A Redditor shocked members of the r/DumpsterDiving thread with their haul from Anthropologie, decrying the "potential waste."
The hidden treasure included clothes, a pair of flats, notebooks, two mugs, a quintet of candles, a pillow, and a doormat.
"I feel so dumb for saying this but… anthropology throws stuff out???" one commenter wrote. "I'm gonna be sick."
Another user responded: "Every store throws tons of stuff away! Most in my area put everything in a trash compactor or the dumpsters are locked."
The finds of dumpster divers often boggle the mind: necessities such as clothing and food, furniture, and even untouched construction materials.
Retail waste ends up in landfills and other undercover locations around the world, including Chile's Atacama Desert — where a pile of unwanted clothes is so big it can be seen from space. The United Nations says the fashion industry is the second-leading consumer of water and accounts for 2% to 8% of planet-warming gases.
The food industry in America is also particularly wasteful, as 30% to 40% of the nation's provisions end up in the trash, according to the Department of Agriculture.
These inefficiencies lead to dumpster diving, which is legal in all 50 states — though practitioners should be aware of local trespassing regulations.
Dumpster divers, or "freegans," often avoid participating in the traditional economy and consumerism, Delish reported in August.
"It's all encompassing," said Janet Kalish, an organizer of the New York City group freegan.info. "It's not just about food. It's about transportation and clothing, and entertainment and housewares, and just living in a way that's in better harmony with our planet and with each other."
In an ideal world, Kalish said, there would be better ways to deal with waste, which would essentially eliminate dumpster diving. Until then, those who take the plunge will reap the rewards.
"OMG I feel so dumb for never checking the one by me," one user said. "This is over $1k worth of stuff I bet!"
Another wrote: "Daaaaang. I can't believe they didn't break everything. That's awesome! Glad you saved that stuff from the landfill."
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