Artist Gregory Kloehn has an interesting project. He took a dumpster, used some ingenuity and turned the metal container into a home.

Once you get over the fact that it’s a dumpster, the living quarters are not that bad. The dumpster is small but it’s outfitted with cabinets, a cooking surface, electricity, and all the other basic amenities needed to survive. It even has granite countertops and a hard wood floor. Not too shabby. [YouTube via LikeCool and Nick McGlynn via Gizmodo]

Now you have one more reason to rent dumpsters, especially for the hot summer days.

The Brooklyn swimming pool, dubbed the “lo-fi country club” by Macro Sea, is an impressive first step. The pool took 12 days to construct. The dumpsters, which weren’t being used because of the slow down in construction projects, were cleaned and painted. Rough edges were sanded down. They were then equipped with plastic liners, sandbags (for soft walking), and tarps before being filled with 19,000 gallons of chlorinated water.

Source: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/248/swimming-pool-made-from-dumpsters.html

This adds one new definition to “dumpster diving”

Haulers in these states: Idaho, Arkansas, Iowa, Oregon, Alaska and Nebraska - bookadumpster needs you.These are the only states that bookadumpster does not have any haulers in, it would be great to get service in these states so customers who are searching for dumpsters can book one!We currently have customers searching these states wanting to book dumpsters - which means more orders for you! Which is helpful in the slow season that we are in.If it is of interest to you please visit our website - www.bookadumpster.com click on the ‘hauler’ link, located at the top left hand of the home page and simply fill in the site enquiry and one of our  team members will be in contact.

Not the safest pastime, but definitely interesting… Dumpster Diving (known as skipping in the UK) is the practice of sifting through commercial or residential trash to find items that have been discarded. Seems that more and more people and getting together to try this out.

Check out this website: http://dumpsterdiving.meetup.com/

…the way of the future.

Maybe we are a little bias, but we think our website www.bookadumpster.com is a great example of innovative technology. It has the ability to produce instant quotes for our customers and gives them the ability to place a dumpster order online without having to speak to anyone!

One woman’s trash is another women’s treasure…we often refer to ex boyfriends as such, but what about our real trash, junk, rubbish and waste? Another great innovation is the website www.hollywoodstartrash.com. This site will link you to Ebay where you are able to bid for celebrities trash to become your treasure. Sound crazy? Well, someone paid $1000 for Paris Hiltons used dental floss! Take a look and see what else they have available after dumpster diving at the celebs homes…

Keeping safe…while dumpster diving

Useful Equipment:
Flashlight
First Aid Kit
Sturdy gloves and shoes
Long pants and a long sleeved top
Plastic bags
Stick for poking or grabbing
Stool or step to get in

Dumpster divers who action the following will find it is to their benefit:

• Always wear thick gloves and sturdy shoes to protect yourself from sharp objects.
• If someone asks you to leave, do so, avoid confrontation
• Do not enter a dumpster while haulers are working in the area, if a truck approaches get out of the dumpster immediately
• Never access a dumpster that displays a “No Trespass” sign
• Beware of dumpster lids closing on you
• Avoid expired food, may contain food borne illnesses which could be fatal
• Never enter a dumpster that is attached to a compactor
• Keep your tetanus shots up to date
• Clean yourself thoroughly to get rid of germs once you are done

Remember to remove jewelry and empty your pockets before you get in, you don’t want to lose anything to the next diver !

Looking at another man’s trash as your treasure…thinking about trying your hand at Dumpster Diving?

Here at bookadumpster.com we do not encourage dumpster diving, but we do like the fact that it keeps things out of the landfills… we have prepared some notes:

• Divers find that the best time to seek out treasure is late at night or early in the morning before the haulers have picked up. Mondays are good as stores often rid themselves of items after the weekends

• Knowledge of the law is beneficial; in some jurisdictions dumpster divers are breaking the law and can be charged with theft

• Divers seek out hot spots depending on the type of treasure they are interested in (Universities are good after graduation!). Online forums and local clubs are available to join to network with other divers

• Shop keepers and homeowners are not always impressed with dumpster divers so avoiding confrontation is key. Avoiding sharp objects and general safely is also fairly necessary! Dive with a buddy

• Divers worried about safety may park their car in front of the dumpster so the hauler is unable to dump it

• Divers should only take what they realistically want, and dispose of unusable items responsibly, especially electronic waste

• Thorough cleaning using a mild bleach and water is very highly recommended for any objects found by the divers

• Divers should always leave an area they have been using clean or cleaner than when they found it, cleaning up after themselves avoids dumpster diving getting a bad name

Check back soon for warnings and tips that may be relevant to Dumpster Divers safety….