Dumpsta Divin'

Every time I watch a documentary I end up pouring my eyes out, cracking my knuckles, quivering my lip, and looking around the room to catch gaze with someone just as anxious to change the world as I am. When I read what the movie was about, I was excited because the topic of dumpster diving and waste was really familiar. My two best friends are a couple of hippies that walk barefoot to Burning man, swear by medicinal marijuana (Even though they’re as healthy as an Ox) and believe that buying food from the grocery store is supporting a dictatorship. Are they dramatic Ralph Nader supporters? Sure, but their heart belongs in the right place. Anyway, the two of them rang me one day, asking if they could prepare a meal for us in my kitchen. Excitedly, I agreed. They strolled in with Winn Dixie bags full of eggs, cheese, bacon, spinach and the likes. They asked if I’d had quiche before, and I said no, so they explained to me what we’d be eating. Moreover, they explained to me ever so coyly that they’d received this food for free. My friend raised her eyebrow at me, watching me drink my 6 dollar Starbucks coffee, and with a smirk exclaimed “We got it from the dumpster!” Not knowing what the hell to say, I over exaggeratedly yelled back “Oh! COOL!” While cracking the egg that God knows how long had been sitting out in the 80 degree weather, she asked if I was okay with that. Heck no I wasn’t, but I wasn’t one to seem like I was better than anyone else, so I smiled, ate, and helped washed the dishes. All the while wishing I’d known how to do that fancy, throw-your-food-over-your-shoulder- trick. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good; maybe it had something to do with the fact that I couldn’t get a dumpster out of my head all night. Point being, the most valuable thing I learned from “Dive”? If you take eggs from a dumpster, put them in water, and if they float, have at ‘em. If they sit at the bottom…RUN. More importantly, this documentary showed me just how valuable our food is and where it comes from. Additionally, it showed us just how many people go starving and why it’s so insane that not everyone has food on their plate. Knowing I’ll never step foot near a dumpster, I’ve made plans to go with my hipster barefoot friends to a food bank at Baptist Church this Sunday. I can’t wait to feel like I’m actually making a difference instead of just being moved by another documentary.