On Dumpster Diving Summary

The essay “On Dumpster Diving” by Lars Eighner describes his experience of being homeless. Eighner wrote it to teach people how to scavenge through Dumpsters. Additionally, the author explains his personal experiences on finding the correct foods, items, and money. His explanation will allow curious people and others wanting to start Dumpster diving an idea on the process. Humans throw out an abundance of food and items that enable homeless and financially poor to live from it.

Eighner helps his audience understand how he discerns edible food from non-edible food. He explains a process of how people start scavenging and steps describing what happens in each one. There is also a difference in can scavengers and a “true scavenger.” (Eighner

684) Other than the useful items he acquires, there are personal items that Eighner finds and leaves without judgment. Eighner briefly mentions some pests that he has encounter during his scavenging. The last point he writes about is how to search through Dumpsters.
The audience Eighner is trying to capture are people that don’t know anything about Dumpster diving. The general subject is how scavengers live and feel. The main idea is that people can live from Dumpsters. Eighner describes different foods and how to know if they are good to eat or not. There are “three principles: using the senses and common sense to evaluate the condition of the found materials, knowing the Dumpsters of a given area and checking them regularly.” (Eighner 678) Canned foods are the most sheltered foods to eat because they have a metal shield. While the Dumpster won't contaminate the food, it can develop botulism which "is almost certainly fatal." (Eighner 678) With dry foods, it is easy to tell if they're edible if they are "dry and crisp." (Eighner 678) Fruit and vegetable skins examined give conviction after seeing intact skins. With "leafy vegetables, grapes, broccoli" they are too difficult to determine if they're contaminated. (Eighner 679) Hard candy, in general, is in good condition, and tarnished chocolate is still good to eat. Raw and cooked meat is difficult to know the origin, and no one should consume it. Change can also be found at the bottom of Dumpsters because they fall through the tiny maze of garbage.