Before Dumpster Diving Was Cool

One of my favorite toys growing up was a big pink Barbie camper. The bright stickers and little swimming pool were my favorite part. My camper didn’t have any of the accessories that it came with when it was brand new, because it came from a nearby dump. My dad brought it home after spotting it while he was at work.

I thought it was fabulous.

Now, they call it dumpster diving or picking. (Some people call it surviving). There are entire facebook, Reddit groups and youtube videos dedicated to the art.

A single dive taken by author

You may think of dumpster diving and picture bums knee deep in filth. The absolute truth about my experiences is that almost everything we have pulled out has been a new product lying right on top, in boxes or in bags. There is even a grocery store who would put it’s almost-expired food into a freezer bag and set it right on top of everything. I think business owners were very privy to the fact that people look through their trash.

Foraging for fun is in my blood. As a child my parents loved discovering artifacts from the past. They used to metal detect, and take us arrowhead hunting. We would go to all sorts of historical sites and hunt and search for…