. Thanks Ron.

Straight From The Tap...

2009-04-15T21:13:00.000-06:00

Truly Wasteful

2009-03-28T22:19:00.000-06:00

I must apologize for the lapse in new posts. You see I haven't written in a while because I have been focusing the majority of my efforts on selling our beautiful blue home.

Recently my family and I have made a conscience decision to stop wasting our precious time and hard earned money on servicing our debt, a.k.a. mortgage. And since we are self-employed, we decided we were going to make use of our homes equity to relocate to an economically depressed area of our fine country where we can live a debt free life. I see this, as a giant step towards an early retirement, after all isn't retirement defined as a time of financial independence and a slowing of lifestyle. Not a time for sitting on my ass doing nothing, but a time to smell the roses, to find enjoyment in my everyday activities rather than finding them a chore. Something as simple as tending my own garden can prove challenging when your daily activities keep you away from home 10-12 hours of each day. As long as I continue in a pattern of 8-5 'til 65, I fear I will not find the time nor the energy needed to actually live a meaningful life. Now to me, that would be shamefully WASTEFUL.

Idiocracy

2009-02-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of the best ironic films of our generation. But look out for the freak garbage slides.

Living Lean, Truly a Kaisen Event

2009-01-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

I have worked within the manufacturing realm for over ten years and have heard numerous "catch phrase" ideas trickle down from corporate offices. Most of these ideas had some good points however would quickly lose their effectiveness as my fellow coworkers would lose interest. Before long yet another "great system" would be thrust upon us from on high and the cycle would begin again.

One system that was suggested however maintained its effectiveness long after all others had faded into oblivion, that system was the concept of Lean Manufacturing.

Lean Manufacturing enlists five base principals.

1. Define value from the customer's perspective: Identify value added activities, and eliminate non-value added activities.

2. Identify and map the value stream: You'll end up with a picture of your current processes from start to finish and all parts in-between. You can then use this map to identify bottlenecks and other inefficiencies.

3. Reduce or eliminate waste, (what a great idea), and improve flow: A Lean enterprise eliminates all activities that utilize resources but that do not create value for the customer.

4. Pull from the customer: Information and material is pulled based on customer demand.

5. Pursue Perfection: Continue to perfect your Lean plan by returning to Step 1 and repeating this process for a cycle of continuous improvement.

Now if you've been a cog in a manufacturing machine such as I have, and even if you haven't, it's easy to see how implementing these ideas could improve upon the bottom line. But how do you keep this system from fading away with time as all others have before it? The difference between this program and others is step #5, Pursue Perfection. Step #5 is achieved through what is refereed to as a Kaisen Event which in its simplest definition means to continuously improve. A kaisen event empowers employees to improve their own working environment making them a part of the solution encouraging a drive to continue the process.

Now, how can this manufacturing principal be applied to every day life? Well I think we all strive for continuous improvement one way or another but let's take a look at applying the five Lean principals.

1. Define value from the customer's perspective: In this case you and your family are the customers so take some time to identify the things you do on a daily, weekly, monthly basis that add value to your lives, at the same time identify activities that don't add value or detract from the value of your lives.

2. Identify and map the value stream: You'll end up with a picture of your current routines from start to finish and all parts in-between. You can then use this map to identify activities that "eat time" and produce waste as well as highlight other inefficiencies in your daily life.

3. Reduce or eliminate waste and improve flow: Take your findings from steps one and two and eliminate the activities that don't improve upon your life. Improve upon inefficient routines eliminating wasted time and wasted resources.

4. Pull from the customer: Learn to trust your own feelings and senses about what you truly need. Don't be distracted by advertisements telling you you need what they have to sell.

5. Pursue Perfection: Continue to perfect your value of life by returning to Step 1 and repeating this process for a cycle of continuous improvement.

Now I'm going to use these principles to assess one of my weekly activities, the act of purchasing groceries. This is a value added activity as my family and I need to eat and rather enjoy it too. Using a scrap of paper I'll identify the process in which I obtain my groceries from writing the list to eventually consuming the food purchased. One thing I could do is purchase items differently reducing packaging that I would eventually have to spend time trowing out and hauling to the curb. Menu planning could reduce the types and quantities of food purchased saving dollars from my bill. I also had an epiphany on how to reuse my grocery list. I think that I will post the list upon the fridge once I have returned from the store to use as an inventory of the fridges contents preventing me from having to stand with the door open trying to determine what to eat. I will purchase more whole foods rather than prepared foods using my menu plan to its fullest and in exchange I will allow myself a treat such as some chocolate or some salted nuts to keep myself sane.

I've learned a number of valuable lessons from this Kaisen event and next time I go shopping I plan to revisit this scenario and see what other steps can be taken to improve upon the process. I feel in charge of my own destiny and look forward to applying this practice to other aspects of my life.

Saving The World Is an Endless Job

2009-01-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

Once again I have found myself saving the world from being burried within the countless layers of our trash. The best part is how easy it was to clean up the planet. If only the real job of cleaning up this world was as easy.

If we all do our part the clean up doesn't have to be a painful process. And eventualy we should be able to shift our focus from clean up to complete initial recovery within a zero waste environment..

When It Hits The Curb It Disapears

2009-01-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't garbage day a magical day? Like clockwork every week I awake early in the morning hours and drag my previous weeks detritus to the curb and a few hours later the garbage fairies arrive, wave their enchanted work gloves and my garbage disappears never to be heard from again. I just love the magic of the moment.

The previous statement may seem cheeky but I truly do believe a significant portion of our society believes it to be true. The reality however couldn't be further from the truth. Most of the debris we toss will actually out live us taking decades, centuries, perhaps even millennia to break down.

Landfills, believe it or not, are designed to slow down the decomposition of their contents. In order to break down, organic matter requires access to air/oxygen yet in a landfill the trash is compacted and sandwiched between numerous layers of clay and sometimes stone to increase landfill space and ultimately the landfill's lifespan.

Oxygen may not be able to reach our discarded belongings however, rainwater can as its gravitational relationship allows it to percolate deep into the many layers of debris. When water mixes with the nasty garbage juices, leachate is created which seeps into the surrounding soil in the form of a Garbage Plume. Plumes can swell rapidly and often will find their way into local water tables. Most new landfills are required to use liners to prevent plumes. The liners can be effective but are far from foolproof.
The reality, though unpleasant, is that our garbage will be around longer than we ourselves will. Let's make a decision now to reduce our own consumption and leave our squanderous ways in the past.

The Magic Mountain

2009-01-10T01:06:00.000-07:00

I happened on a great article the other day by author Matthew Power, titled "The magic mountain: Trickle-down economics in a Philippine garbage dump". He effectively paints a picture of a day in the life of a mangangalahig at the Payatas dump site in Quezon City, Manila.

The manangalahig is a scavenger, sorting through trash for recyclables which can be exchanged for a few rupees. The conditions and minimal payback may seem futile but the few rupees they do earn is far more than they would be making farming as they had in the past. And when metro Manila produces on average 6,169 tons of garbage daily you know there is plenty of trash to go arround. Multiply that mass by 364.25 days in a year, and again by 20 years and you can begin to understand how this 130 foot high, 50 acre, 45,000,000 ton mountain grows.

The Payatas dump site was home to a tradgic event in the year 2000. Monsoon rains permiated the garbage mountain, which had been piled at a 70º slope, and caused the pile to slide killing hundreds of mangangalahig and their families living at the base of the heap. Exact numbers on the casualties will never be known for sure as the recovery effort was forced to stop days later, when hope had been lost.

Junk For Christmas Callenge 2008, Dec. 30th

2008-12-29T22:43:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a wonderful time spent with my family. As usual there was plenty of delicious food to over fill on. We played games, visited, and had loads of fun.

Earlier this year my family decided we would exchange names and give only one gift rather than finding gifts for everyone in the family. This is a great way to reduce the amount of stuff given out at Christmas while keeping tradition alive. My family also has a Christmas stocking tradition in which we usually do not partake however this year since we're gifting junk we thought, "Why not?" I drew my brothers name and my spouse drew my mother's.

My mother received a beautifully framed photo mosaic of our family tree. We left the photos out so she could choose the pictures that mean the most to her.

The frame was found where one might expect to find discarded frames, behind a frame shop. It was within a box that had two frames, one frame was broken and the other was gifted to my mom. My partner cleaned it up and repaired a few minor scratches, reset the glass which had slipped back a bit and wrapped it to gift. In the same bin on a separate trip I located my mother's stocking stuffer.

This wall sconce was in terrific shape but it's mate was not so lucky. Stores figure you can't split up a pair so they toss both when one gets damaged. My mom has already picked out a wall for the frame.

My father was not one of the names drawn from the hat but we did manage a stocking gift for him.

My father smokes a pipe so some Christmas colored pipe cleaners seemed fitting. I also gifted to him a wooden puzzle I found on a trip to the dump. He spent hours trying to figure it out, he may not have it yet. Keep the faith dad.

My brother's gifts presented themselves in a strange way. My brother had me over to his house one evening to watch a pay per view fight with some of his close friends. I left early as I had made arrangements to meat up with the Trash Can Superman at the dump the next morning. That next morning while I was scavenging I discovered a brand new fire alarm bell still in it's box. I thought that it was a strange thing to find but couldn't think of any reason why I would need such a thing so I tossed it to the side. Later that same day I opened a bag which appeared to be full of scraped up underlay from someones renovations. The black foam was uninteresting but I could see a little red peaking out from under the debris. The first set of gloves were discovered. Alone these gloves would not make a good gift so I set them aside and continued rummaging when I discovered another bag filled with underlay foam and alas the second set of gloves.

When the gloves were reunited I remembered the bell and the gift completed itself. As TC Superman would say, "The dump provides!"

As a stocking stuffer I threw in a jock strap for ladies, after all I am his brother and I can't pass up a chance to make him blush.

I was going to stop here but I discovered this beauty amongst the scrap and couldn't leave it behind.

All it needed was a cleaning, some air in the tires, and a little tune up and this machine was ready for the trails.

My family has one last tradition which is only a few years old, it's called the Pickle Gift. For those of you who have never heard of this it goes like this. First obtain an ornament shaped like a pickle, apparently they are available. One person hides the pickle on the Christmas tree while the others are out of the room. The person hiding supplies a gift suitable for any of the searchers. Everyone except the pickle gifter searches the tree until the pickle is found. The person to find the pickle gets the gift and becomes next years pickle gifter.

This year I was the gifter after receiving a set of boccie balls last year. My father found the pickle after a thorough search.

What he received from me was a Philips photo frame. I had discovered one in the trash and took it home only to learn the obvious, it was broken. For kicks I phoned the warranty line and discovered the warranty was still good. It took some work on the phone but after five separate phone calls I was finally directed to a service shop to make my claim. The new frame arrived on the 23rd, just in time to become this years pickle gift.

We all had a great time this holiday and a lot was learned.

1. Christmas is not about the stuff. It's a great time of year as you get to congregate with the ones you love sharing good times, plenty of laughs, and lots of fun.

2. We are a shamefully wasteful society. You don't have to look far to see we are squandering our valuable resources in the pursuit of a "better life".

3. Think twice before making a return. All returned items in opened packaging or slightly imperfect end up discarded by that store. They can't sell it out of its wrapper and if you returned it due to the damage someone else will too. If you can fix it or live with the flaw do so to keep perfectly good materials out of the landfill.

4. Make a reduction plan with your family. Drawing names, group gifts, handmade gifts, cards, and of course abstinence are all good ways to reduce the giving of stuff, reduce the stress of the season, and reduce the mindless consumption.

5. Enjoy yourselves. This season only comes once a year. Enjoy the time you have together, don't make it about the gifts.

There are plenty of other lessons to glean which we may discuss in a later post. If you have any great ideas on reducing consumption please feel free to post in the comments section of this or any other post on the squanderism site.

Christmas With The In-laws

2008-12-27T00:35:00.000-07:00

Well we are back from the In-laws and a wonderful Christmas visit. We arrived Christmas eve, which happens to be the big day for my spouse’s family. We all anxiously await this day as we by tradition feast on a Scandinavian dish called palt. Palt is essentially boiled balls of potato and flour eaten with melted butter and lots of salt and pepper. To an outsider this tradition may seem very strange but once you have immersed yourself in the family you too become eager for the feast.

Christmas Eve is also when we exchange our gifts, usually around midnight as Gram arrives home from Christmas mass. This year my spouse and I decided to keep the gifts low key and opted to hand out framed photos of the kids (frames from the trash), home made jelly and handmade tree ornaments (made of sewing scraps). Gifts don't need to be elaborate or expensive to be meaningful.

We had a wonderful time and as usual, we were spoiled by all. I received some great multi tools and a flashlight, a walking stick and winter gloves, a craft kit and a pair of slippers to keep my piggies warm. While I was cleaning up the debris from unwrapping the kid’s gifts, I thought up a great use for those plastic coated wires that make it impossible to remove toys from the box.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We are off to see my family tomorrow morning so there will be more to come in a few days including the JUNK FOR CHRISTMAS wrap up and conclusion as well as some great ideas for redefining Christmas with your family and returning to the things that matter most.

Don't forget to take a look in the bin when you discard all you’re wrapping. You'd be surprised what others through away.

Junk For Christmas/Solstice 2008

2008-12-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Well the Winter Solstice has passed us by but not without leaving all of us with a memorable night with good food, great friends, and plenty of fun. After my family and I completed our breakfast we gathered in the front room and exchanged gifts with each other. All the gifts we exchanged were either found objects or had been hand made from reconstituted materials by the person gifting.

Let's start with the little ones.

My daughter made me a wonderful Solstice tree ornament she made using pipe cleaners found in a box of discarded craft supplies, and previously discarded xmas bulbs.

She gifted to her mother a necklace and bracelet made from polymer beads she fashioned herself, with a little help from dad.

What a great kid.

My partner used her crafty talents to make our daughter a super cool needle book, as the girl is learning to sew. And it happens to be her favorite colors too.

The boy received a handmade stuffy constructed from corduroy scraps from past projects. Got to love the texture of cord.

To my son I gifted a series of story books, some toy cars, and a box of blocks all found during a trip to the dump. The bucket and shovel were found in the bin behind a local craft store.

For my daughter I created a treasure chest from materials scavenged from the local dump. The pine boards were off a discarded IKEA bed frame. The roll top was a door from an old appliance garage. The handles were of an old chest of drawers and the hinge from a entertainment unit.

I filled the chest with about 30Lbs of Lego and a good sized bag of Connects which I had procured from a bin at the dump. Time for a Lego creation I think.

To my partner I gifted a quilt rack which I built out of the base from a stand up mirror and some wood from the trash.

I also gave her a CD alarm clock found behind a local business with the cord end still in the bag. It must have been a display model. I made a morning mix CD for her with a collection of some of her favorite songs.

It was a great exchange and we all felt very fortunate for all we had received. More importantly we all felt very proud of ourselves for creating these well thought out gifts. I hope all had a great Solstice and have a great Christmas.

Coming Soon...

2008-12-21T02:37:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the Solstice which is when Vegbee, Smootch, Birdie, and I welcome back the sun and exchange our holiday gifts. So check back soon for the first JUNK FOR CHRISTMAS expose. Have a happy Solstice!

To learn more about the cake click here.

It Never Rains But Poors

2008-12-21T02:23:00.000-07:00

Do I really need to shower every day? Well, probably if I want to maintain any relationships or continue being employed. However on a physical sense frequent bathing is actually detrimental to your skin and hair’s condition as soaps strip away natural oils your body was designed to make use of. Many years ago it was common practice and widely excepted to only wash your hair once a week or even longer. Ritualistic brushing took place before bed to remove any debris, which also served to condition the hair. The cat and many other mammals like it clean themselves by licking their own fur, and these creatures are very soft. Now I don't recommend anyone take up the practice of licking themselves clean but I do encourage everyone to examine WHY they do the things they do. Perhaps some of us may decide to shower every other day saving half of the water we would typically use.

PS. Be sure to wash your hands after divin'. It's worth the water.

Carve It Up And Start Diggin' In!

2008-12-20T02:22:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been challenging myself to rethink all my social teachings. My latest challenge has been to rethink the food I eat and the food I throw away. for years I have believed that bruises and blemishes on produce made them inferior and not fit to be consumed. Granted I still find it difficult to dish out $5 for a head of black spotted cauliflower or $3/Lbs. for bruised and blackened pears, but when the good food you purchase with your hard earned dollar starts heading south it's time to rethink the norm. Let's take a look at some of the foods I've shamefully wasted in the past and what could have been done to maintain their consumption destiny, preventing them from feeding the worms in my compost trench.

Pears

These pears had been allowed to blacken, forgotten in the back of the fridge where numerous containers were pushed and bumped against them. After a quick clean and some creative carving they were delicious to eat. The pears could have been consumed raw however with this many in my possession I decided to make some jam for the morning toast. Simply de-stem, juice and follow the recipe of your choice.

Avocados are notorious for becoming over-ripe before you get a chance to use them. Just peel and mash into a nice guacamole, use some of that dried up lemon in the back of the crisper to bring the dip to life.

Oranges and other citrus fruit will often appear dried up or bruised from the outside but inside awaits a wonderful addition to any breakfast.

Bruised apples make wonderful pie or apple sauce to feed the kids. You don't need to carve away the bruise just remove the worst of the damage, perhaps the entire peel, core, slice and bake.

Scabby potatoes and rough looking carrots only require a peel to reveal their true beauty.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Over ripe tomatoes make wonderful pasta sauce, salsa, or soup. Peel dice and cook.

More often than not the food we discard merely requires a paradigm shift in the way we think. So carve it up and start diggin' in.

I Found The World In A Dumpster

2008-12-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

The other day I was scavenging one of my favorite sites when I noticed the world beneath my feet. "How could anyone throw such a thing away?" Such a precious thing had been squandered. Resources of all kinds were involved in its creation, resources on an endless journey only to end up discarded like so much rubbish. How ignorant of us to allow ourselves to discard what we should hold so dear.

I for one have decided to save this world and proudly call it my own.

This map and others like it were found amongst the trash when they could have been donated to the local school or gifted to a child eager to learn from them. I've decided to keep it and call it my own.

Junk for Christmas Challange 2008 Update 16/12/2008

2008-12-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

Well we're within a week to that crazy day and I'm seeing a drastic increase in the amount of useful items in the trash. At first, I thought this was going to be difficult but I'm finding it ridiculously easy to locate great items. I've become picky there is so much to choose from. I know some of you are eager to see what great things I've been acquiring but you will have to wait until Santa’s done his thing.

To keep you looking back I've written and now performed this original piece. The sound quality is poor as I'm using my webcam with built in mic but lets face it, it would be poor quality anyway.

Junk for Christmas by Fig Fighter

So you too can sing along here are the lyrics, happy divin'.

Junk for Christmas

Once I met a wise man and
he had lots to say
He asked me to stop buying junk
In which I’d through away

He told me all about the waste
that comes from Christmas night
and all the other wasteful days
this really just ain’t right

He said, I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
Unlike you, I won’t have to pay
Oh, I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
You may get, what you thought you threw away

If Santa knew about this greed
You can bet he would be pist
He’d surely have to write our names
Upon his naughty list

He’d plan to give us a lump of coal
And then he would think twice
All we’d do is toss it out
And the world would pay the price

He said, I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
Unlike you, I won’t make the planet pay
Oh, I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
You’d be surprised what others throw away.

The wise man he came up to me
He shared with me his plan
But said it only started there
We should change the thoughts of man

We can’t continue down this road
It surely will not last
So put your wasteful ways behind
And leave them in the past.

I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
Unlike you, I won’t have to pay
Oh, I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
You may get, what you thought you threw away

I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
Unlike you, I won’t make the planet pay
Oh, I’ll be gifting junk for Christmas
You’d be surprised what others throw away.

You'd be surprised what you've thrown away.

What am I?

2008-12-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

I live in a bag, within a bag, which is in a box wrapped in a bag, when I'm found I'm placed into a bag, and I used to live free in a tree. What am I?

Tea! There are alternatives, however if it is too inconvenient we'll all understand...

Even worse is that people throw them away before they are even used

These were discovered along with many others during one of my last outings. Think about the packaging when you buy, better yet grow your own.

Junk For Christmas Challenge 2008

2008-12-02T00:14:00.000-07:00

Year after year, before I begin my x-mas shopping, I tell myself, "this year I am not going to spend over my budget," and year after year I do just that. I enjoy gifting and set out to find the perfect item for each member of the family, the problem is I never think it is enough and usually will add a little of this and a little of that. Before I know it, the budget is history and the trunk of the car is brimming with stuff.

This year I have decided to do things a little different. You see one thing that has become painfully clear over the last couple months of diving is that we all have too much stuff. So much so that we are all guilty of tossing away perfectly operational items simply because we don't want it or we already possess three of them and don't need the fourth. Or we are throwing away items that need a little glue, some polish, or simply a little elbow grease. It is much more convenient to replace said item than to waste our valuable time repairing, isn't it?

This year as a statement to the squanderous nature of our consumer culture, I will only be gifting items I have scavenged or reclaimed from the refuse pile.

These items can be handmade as long as the materials used in there construction are of the scavenged nature. I know, many of you are thinking I'm a cheapskate and are busy wishing my family luck while wondering where to send your condolences. Fear not, these gifts will not only be of superior quality but they will also be well thought out and carefully chosen for each persons individual tastes.

Check back for updates on my progress leading up to x-mas and be sure to visit in the New Year to see what items I unearth in pursuit of the perfect x-mas gift.

This snowman, which my daughter named Joe, was found in a dumpster within a box with a smushed corner. I'm happy to report there was nothing wrong with Joe.

Please feel free to take part in the Junk For Christmas Challenge 2008. You can tell us all about your plans in the comments below, and remember there are no lineups at the dump.

Land of Misfit Toys

2008-12-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

With Xmas soon upon us all, the stores have the carols cranked, the cart castors greased, and enough Santa shrines to make any child question the old man's existence. After all, how could someone so important be booked to appear in every mall nation wide simultaneously? With all this cheer in the air only one question still remains. "What about the misfit toys?" I've been noticing a trend growing as the rush ensues where more and more items are being thrown away simply because they are not appealing, and perhaps because they may be difficult to wrap.

Just this evening I discovered these three Pottery Wheel Craft Kits. Upon inspection, all is in order with the exception of the packaging. These three luckily were saved from the...
Land of the Misfit Toys.

I'm sure little Bobby or little Suzy wouldn't have even noticed the small crinkle in the box with all the excitement of anticipated artistic discovery.

Bag it

2008-11-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

Today I made a pledge to myself to stop buying plastic whenever an alternative exists. I will bring my own bags to the grocery store religiously, I will avoid drinks that come in plastic bottles and I will no longer purchase cello-wraped vegetables from the supermarket. I wish I could eliminate plastics all together but it has become ingrained in our culture too deeply. But I vow to do my best from this day forth.

Toxic Garbage Island

2008-11-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

As we all know, not all of our garbage ends up in the landfill. Check these videos out...

Haiku

2008-11-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

Where does it come from,
The things we think we must have?
And where does it go?

Please feel free to add your own Garbage Haiku in the comments section of this post, 5-7-5.

Handy gear for Diving in

2008-11-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

I had a friend ask me the other day what I wear when I set out to scavenge treasures. The obvious answer… “Clothes!” It really doesn’t matter what you wear when you go diving but here are some items you may want to consider bringing with.

Probably your most important choice would be a good pair of steel-toed boots. The kind with a steel shank is best as many skips contain broken glass, nails, and an array of other sharp objects. Most often, you dive in foot first so protect your little pigs.

Gloves are another important article to consider. Many people will choose a pair of thick leather gloves however if you’re vegan, as I am, you can pick up a good pair of fitted work gloves. These gloves have a thick poly/foam coating on the inside and breathable cotton tops to allow your hands to breath. They also have the added benefit of being machine washable for when the deed is done.

A stick. Though not a necessity I find a stick with a bent nail in the end is a great way to explore the inside of a skip without having to actually dive in. This tool has the added benefit of doubling as a means of intimidation if any thugs should decide to give you a rough time in a darkened alley.

A milk crate. These aren’t always that easy to find but if you do stumble upon one this can truly be a lifesaver. The depth of a dumpster can sometimes be deceiving and before you know it, you find yourself at the bottom with no way to climb out. Having a crate to stand on can sometimes make up for any vertical shortcomings. This is also a pretty good reason you should bring a friend.

Lastly dress for the mess. Dumpsters are by no means a sterile environment. Dress warm and dress in that which you may eventually throw in a dumpster yourself. No sense in taking the chance you won’t get any on you, cause you will.

Here are some other items that come in handy… A draw string bag you can attach to your beltloop for packing out small items, a flashlight is a great companion - bring extra batteries, a locking jack-knife, and side cutters.

So, with your new attire and you arsenal of important items set forth and have fun, just keep in mind these basic rules while hunting…

Safety - You want to live to tell your friends about your treasure.
Ethics - Leave the area cleaner than when you arrived and always respect public and private property

Educate - Increase awareness with yourself and others.
Pride - When approached remain confident, you have nothing to hide.

Starting To Gain Interest

2008-11-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

Well I’ve returned from another Sunday trip to the landfill and the family is starting to gain some interest in the things I’m finding.

I can recall a trip to the landfill with my father when I was about three years old. The appearance of an alien landscape the sweat smell of decay and the excitement of being somewhere new. The thing I recall most of this day was a small metal army vehicle that I had discovered half buried in the clay. It had been driven over and the back wheels were nowhere to be found. This was not a pristine find however I was determined to make it my own. I remember asking my father, “Can I keep it dad? Please!” His reply was something like, “No, you don’t want that piece of junk it’s filthy, and its broken. Throw it back.” I don’t fault my father for this response nor do I see this as a scaring moment that hurts to this day. No, I think my father’s response is very typical of the culture we live in. “It’s broken, then through it out” has replaced the time honored “It’s broken, then fix it”.

Here is a selection of the items after they have been cleaned up. 56 washable felt pens, a wooden car, various shaped wooden blocks, a couple dinky cars, some toy tools, a staple remover, some jewelery, a hard hat for the tickle trunk, some nesting dishes, a brand new tool box with inside tote, and three barbi dolls one of which is circa 1966. There were other items found this trip too but I'll add them to a future post.

Even the boy is enjoying the reclaimed items.

Watching my daughters eyes light up when she sees the hoard of reclaimed objects being inventoried has reminded me how we often take the things we have for granted. I want to instill in my children a sense of right and wrong and I want them to see the true value of all things.

The Beginning

2008-11-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

As of late trash has become an obsession of mine. It all started a month ago when a good friend suggested I join him on a trip to the local dump. We knew the dump would be closed but it didn't matter as we weren't making the trip to deposit our previously consumed items we were on a mission to unearth hidden treasures. I was skeptical and reluctant at first and my willingness to climb into the dumpsters was only overcome by the prospect of a good find. Before long I was knee deep in it and came away with a few great items.

A modest haul for my first scavenging trip. The side cutters still had the tag on them and work great. The tool belt was in great shape and even came with a pocket full of nails. I grabbed the insides out of an old lamp with hopes to someday build my own. The candle holder was cute and I thought it could be a component to a gift. The milk crate, well we'll get to that later.

After the first trip I found myself thinking of all the possibilities and started plotting my next logical step. Research seemed like the way to go so I made an excursion to the local library and searched for anything and everything to do with garbage, trash, recycling, found object art, the environment, and on and on. I was dissatisfied with the selection before me so I enlisted the help of a couple skilled librarians, unfortunately their national search engines didn’t turn up much more than what we had in front of us. Upon returning home I searched the internet for references on these topics, you don’t want to know what the word “trash” turned up. After a few long hours I decided it wasn’t the way I was searching that was holding me back. The reality is, there just isn’t much out there to find. This is when I decided it was time to start blogging.