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Dumpster diver thrilled after rescuing fully functional tech item from trash: 'It works great'

"It always feels good."

"It always feels good."

Photo Credit: iStock

A dumpster diver had some easy advice for fellow Redditors after a big-time find: "Check your storage unit dumpsters yall."

They shared their head-turning haul to the r/DumpsterDiving subreddit, and the details exceeded the community's expectations.

"It always feels good."
Photo Credit: Reddit

Their photo shows a full Quest VR gaming headset with left and right controllers. Considering they found it in the trash, the assumption from some was that it must be broken.

"Ooh nice!" a Redditor exclaimed. "Even if it's broken it'll still be cheaper to fix than buying a new one I'd assume."

"There is nothing wrong with it!" the OP announced. Another bonus was the tech was far from defunct, as a fellow user shared.

"It works great," they said. They noted that the OP might need to look into upgrading with comfier head strap slots like they had. Another suggestion from the poster was seeing how they could access some of the newer games.

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But that was small potatoes to landing a still-good VR headset for free. That is a great money-saving move and one that also comes with positives for the planet.

E-waste is a persistent challenge to recycle, though there is encouraging progress on the horizon. 

Dumpster diving is a great way to land electronics for free and keep what isn't recycled out of methane-producing landfills. Once there, the growing quantity of e-waste can leak toxic chemicals and metals into the air, water, and soil, as the World Health Organization described.

While dumpster diving is legal in all 50 states, it's important to do the practice safely and legally. You can accomplish that by ensuring you're not trespassing, using gloves in case of sharp objects, and bringing a flashlight if you're going in the dark.

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A fellow Redditor was pumped for the OP's find: "Wild!! So cool! Enjoy and nice work saving that from the landfill!!"

The OP was pleased, but they wished they could save even more electronics from the garbage. They said it "always feels good" but noted they were unable to keep up with the supply when it came to TVs.

"However, if I was really serious about saving stuff from the landfill I would figure out a way to save all the TVs I found across," they declared. They were certainly doing their best, though, as they'd found a home for four sets from the over 50 they'd seen.

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