[Christ]

I don't think I find quite enough salvage to make a daily living, except back when that's all I had. (Gas stations throw away cooked hot dogs all night long...)

Most of my "diving" or "salvage" activities are for non-consumables, such as bed frames, couches, tables, night stands, etc. I often pull things that can be recycled, such as deposit cans and bottles. Clothes, shop rags, etc. I usually wash clothes and then take them to shelters or Salvation Army stores, GoodWill, Churches, though I don't go to Church myself.

There are some people (whom I know personally) whose "garbage" I end up with about 80% of. Remember, most people around here burn their garbage, but this family would rather have me do something with it. They bundle paper into 4" diameter "logs" for me, and I soak them in oil and use them for heating the garage in the winter. We have a used motor oil furnace, but we don't use it, since we burn wood/paper in the wood heater in the garage.

I've often thought about selling those "logs" that I make, even though I'd probably have to face up to some strange EPA regulation about using discarded motor oil as a combustive additive... O'well, works for me.