Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

There are transfer stations and drop-off convenience centers here on O'ahu, too. But most folks either don't know about them or don't bother going there.

I'll admit that I didn't know about Oahu Transfer stations. Going to these recycle centers make dropping off your opala even more fun. My wife says,"you were supposed to get rid of the garbage and you bring home more?"

[memorylane]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

Ones mans rubbish is anothers treasure! My bro and i found unopened presents just after opening our gifts on Mele Kalikimaka (before even coming to live in Hawaii on a 3 yr. military tour way back in 79). Never could understand why some mean parent must have thrown away a kids gifts!
I say go for it, especially if you see something that looks real good, go home and take a shower after and enjoy your treasure, what the hay....

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

I'll admit that I didn't know about Oahu Transfer stations. Going to these recycle centers make dropping off your opala even more fun. My wife says,"you were supposed to get rid of the garbage and you bring home more?"

One of the factors against using the O'ahu transfer stations is that you need a vehicle big enough to haul your 'ōpala over there. Maybe folks on the Big Island own more pickup trucks, but here in the big city there are lots of people who only have smaller cars. It's hard to fit an old stove into the trunk of an Acura Integra, you know.

[melorama]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

A lot of people do it on the mainland and Canada.

They found some good stuff, including computer related components (sometimes the whole computer, some drives, etc) and other goodies.

I've been reading a lot in the above thread, and I want to know if anyone knows if this is illegal here. If not, care to join me?

As odd as it sounds, dumpster diving can be very fun (at least if you have nothing better to do).

My favorite dumpster diving experience (actually, my only experience) was about 11 years ago, when a friend called me at around 1:00 AM, saying "dude, Steve (names changed to protect the innocent) at KGMB just called me and said they just threw out a working 1-inch tape machine in the dumpster!" So we both drove down to the KGMB studios from Kailua, donned in ninja-like gear, and started rooting around in thier garbage like a bunch of damned fools.

We managed to dig out the aforementioned Ampex 1-inch videotape deck (which back then was the highest quality analog tape format used for broadcast), as well as a bunch of other professional video gear. The funniest (or saddest, depending on your perspective) part of the story is that just as we started digging out our prizes, it started raining like a mofo. We tried to protect the gear from the rain, but ultimately, none of the stuff we dug out worked because the water had seeped into everything.

Boy did we feel stupid.

[Laakea]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

Here at the office we just got rid of some office supplies, computers w/o operating systems (ideal for IT students), and some office furniture. A majority of it was donated to schools, but we got rid of a lot of things that wasn't suitable for donations. I'm sure someone here had fun, sifting through our dumpsters.

[adrian]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

Here at the office we just got rid of some office supplies, computers w/o operating systems (ideal for IT students), and some office furniture. A majority of it was donated to schools, but we got rid of a lot of things that wasn't suitable for donations. I'm sure someone here had fun, sifting through our dumpsters.

Dang, if were here in the islands, then I would of asked you to save some so that I could pick it up.

BTW, if anyone is throwing away some computer parts/equipment, then PM email me (adri1456 at gmail.com). I asked some friends, and they said that they can't just give the equipment to people who doesn't work there, even though I told them that I could go down there, reformat the hard drive to get rid of any evidence, and bring it home.

[alohalani]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

Scary thought. I will be tearing my personal information into unreadable bits. Mahalo.

[pzarquon]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

These days, companies need a data destruction policy. Not just "format" or even "scramble residual data," but actual physical destruction of data storage media. If it means writing out exactly how badly to smash the hard drive to bits, and how to confirm the platters are non-recoverable, so be it.

The incriminating things found on hard drives donated or thrown away could fill a book. If you care enough to have a shredder at home, or at least to tear up bank and credit card statements before throwing them out (hopefully mixed with your food waste), you better treat your CDs and digital devices the same way when it comes to sensitive information.

[mel]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

If you care enough to have a shredder at home, or at least to tear up bank and credit card statements before throwing them out (hopefully mixed with your food waste), you better treat your CDs and digital devices the same way when it comes to sensitive information.

I second the motion on this one. Destroy the physical media the data resides on. It is better than erasing.

Here is one such CD shredder device:
http://www.yenra.com/cd-shredder/

I have to look into one soon. I've made far too many archive copies of old data several times over. It's almost time to thin out my stock and keep it away from the dumpster divers.

[melorama]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

I second the motion on this one. Destroy the physical media the data resides on. It is better than erasing.

Here is one such CD shredder device:
http://www.yenra.com/cd-shredder/

I have to look into one soon. I've made far too many archive copies of old data several times over. It's almost time to thin out my stock and keep it away from the dumpster divers.

To my humanitarian way of thinking, my trash can be another person's brand new porn collection!

[adrian]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

I should have bumped this thread up a while ago so that I could tag along with anyone during my break, but I forgot.

And the offer of donating used computer parts is still up in the air.

EDIT: and here's an article on dumpster diving in Seattle.

[shaveice]

Re: Anyone knows if Dumpster Diving is illegal here?

melorama wrote:
To my humanitarian way of thinking, my trash can be another person's brand new porn collection!

*** dude, you are too generous! so when's the next time you plan to unload your old collection??? i'll be waiting with a garbage bag in hand!

Miulang wrote:
But in general, I think dumpster diving is probably only illegal in 2 instances: 1) if you get caught doing it...

ha! ha! that's pretty funny. reminds me of the lyrics to the old song "tweeter and the monkey man" by the traveling wilburys/george harrison:
"Jan had told him many times it was you to me who taught
In Jersey anything's legal as long as you don't get caught..."