I couldn’t believe it when my husband first told me his law-school roommate went ‘grocery shopping’ in dumpsters.

The thought of wading through trash for something to eat turned my stomach, but it had me wondering: was financial desperation forcing him to explore those smelly, over-sized trashcans? Wouldn’t eating garbage affect his amazing athleticism?

Since that first shock in 1982, I’ve realized that this student had intentionally joined a growing movement challenging the concept of food waste and provoking the question: “Who decides when food becomes garbage?”

Last fall, my writer friend Mike Russell attended a networking event at Keen Headquarters – an admirably eco-conscientious company where my son works - and saved a small tub of olive oil from the trash at the end of the night. “It hadn’t been opened, and no one else seemed to be interested,” Mike told me. “I piped up just before someone tossed it out, and then I had gourmet oil for a month!”

When I brought up Mike’s experience to another friend, Suzanne Pinckney, she shared how she and her partner ate gourmet food for six months without spending a dime. “Once we found enough cheese to make our own wheel! Those big ‘scores’ boosted our confidence and curiosity to see what else we could find.”

BrownFlynn

Leading ahead of these isolated, individual efforts are charitable organizations around the country that divert edible food from the waste stream. One sterling example operates in the nation’s capital. DC Central Kitchen began redistributing the excess food from the presidential inauguration in January 1989 and now fights poverty and hunger by re-purposing food that would have otherwise been thrown away. Obviously, DCCK is far more sophisticated than dumpster diving. They’re coordinating with providers before a dumpster is ever an option.

In each case, perfectly good food was diverted from the waste stream and consumed without consequence. If the idea turns your stomach, ask yourself why there is no waste in Nature, yet millions of people go hungry every day while mountains of food are thrown away.

According to this article by Next Generation Food:

• It is estimated that food wasted by the US and Europe could feed the world three times over.
• Food waste contributes to excess consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels, which, along with methane and CO2 emissions from decomposing food, impacts global climate change.
• In the US, per capita food waste has increased by 50 percent since 1974.

MixTapeTherapy

Don’t worry, being a part of the solution doesn’t mean starting your next grocery trip behind the store. Instead, consider some simple steps you can take:

1. Challenge yourself to ask about those 'scraps' at the next public event you attend. You might inspire someone else to pipe up next time and get the food diverted from the trash.
2. If you're feeling adventurous, stroll around the back of the supermarket and just take a peak. If there’s nothing appealing, check back later - you may be surprised by what you find. Even if you don’t need it, someone else does!
3. Coordinate with local processing facilities and food shelters. There’s delicious, nutritious and unexpired food that can be ‘repurposed’ in your community today.

How far are you willing to challenge the concept of food waste?

EmoWare

Disclaimer: Some municipalities treat dumpster diving as a crime. Check to make sure you’re not planning anything illegal in your town.