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We’ve reclaimed the word “scavenging” and given it a fresh new meaning.
From now on, the concept of scavenging encompasses every possible means of legally acquiring stuff for free — or for as cheaply as possible. This, of course, includes finding stuff on the ground — which is what people tend to think of as “scavenging.” But it also includes shopping in thrift stores. Going to rummage sales. Dumpster-diving. Coupon-clipping. Prospecting. Beachcombing. Bargain-hunting. Foraging. And on and on.
The Scavenging blog forges a new identity for what were formerly thought of as disparate personality types: whether you assemble cutting-edge fashions from discarded clothing, or eat day-old bread rescued from the bin behind the local bakery, you are a scavenger. You might be several kinds of scavenger at once. We know we certainly are. And there are millions of us around the world. We may seem different on the surface, but deep down we’re all alike, whether we scavenge a little or a lot, in just one way or many ways, part-time or full-time, alone or with others. We all share certain values, and we all know the sting of doing something that mainstream culture has always scorned. From the Old Testament right through until today, the prejudice against scavengers — those of us who seek out the discarded, the unwanted, the superfluous, the abandoned, the lost — has been scathing and nonstop. This blog celebrates scavenging, bringing us all together and seizing some long-overdue respect for a lifestyle that builds some of the best human qualities: patience, curiosity, spontaneity, creativity, spirituality and earth-consciousness.
With news, tips, and other essentials for the modern scavenging lifestyle, this blog is a hub for all those whose pulses race when they see the word “FREE,” whose eyes scan every landscape for lost and forgotten treasures.
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For more than 10 years I have been persecuted by our local and county government for dumpster diving. I found it is illegal to stack wooden pallets 2.7 miles from town. So we built vertical pallet fences.
I was forced to go to kangaroo court 90 miles away, 3 times to keep from being fined or jailed for my storage. A few others in Navajo County have been threatened as well.
Comment by Jarvis — March 21, 2009 #
Although I realize it isn’t exactly in your area, a group worth linking to is Free Geek (the original one is in Portland at http://www.freegeek.org/, with a few other organizations around the States and one here in Vancouver, BC at http://freegeekvancouver.org/). They take in old computer parts, working or no, and reuse or recycle them. Volunteers tear apart the computers, to either send them on to appropriate recyclers (rather than letting them get sent off to the developing world for incredibly unsafe recycling in living rooms) or reassemble the working parts into new machines.
Free Geek also runs classes on computer use and donates computers to various organizations and low income folks.
Comment by adamgilg — March 31, 2009 #
I’ve been looking for kindred spirits and here you are! There certainly is a moral imperative to scavenge. I consider it a point of honor as an artist that I am able to create by using what already exits in the world. For years I have been working on a project involving making art from junk I find in the river. If you might like to see some “fine” Styrofoam art…I would appreciate your critique. Keep up the good work! http://artistatexit0.wordpress.com/
Comment by artistatexit0 — May 21, 2009 #
Artistatexit0: way cool art, love it. Very good.
Love this blog, found it on a google search. I’ve been scavenging and freegan dumpster diving 6 months now. I’m totally addicted to it. I share a great deal of my finds with others who need the stuff. It keeps the stuff out of the landfills and into the arms of those who could use it.
Comment by Janet — May 30, 2009 #
Not sure how to get this info to you, but I think your scavenging readers might be interested. There’s no catch – it’s really free.
1-800-FREE411 now offers free 5-minute phone calls to almost anywhere in the world (literally, almost anywhere. I can send the list.). Sure it’s a short call, but you can call back as many times as you’d like. No strings attached (just listen to two short ads). That’s a savings of up to $10 per call, hundreds of dollars per month. Did you know it still costs…
- $6.49 for a 5-minute call to London*
- $6.74 for a 5-minute call to China*
- $9.85 for a 5-minute call to Iraq*
*Based on average monthly long-distance plan $5.99, plus per minute rate
Let me know if you’re interested in more information.
Thanks,
Jen
For Jingle Networks
Comment by Jen De Laura — July 22, 2009 #
You should add http://www.garagesalestracker.com to the thrifting section.
Comment by Garage Sale — September 2, 2009 #