Thursday, May 26, 2011

100 things by next summer

As a recent graduate who was just relieved of numerous huge responsibilities, I decided that I need to get on the things I have been wanting to do in AGES but didnt have time, because I didnt even have time to sleep, while in school, running numerous organizations, volunteering, internship, various jobs, and so much more going on.  I have new responsibilities of course: hello student loans! but I plan on sprinkling the things I long for in life and things I have been meaning to do throughout the year amidst my required duties.  I am in the process of making a list of 100 things I would like to do by the end of next summer.  The list will evolve of course, some things are simple and wont require much time, but others will require a lot of time and investment, and if I do not complete everything, I will mark my progress and add them to the next list!  : )  I know everyone makes lists like this when its new years or they are dying, but I am of course inspired by GRADUATING AFTER 6 INTENSE YEARS of UNC Charlotte and my recent graduation, as well as all this sunshine I am drinking in. : ) Thanks God for sunshine and inspiration.

Another part of adding this list is so that my friends and networks of awesome people can help me achieve them or join me in this journey!  this list will be edited relentlessly and I will track my progress. : )  Im just trying to add spice to my life and stop putting a lot of my personal goals on a backburner for the mundane responsible life.  I dont want to live like you are "supposed to". what does that mean anyway?

Here is my list so far.


1)Read the whole bible (or as much as I can!)
2)Get back into playing piano
3)Memorize an awesome song on piano
4)Have the honor of having something I have written published. somewhere. anywhere.
5)Plan my own mission Trip to Mexico at least once (this summer!!!!)
6)Learn to play guitar (who wants to help?)
7)Become more fluent in spanish
8)Contra Dance on a regular basis
9)Return to Cochabamba Bolivia at least once with Childrens Impact Network(this summer!)
http://micorazonestaenbolivia.chipin.com/bolivia
10)Become better at Salsa!!
11)Become an expert Bachata dancer!
12)Run at least 500 Miles
13)Get my merengue on occasionally.we will just make this one to make dance a regular part of my life.  I learned this week that I truly enjoy waltz, contra, and merengue, and did them all for the first time this week!!
14)Learn how to tie a tie without watching a youtube video or asking help from friends. (seriously Ive tied a hundred ties a hundred times and still need assistance)
15)Bike at least 500 miles. (step 1=get bike)
16)write 100 poems.
17)get my CNA license renewed (its been expired since 2007)
18)Learn how to tell military time effortlessly. (Ive been taught 50 times. I just set my phone to military time as an aid in this )
20)100+ blog entries amongst my various blogs : )

Monday, May 2, 2011

Dumpster Delicacies.

Hello. Im Stephanie. I have been dumpster diving for 11 months. 
This entry is a compilation of random photos of dumpster finds, adventures, and activities and what dumpster diving is according to wikipedia. : ) ENJOY!


dumpster pie

dumpster pepper plants

found this warm melting cookie in a recycling bin..

dumpster cakes!! mm mmm!

I never had a full fridge until I started diving.

fridge packing is like tetris.


Dumpster diving (known as skipping in the UK)[1][2] is the practice of sifting through commercial or residential trash to find items that have been discarded by their owners, but which may be useful to the dumpster diver.
 

Copper thieves stole the stores refrigeration unit. it was a great dive night!!!!!


The dumpster diving term originates from the best-known manufacturer of commercial trash bins, Dempsey, who use the trade name "Dumpster" for their bins,[3] and the fanciful image of someone leaping head first into a dumpster as if it were a swimming pool. In practice, the size and design of most dumpsters makes it possible to retrieve many items from the outside of dumpsters without having to "dive" into them.
The practice of dumpster diving is also known variously as bin-diving,[4] containering,[5] D-mart,[6] dumpstering,[7] tatting, or "recycled" food.
A similar term is binner and is often used to describe people that collect recyclable materials for their deposit value.

Kaitlyn Tokays Pet. aint he cute?

dumpster newspaper coaster.

Traditionally, most people who resort to dumpster-diving are forced to do so out of economic necessity, but this is not the case today.[citation needed] In Vancouver, Binners or bottle collectors search garbage cans and dumpsters for recyclable materials that can be redeemed for their deposit value. These binners earn on average $40 Canadian per day for several garbage bags full of discarded containers.[8]
The karung guni, Zabbaleen, the rag and bone man, waste picker, junk man or bin hoker are people who make their living by sorting and trading trash. A similar process known as gleaning was practiced in rural areas and some ancient agricultural societies, where the residue from farmers' fields was collected.
Some dumpster divers self-identified as freegans aim to avoid their ecological impact by living exclusively from dumpster dived goods.


Artists use discarded materials to create works of found art or assemblage.[9] Students may use salvaged high tech items in technical projects. Still others may dumpster dive just to indulge in their curiosity for unusual items.[10]
Dumpster diving, used in support of academic research, is a tool for garbologists, who study the sociology and archeology of trash in modern life. There is a major outpost of academic garbology at the University of Arizona, directed for some decades by William Rathje. Others, because of their profession, may use dumpster diving as a method of procedure for private investigators, police, and others seeking information and material for official purposes.

we left this dumpster wagon in a friends yard as a gift. it was appreciated. we think....


By reusing resources destined for the landfill, dumpster diving becomes an environmentalist endeavor (and is thus practiced by many pro-green communities). The wastefulness of consumer society and throw-away culture drives some individuals to rescue usable items (for example, computers) from destruction and divert them to the less fortunate. Some see it as their only way of making any money or getting some needed goods in bad economic times.
Irregular, blemished, or damaged items that are still otherwise functional are regularly thrown away. Discarded food that might have slight imperfections, that is near its expiration date, or that is simply being replaced by newer stock is often thrown away despite being still edible. Many retailers are reluctant to sell this stock at reduced prices due to the belief that people will buy it instead of the higher priced newer stock, that extra handling time is required, and that there are liability risks.


Arguments against dumpster diving often focus on the health and cleanliness implications of people rummaging in trash.[11] This exposes the dumpster divers to potential health risks, and, especially if the dumpster diver does not return the non-usable items to their previous location, may leave trash scattered around. Divers can also be seriously injured or killed by garbage collection vehicles. Further, there are also concerns around the legality of taking items which may still technically belong to the person who threw them away (or to the waste management operator), and whether the taking of some items like discarded documents is a violation of privacy.


Dumpster diving is practiced differently in developed countries than in developing countries. In many economically developing countries, food is rarely thrown away unless it is rotten. In countries like the United States where 40-50% of food is wasted, the trash contains a lot of food.[12] In many countries, charities collect excess food from supermarkets and restaurants and distribute it to the needy. Dumpster divers, Karung guni, Zabaleen, and rag and bone men in these countries may concentrate on looking for usable items or scrap materials to sell.[citation needed]
In the United States, Canada, and Europe, some bakeries, grocery stores, or restaurants will routinely donate food according to a Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, but more often, because of health laws or company policy, they are required to discard food items by the expiration date, because of overstock, being overly ripened, spoiled, cosmetically imperfect, or blemished.



As proof to publishing houses of unsold merchandise , Booksellers will routinely remove the front covers of printed materials to render them destroyed and the remains thrown in the dumpster. Though readable, many damaged publications have disclaimers and legal notices against their existence or sale.
Residential buildings can be a good source of clothing, furniture, appliances, and other housewares
Some consumer electronics are dumped because of their rapid depreciation, obsolescence, cost to repair, or expense to upgrade. Owners of functional computers may find it easier to dump them rather than donate because many non-profits and schools are unable or unwilling to work with used equipment.[13] Some organizations like Geeks Into The Streets, reBOOT, Free Geek and Computerbank try to refurbish old computers for charity or educational use.
Sometimes dumpsters may contain recyclable metals and materials that can be reused or sold to recycling plants and scrap yards. The most common recyclable metals found are steel and then aluminum.[citation needed]
Often, dumpsters can be an unintended source of information. Unwanted files, letters, memos, photographs, IDs, and other discarded paperwork (or their digital equivalents) may potentially be found in dumpsters.

dehydrated dumpster orange necklace. I taught a green art class for kids and also do crafts with kids i tutor. they LOVE making necklaces out of recycled materials.  Thats because kids are still creative and true artists. The world tries to take that away from them every day though.......

dumpster food can spice up the cubicle life around lunch time.....

I LOVE giving people dumpster flowers.

MMMMM!!!!!

Thanksgiving.

The last Supper.

Because dumpsters are usually located on private premises people may occasionally get in trouble for trespassing while dumpster diving, though the law is enforced with varying degrees of rigor. Dumpster diving per se is often legal when not specifically prohibited by law. Abandonment of property is another principle of law which applies to recovering materials via dumpster diving.
Police (and possibly other) searches of dumpsters and like discards are also generally not violations; evidence seized in this way has been permitted in many criminal trials. The doctrine is less well established in regard to civil litigation.
Companies run by private investigators specializing in dumpster diving have sprung up as a result of the need for discreet, undetected retrieval of documents and evidence for civil and criminal trials. Private investigators have also written books on "P.I. technique" in which dumpster diving or its equivalent "wastebasket recovery" figures prominently.
  • In the United States, The California v. Greenwood case in the U.S. Supreme Court held that there is no common law expectation of privacy for discarded materials. There are however limits to what can legally be taken from a company's refuse. In a 1983 Minnesota case involving the theft of customer lists from a garbage can, Tennant Company v. Advance Machine Company,[14] the owner of the discarded information was awarded $500,000 in damages.
  • Dumpster diving in England and Wales may qualify as theft within the Theft Act 1968 or as common-law theft in Scotland, though there is very little enforcement in practice.
  • In Italy, a law issued in 2000 declared dumpster diving to be legal.
  • In Germany, the contents of a dumpster is the property of the owner of the dumpster so taking items from a dumpster is technically theft. However the police will routinely disregard dumpster divers due to the zero value of the items - there is only one case known of an actual prosecution: the thieves were arrested on assumed burglary as they had surmounted a fence and the supermarket owner made a complaint on theft later.[15]
  • In Canada, The Trespass to Property Act - legislation dating back to the British North America Act of 1867 - grants property owners and security guards the power to ban anyone from their premises, for any reason, permanently. This is done by issuing a notice to the intruder, who will only be breaking the law on return. A recent case involved a police officer who retrieved a discarded weapon from trash as evidence; the Judge ruled it as legal without a warrant, so some have speculated this is enough backing for anyone to raid garbage.[16]
  • A Belgian dumpster diver and eco-activist nicknamed Ollie was detained for a month for dumpster diving accused of theft and burglary. He was arrested on 25 February 2009, for taking food out of a dumpster of AD Delhaize in Bruges. His trial evoked protests in Belgium against restrictions of taking discarded food.[17][18][19]