Comments on: Checkin out of Dumpster Divers Anonymous http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/ A place to posts thoughts during my travels, environmental, and social justice issues. Sun, 18 May 2008 03:13:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Robin Regel http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-3939 Robin Regel Sat, 01 Sep 2007 20:28:31 +0000 http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-3939 I used to do a lot of dumpsterdiving down in florida, just moved back to edmonton and am looking for someone to go diving with, anyone interested, hit me up at firestarter1000@gmail.com, i'm mainly interested in diving for old electronics i can part out but also like to dive retail and would be interested in diving grocery stores. I used to do a lot of dumpsterdiving down in florida, just moved back to edmonton and am looking for someone to go diving with, anyone interested, hit me up at firestarter1000@gmail.com, i’m mainly interested in diving for old electronics i can part out but also like to dive retail and would be interested in diving grocery stores.

]]> By: Shane Bill http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-2486 Shane Bill Thu, 31 May 2007 05:35:51 +0000 http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-2486 <b>stik</b> - I totally respect your thoughts there man. I don't think it needs arguing cause in some ways I don't disagree with you. I volunteer heaps with <a href="www.foodnotbombs.tk" rel="nofollow">Food Not Bombs</a> and I know that struggle that some of the shelters put you through in order to actually get a meal. It's pretty crap if you ask me. It's not a free meal it's called using religion as a mechanism to get free food. Kinda sad in the sense of not really "giving" something. Now what I wanted to point out is more that the reason I put that comment down. Lots of people in Calgary think that homeless people shouldn't have the shelter they have. That "we" are spending to much money on them, that the food in dumpsters will always be sought out by them, and that in some ways because I am a middle-class (probably not anymore) white guy I shouldn't be taking that food. But more to the point why is it that our society deems a homeless person as wanting to live from a dumpster. Whether they do or not isn't truly the point? Just that we kind project these images on people in this situation rather than thinking..."hey maybe they'd want a hot meal that doesn't come at a cost of anything..." (enter stage Food Not Bombs). I feel that dumpsters are a communal space (as you have suggested) and that there's no way I would or do take enough food to leave the next person with nothing. I think it's beautiful that you guys dumpster in Edmonton too. I think it's cool that we all share the same food source, and there's no way I'm taking everything I find in there. Plenty to go around from what I've seen, experienced, and shared with others too. A had a huge grin across my face when I heard you found a pogo stick. To bad it wasn't broken cause you could use it to check out dumpsters before goin in :P I love those things. So thanks for your honesty and sharing. ANd thanks for calling me on that point. I think that perhaps I could have reworded that differently. Perhaps when I get more time on the internet I'll make that change man. stik - I totally respect your thoughts there man. I don’t think it needs arguing cause in some ways I don’t disagree with you. I volunteer heaps with Food Not Bombs and I know that struggle that some of the shelters put you through in order to actually get a meal. It’s pretty crap if you ask me. It’s not a free meal it’s called using religion as a mechanism to get free food. Kinda sad in the sense of not really “giving” something.

Now what I wanted to point out is more that the reason I put that comment down. Lots of people in Calgary think that homeless people shouldn’t have the shelter they have. That “we” are spending to much money on them, that the food in dumpsters will always be sought out by them, and that in some ways because I am a middle-class (probably not anymore) white guy I shouldn’t be taking that food. But more to the point why is it that our society deems a homeless person as wanting to live from a dumpster. Whether they do or not isn’t truly the point? Just that we kind project these images on people in this situation rather than thinking…”hey maybe they’d want a hot meal that doesn’t come at a cost of anything…” (enter stage Food Not Bombs).

I feel that dumpsters are a communal space (as you have suggested) and that there’s no way I would or do take enough food to leave the next person with nothing.

I think it’s beautiful that you guys dumpster in Edmonton too. I think it’s cool that we all share the same food source, and there’s no way I’m taking everything I find in there. Plenty to go around from what I’ve seen, experienced, and shared with others too.

A had a huge grin across my face when I heard you found a pogo stick. To bad it wasn’t broken cause you could use it to check out dumpsters before goin in :P I love those things.

So thanks for your honesty and sharing. ANd thanks for calling me on that point. I think that perhaps I could have reworded that differently. Perhaps when I get more time on the internet I’ll make that change man.

]]> By: stik http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-2465 stik Wed, 30 May 2007 15:15:47 +0000 http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-2465 hey - nice piece, but i wanna argue one point - about homeless folks & how they should just use shelters to get food. have you ever been to a shelter? from personal experience it can often be a demeaning, shameful and all together awful situation. dumpstering, on the other hand, gives you a sense of autonomy and being able to provide for yourself. it's empowering. no one makes you say a prayer before you engage in the the delectable wonders of garbage, and they also don't make you shower, ditch your cart, or sober up (depending on the situation) to eat food from the dumpster. i'm not saying that yer taking food out of the mouths of the homeless population, but don't jump to conclusions about homeless folks prefering shelters. in my neighbourhood, (voted the worst in edmonton, mind you) practically everyone dumpsters, for stuff to use, stuff to sell and stuff to eat. in fact, i've seen whole families dumpstering together here. it's sad that there's so much rampant poverty, but it's also heartening that people are providing for themselves in ways that are accessible to everyone. (we found a pogo stick the other nite - broken but still a conversation piece) hey - nice piece, but i wanna argue one point - about homeless folks & how they should just use shelters to get food. have you ever been to a shelter? from personal experience it can often be a demeaning, shameful and all together awful situation. dumpstering, on the other hand, gives you a sense of autonomy and being able to provide for yourself. it’s empowering. no one makes you say a prayer before you engage in the the delectable wonders of garbage, and they also don’t make you shower, ditch your cart, or sober up (depending on the situation) to eat food from the dumpster. i’m not saying that yer taking food out of the mouths of the homeless population, but don’t jump to conclusions about homeless folks prefering shelters. in my neighbourhood, (voted the worst in edmonton, mind you) practically everyone dumpsters, for stuff to use, stuff to sell and stuff to eat. in fact, i’ve seen whole families dumpstering together here. it’s sad that there’s so much rampant poverty, but it’s also heartening that people are providing for themselves in ways that are accessible to everyone. (we found a pogo stick the other nite - broken but still a conversation piece)

]]> By: Michael O'Halloran http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-991 Michael O'Halloran Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:28:08 +0000 http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-991 I guess you'll need an address wknd@calgary.cbc.ca I guess you’ll need an address wknd@calgary.cbc.ca

]]> By: Michael O'Halloran http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-990 Michael O'Halloran Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:05:13 +0000 http://shaneonabike.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/checkin-out-of-dumpster-divers-anonymous/#comment-990 Hey Shane, Send me an email....I'd like to talk to you about doing a radio piece on dumpster diving for CBC Radio....Your'e the guy to do it. Hey Shane,

Send me an email….I’d like to talk to you about doing a radio piece on dumpster diving for CBC Radio….Your’e the guy to do it.

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