Veganism and Dumpster Diving

[blackbeanfanatic]

Hey y'all, been a tiny while, but I was wondering about other vegans opinion on a certain matter:

Say it's 00:13 am, you've gone down to the supermarket with a friend. It's just down the street, it's no hassle, you do this every Thursday. Down at the dumpster you're expecting to find your average paprika - maybe a squash or an avocado - but instead, what you find is 26 packets of milk-chocolate coated peanuts, and 3 kilos of dank cheese.

At this point my vegan heart screams. What do I do? I'm vegan, but here's heaps and heaps of cheese and chocolate set to be thrown away the next morning. So the question is: do you take them, or do you leave them? If you are a vegan for health reasons it might be easy, you don't want these things. Myself however I mainly went vegan for environmental reasons, but the thing is I really do enjoy the health benefits as well. People know I'm vegan, and so it's even a bit shameful, it's like I'm the world's biggest hypocrite the second I touch those peanuts, or sprinkle a bit of that cheese on a pizza. It's really not consistent. But then again, it doesn't cause any environmental impact, and it doesn't cause any more suffering if I take them. I'd never take eggs or meat though, that's not happening - it's kind of disgusting. But milk products, I really can't bring myself to be disgusted by them.

I've went with both sides of this dilemma in the past, gorging myself on a 50 gram chocolate-bar, and adding a bit of cheese to a calzone. But what are your thoughts? Can you think of any other arguments for, or against? What would you do? Do you have any DD stories yourself? I'll get back to replies for sure!

(I know, the initiative is more important than the label. Don't need to hear that :p)

[knot]

Nah, cant see anything wrong with eating them, though I probably wouldn't do it myself

Maybe the best thing to do is give the products to someone you know who would normally buy them

[EquALLity]

People know I'm vegan, and so it's even a bit shameful, it's like I'm the world's biggest hypocrite the second I touch those peanuts, or sprinkle a bit of that cheese on a pizza. It's really not consistent.

What? Why?

There's nothing unethical about eating animal products that would go to waste anyway, so if you're vegan for ethical reasons, it's not inconsistent at all. Yeah, it's unhealthy, but it doesn't make you worse of a person to do it.

[brimstoneSalad]

Maybe the best thing to do is give the products to someone you know who would normally buy them

This. Then you're actually displacing animal products that would be bought otherwise, which is like being a double vegan.

Otherwise, I would suggest you take everything (even the meat), and give it to homeless, or poor families. Homeless dumpster dive too, but sometimes it's hard for them to get to grocery stores in the suburbs since they tend to congregate in down town areas.

[blackbeanfanatic]

Giving to other people is not a bad idea, and I have done it a bit, but I guess I can step it up. In the town I live in of 9000 people, there isn't any homeless though. They'd freeze to death in a single night at this time of year, so they flock to the cities. I don't personally know of any poor either, so I'd have to give it to friends. I moved here recently so I don't have that many friends to give it too either, only 5-6 persons. I really like the sound of double vegan! It's either that or... sell it :p

[blackbeanfanatic]

People know I'm vegan, and so it's even a bit shameful, it's like I'm the world's biggest hypocrite the second I touch those peanuts, or sprinkle a bit of that cheese on a pizza. It's really not consistent.

What? Why?

There's nothing unethical about eating animal products that would go to waste anyway, so if you're vegan for ethical reasons, it's not inconsistent at all. Yeah, it's unhealthy, but it doesn't make you worse of a person to do it.

I guess you're right. You are right. My notions are silly.

[MoralAkteur]

We have a fridge standing in a public place in my little hometown. You can put your stuff in there, take other things out or both. Maybe there´s something like this in your neighborhood, too?!
Really ecxited to see there are other dumpster divers here

[blackbeanfanatic]

We have a fridge standing in a public place in my little hometown. You can put your stuff in there, take other things out or both. Maybe there´s something like this in your neighborhood, too?!
Really excited to see there are other dumpster divers here

I've heard of things like that, and that would be great,! But nope - there's nothing like that, that I've seen at least (and I think I would have seen it cause town is small.) It all comes back to the original question: take it or leave it?