pinhole.dumpster
This is a bit of a journey through the Adelaide, Hobart (and occasionally
Melbourne) dumpsters.
Source of nutrition, entertainment and furtive digging.
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This is the current dumpster list.
My list from my FIRST THREE MONTHS of record keeping is here.
The Total Dumpster Value is cumulative across all lists.
Aiming for $1000 by 31.01.04 (Update: easily accomlished. Thankyou organic produce!)
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12.09.04
Mr Coles! To those who know your ways you are the very paragon of generosity!
With the exception of sought after cooked wheat products, a pox on you for that.
Your secluded and sanitary dumpster!
Your thoughtful mass-dumping staff!
Your foolishly purchasing customers!
All these and more, bestowing on me freedom from the tyranny of purchased food.
took:
.75 kg good mushrooms
2 head broccoli
2 bananas
1 banana capsicum
2 almost ripe avocados
left: approx 1/8 dumpster clean fresh food (thats a lot)
estimated value: $10
total dumpster value: $755
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18-09-04
Oh my god! The KMT-1!
Made almost entirely from recycled products (Its a mustard tin which I bought in Tassie for 1/4 price OOD, + a small amount of new black elctrical tape (most of the tape was reused from a previous camera.) + an old photo paper box + old dowel + used drink can + black felt ripped off old film cannister + new paint)
Not really dumpstered but fantastic nonetheless.
Last night on the way home from Laura's surprise party Dan, Peter and I swung past a friendly dumpster.
I grabbed:
1 kg runny home brand honey (not quite the organic stuff im used to)
1 roll kitchen paper
1 whole grain bread
1 fruit loaf
1 little pot of tomato paste
left: heaps of jars of pasta sauce, cans of diet sprite, other dodgy shit.
estimated dumpste value: $12
Total dumpster value: $767
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23.09.04
I have recently beeen getting small dumpster hauls only, so couldnt be bothered updating the list - generally just the odd bit of bread here and there really. Last night thought, on what started out as a ride for Dan to show me the new house his dad has bought, we ended up swinging past the local. someone had been there before us, and theyd lefdt the bin open and a milk crate next to it to stand on. I cant believe I never thought of that. Makes it much easier to reach further in. Anyway, they left heaps of good stuff which Dan dug for - well buried but well worth mining for. Also: First ever time dumpster diving in ugg boots!
took:
1 _box_ bananas
3kg BIG white mushrooms
2kg crap white flour D wants for glue, despite the fact that we have heaps from dumpstering months ago...
6 red capsicums
10 fancy gourmet cheeses, slightly mature (selected from an entire bagful!)
1 Flatbread
1 packet of pancakes
Left: approx $200 cheese. food. lots of food. rubbish. lots of rubbish. meat bags, handled more than normal, and pushed down the back.
We gave Tom and Rosie quite a few bananas, mushrooms and cheeses, but they heard us giggling as I put the musrooms 'growing' out of one of their plant pots, and they busted us - so we went in and met Rosies folks and saw more excellent photos of tom's glass work. nice.
Estimated dumpster value: $100
total dumpster value: $867
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26.09.04
Broad daylight highly visible dumpster dive yields success!
The fruit and veg dumpster right next to the side entrance of Coles was hit this afternoon at approxiamtely 2.30pm. Several shoppers were surprised and bemused at the sight of an unknown freegan removing a good amount of nice clean fresh food from the side of the dumpster. The entire load was obtained whilst the partner in crime acted as a decoy - allegedly purchasing a single carton of rice milk from the usual dumpster target. Some irony was noted in the fact that the dumpster vehicle was a bicycle and trailer worth over $3000 retail. The dumpster itself can be viewed on the title page of this esteemed website - its the one on the right.
Took:
6 red capsicum
4 corn cobs
4 fennel bulbs
1 red onion
5 white onions
5 brown onions
4 bananas
2 parsnip
Left: lots more corn, heaps of lettuce, the odd tomato, a single apple, boxes and rubbish.
estimated dumpste value: $20
total dumpster value: $887
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03.10.04
2 days of dumpster diving have been very good for organic produce. Plus its a long weekend tommorrow which means the next few days will always contain extra goodies for the taking.
Yesterday Josh and I went with Grills (a dumpster virgin) to two - the Parade was visible and hittable except for the wide open deliveries entrance. The local, however, yielded:
7kg bags of organic mandarins (I got 3 kg)
1 piece organic pumpkin
crap bread
good fruit bread (I got this one)
Today, I was once again rewarded with:
3 pack organic broccoli
1kg bag of organic mandarins
1 large organic celery
2 capsicums
2 containers of sprouts (mung and alfalfa)
1kg bag onions
5kg bananas
lettuce and spinach for the worm farm.
Estimated dumpster value: $75 (thankyou organic produce!)
total dumpster value $962
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An auspicious evening lead to the shattering of the $1000 mark, marred only by a dumpster wound which is about to be disinfected...
05.10.04
5kg bananas
left:25 kg bananas
07.10.04
2 pack baby corn
2 organic bunches SA spring onions
6 (+3) bags of organic apples
3 packs of field mushrooms
4kg eco bananas
1 red capsicum
2 glossy mags
1 punnet strawberries
1 pair of scissors
1 cut finger (right, index, not 10 minutes after contemplating the wearing of protective gloves...)
estimated dumpster value: $100
Total dumpster value: $1062
YAY!! we've broken the first dumpster grand! Thanks particularly to the organic produce over the last few days (avg $5 kilo)
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10.10.04
A few nights ago a posse of five went out on a mission. The local was a letdown, The Parade was guarded, but Get Fucked Organics gave us just a little:
2 pumpkins
1 cauliflower
5 Caraway seed rolls
Some other stuff which I can remember now.
Just now, Will and I finally put on clothes (Today is Nine Nora Nude day in celebration of the 30deg weather and in mortification for the re-election of our Fuhrer John Howard) and went down to the dumpster in search of more organic mandarins (I saw them near use-by a few days ago)
Unfortunately If they were there they were too heavily buried beneath all the other fresh food and our basket was well and truly full before we found them. So, we came away with
6-8 kilos bananas
1 pawpaw
2 capsicums
1 peach
1 big punnet strawberries
4 avocados
2 big passionfruit
Estimated dumpster value: $36
Total Dumpster Value: $1098
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With a single dumpster glove covering my left hand only, the following was obtained: (Oh, ok, Will got half of it with bare hands)
lots of bananas
lots of peaches
lots of kiwi gold
lots of organic grapefruit
a bit of other stuff
Estimate value: $50
Total dumpster value: $1148
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01.11.04
will and I actually made quite a few good hauls of stuff over the last week or so, but unfortunately I have been just way too busy to put it all up. I cant remember much of it now anyway - although I do remember lots of bananas, frozen berries and nice organic bread did make its way into our kitchen.
I am actually in Hobart now, which unfortunately means a change in the dumpster lifestyle for me. The local Coles locks its dumpster, the woolies has theirs behind big locked doors. I am going to have to start looking around a little more creatively if I hope to keep up with my favourite hobby! Unfortunately I have had to spend over $60 on food in the last two days - not only have I been removed from the dumpster itself, but I have also lost the stocks and supplies of basic essentials in Adelaide. The house I am in is a bit of a short term accommodation for people and its all individual food only - theres heaps of stuff here but I cant eat it! how frustrating, and no, Im not about to start 'dumpstering' my housemates food. At least I know that Ill get to eat all the food I bought.
Actually, this has inspired me to go out on a dumpster search. Bye, dont buy!
Later: No luck in finding any successful new dumpsters, but I did manage to stick my arm into Sandy Bay and pull out:
3 packets of bake at home bread.
I left more bread, milk, ice (!?), and in the Spotlight dumpster, a full length working venetian blind with a broken bottom brace. I checked a good 10 bins (sulo and dumpster) but no luck elsewhere, although there are a couple of promising spots which Ill keep my eye on. The back of the wholefood store had a bin full of cabbage leaves (maybe one day Ill get a whole cabbage!) I also saw some good graffiti and got a glimpse of a belly-dancing class!
Estimated dumpster value: $6
Total dumpster value: $1154
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06.11.04
No new dumpster luck yet here in cloudy Hobart, but I thought i might as well keep using this as a Blog anyway, mainly because it means i have an excuse not to write annoying group emails. Maybe Ill just fritz all the relevant people when I get a chance. Its a bit of a hassle not having email or internet access at home though, as I have to use the crappy web server for my ihug account. anyway at least I have some access I guess. Its Saturday today adn I have finished one week of my placement - only 25 days of Uni left for me! I cant believe its almost over. Of course Im still going to have a fair bit of work ahead of me for he next haul, but Im sure it will all be over before I can blink really.
I went to a party last night - one of the OTs at the RHH invited me, and everything is so close in hobart its hard to use that as an excuse not to go out like I usually do. Mostly it was a crappy 1st year med student party but I met some interesting peoiple to talk to after a while. In the end we were getting hassled by a drunk gay Young Liberal who was unashamedly selfish in his motives and actions. It was kind of interesting really to get a view from the other side so to speak, and as one of the people I was with commented, most of us have our own political views and dont really listen to anybody else who has a different opinion. At least I listened to this guy, but I found all of his arguments wholly unconvincing and generally dissapointingly uneducated - rather narrow minded and he wouldnt really listen to what we were saying. But, of course, that also refelcts my point of view doesnt it. One of us (as opposed to him :) was getting quite angry about it! Wasnt very consstructive really.
Today I did some shopping at Salamance and elsewhere and wandered around. Saw Lotus at the market selling his books, Ill put his website here maybe when i get around to it. If I ever make a links page that is... I know Bert was on to me about it and it wouldnt be too hard to put it in on the contact page where most people wont ever find it...
I think its food time for me now - bye, dont buy.
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06.11.04
Late evening this time: Went to a party - whats going on here, 2 parties in 2 nights! But was totally not into it as soon as I arrived, so drank the offered beer and skedaddled immediated. Since it was still quite early and I was out on the bike I decided to cruise down to sandy bay and see what was on offer. And yay! an insufficiently locked dumpster greeted me in the basement carpark, both lids locked together but not to the dumpster body. Although I could certainly have taken more (Clearly Coles has nationwide dumpster policy) I was limited by my bag size to:
3 kg 1st grade navel oranges
1.2kg Organic swedes
1.5kg mandarins (1 mouldy, lost another 2 through the hole I made to remove the mouldy one)
2 bananas
So it wasnt an amazing haul, but I certainly couldnt complain given my previous lack of success. It certainly gives me more hope for the future of Tasmania. Incidentally, I reckon I'm possibly Hobart's only car-free transport cyclist.
Estimated dumpster value: $20
Total dumpster value: $1174
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09.11.04
Well it seems I was certainly a little premature in abusing Hobart's locked dumpster policy. Its all in the timing. I had already made a rare 'mouth entry' so to speak and it seemed like a real waste not to check the arse as well, and I found it open for business, and also noted that staff can be observed through the gap at the bottom of the roller door, which certainly makes things less stressful. On the other hand the cars driving through the underground carpark tend to up the stress levels somewhat - not that I really care about customers, Im more concerned about possible violent bogans. I'm wondering If my new housemates will notice my somewhat strange - and unpredictable - 'shopping habits.' Anyway, I managed to score:
2 x 6 pack of 'fun size' cereal
500g soy flakes with apple and cinnamon
2 choc chip and apricot packs of cookies
1 strawberry and watermelon fruit roll pseudo-healthy snack things
1 roll of cracked pepper crackers (I assume at least - it lost its packaging)
1 pack fruit granita - slightly crushed
2 slim fast french vanilla - I think these are laxative so Id better be careful. Also it says "serve very cold" which to me indicates an unpleasant taste.
I think some of this may well end up in the bin here as well (eg froot loops)
Left: lots of cookies. "vegetarian fed cage eggs" as if being vego makes it alright to have battery hens! man these people are corrupt. other assorted crap still perfectly saleable (eg pre wash stain remover)
estimated value: $19
Total dumpster value:$1193
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10.12.04
I have been very slack in updating this blog - over a month of no dumpster updates. This is mainly because there has, unfortunately, been very little in the way of dumpstering, certainly not to the level that I was achieving in good ol Adelaide. I am yet to chance upon a regularly open dumpster at any major chain, even though I check reasonalby frequently - Woolies even seems to keep all of their dumpsters in locked holding bays which makes it a douible challenge!Fortunately, however, my inquiries from local information have resulted in the discovery of a valuable resource - a secluded fresh food dumpster up in North Hobart. There has also been mention of a magical bread bin, but I am yet to find it. Possibly its existence in mythical, possibly Ive been unlucky, possibly Im just going to the wrong damn shop.
nonetheless, the fresh food dumpster has been valuable on 3/4 visits in the last two weeks, however the general standard of their discards is of a lower quality than that of the major chains. Still well worth checking out though. Last night I got:
8 Packets 'gourmet' asian mushrooms
2 punnet strawberries (mostly compost)
5 cucumbers
1 pack of corn (straight on the compost)
3 bunches of asparagus
possibly a few other odds and ends
LEFT: 1 box of tomatoes, good for throwing at polititians
The other two days I roughly got:
5 packs of corn (good)
baby bokchoi
carrots
turnips
other assorted memory failures
Estimated dumpster value: $70
Total dumpster value: $1263
PS; Today is my LAST EVER DAY OF UNI!!!!!
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