out of the bin It is almost two o'clock in the morning when Shoob and Gia set out to raid the containers of the nearby organic market. Equipped with backpacks, gloves and headlamps, they climb over the barred gate into the backyard where the dumpsters are located. Everything happens very quickly. The lids of the containers are lifted, the blue plastic bags are grabbed and torn open. Out fall vast quantities of bread, milk, meat and vegetables. Easy game on this Monday evening in Berlin Friedrichshain. Shoob and Gia are garbage divers, they get their food out ot the bin. Not because they are poor, they have a political message: we throw away too much food. The garbage divers are a loose scene that is constantly growing and originated in New York in the 90s.
Legally, they operate in a gray area. Lawyers are not unanimous about whether the facts of trespassing or theft are fulfilled. After all, wholesalers don't want anyone to get the food for free. After all, the goods are made available for destruction or further processing. In Germany, two cases ended up in court. One was dropped, the second ended in an acquittal. The bakery involved was unable to claim any damages. I think the dumpster divers are one step ahead of most people. Once you've witnessed what can be found in the trash, you actually ask yourself: why doesn't everyone do this? -2015