You might think that businesses would want to avoid losing money by throwing away products. However, many companies throw away so many items on the regular that dumpster divers can thrive on what they find in the trash. One Reddit user just showed off what they nabbed from a Dollar General garbage bin.
What happened?
"Just pulled all of this out of the Dollar General dumpster two blocks from me," the original poster said. "Going to be caffeinated for the rest of my life."
Their first photo showed a huge stack of 24 boxes of McCafe and Starbucks coffee. Another photo showed unopened boxes full of Hostess baseball cupcakes.
"There were at least two full boxes of the Hostess baseball cupcakes, containing six boxes each," the original poster said. "Will be donating most of this to my local blessing box and keeping the rest for myself."
Why is coffee from a dumpster important?
While this dumpster diver enjoyed the lucky find, customers were out of luck. Stores that engage in this practice of throwing out lots of products have to make up the lost revenue by raising prices elsewhere. Plus, many take steps to prevent dumpster diving, including damaging goods that will be thrown away.
All this waste takes a heavy toll on the environment, as the food that's thrown out has to be replaced using even more land, water, labor, and materials. Coffee in particular is associated with deforestation, as growers clear ancient rainforest to turn it into farms.
Is Dollar General doing anything about this?
It's likely that Dollar General threw away the food because it was expiring. But "best by" dates aren't about food safety, just freshness and flavor. Plus, the store could have sold these items at a discount as they approached their expiration dates.
Dollar General does release a report on its sustainability each year — and in 2023, it says it took steps to address deforestation. "Since 2021, Dollar General has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to restore more than 321 acres of forest," it says. "In fiscal year 2023, we helped plant over 96,000 trees in deforested areas near the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Mississippi."
What can I do to cut back on waste?
To help prevent good food from going in the trash, try using an app such as Too Good To Go. Not only is it great for the environment, but you also get delicious food at a steep discount.
At home, store your food correctly to avoid unnecessary spoilage, and try to use your leftovers efficiently, as future meals or compost.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
