The Scavengers' Manifesto

[SHTF2010]

the following lines are from the book


Nothing is beyond redemption. Nothing is garbage.

the main by-product of want-get is get-waste

for most of human history, a single fashion dictum ruled - NEW IS BEST

the fact that something was thrown away has no bearing on it's worth to it's finder

History has shown again and again how wars and disasters turn even the laziest, most shopping-addicted consumers overnight into foragers. At such times, anyone who is already a scavenger or who possesses scavenging skills such as vigilance and tolerance is way ahead of the game. But when survival is at stake, everyone scavenges.

Scavenomics picks up where economics traditionally leaves off. It is the study of the other half of the cycle that has been so conveniently ignored by economists.What happens to goods after consumption . . .

One of the principles of scavenomics is to unleash the creative power of scavengers. Often they, and only they, can come up with a use for discards, turning negative value into postive value.

Dumpster divers are bolder than most, have higher " ick " thresholds, and are not claustrophobic.


Dumpster World (http://dumpsterworld.com/index.php)

http://www.amazon.ca/Scavengers-Manifesto-Anneli-Rufus/dp/1585427179

http://img.amazon.ca/images/I/51xUpvK9SRL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

[AOW]

We've had a cold Spring here and I burned through all the wood I had for the past winter. I was unable to get to my source for wood in the mountains until just the last couple of weeks due to snow up there so I became a wood scavenger and to my surprise, my woodstove never got lonely. I was able to pick up random stuff just about everywhere I went and it actually was really fun and much more rewarding burning free stuff than calling a craigslist ad for a delivery.

[cedarchopper]

Today I went over to the Sears dumpster to find some big cardboard for making a template for a project I'm doing and I found a box with about a dozen tools that were thrown out because of broken handles...several wire cutters for heavy wire, rakes, and shears. There were also a bunch of sawed off handles that I was able to fit onto a couple of the broken tools.

Not bad for looking for cardboard.

[AOW]

We've had a decent rain/wind storm thru for the last few days and I got a call from a friend that he got the ok to haul off as much of a downed dogwood tree as he could take as long as he got it out of there today. I came home with a trailer load to split and stack. ;D

[AndreaGail]

interesting book

bookmarked for later reference and possible purchase :)

[Glass]

Thought I would resurect this thread. I was sitting at some lights and noticed a couple of illuminated speed signs. They show a reduced speed at set times of the day. One either side of the road and another set maybe 1/2 mile further down. Each had a solar panel, about 30watt going by size. The units' also had space for a reasonably big rechargable battery.

So I'm thinking, there's maybe 120watts of solar collection, 4 deep cycle batteries, chargers regulators and some LED panels you could probably stip down and make light strips to suit your needs. Within 3miles of me there are 3 of these arrangements so that makes 360Watts etc. To go another 1.5 miles and there is another set. I figure I could source another 10 or so solar panels that are around the place.

So I'm thinking PSHTF what things would/could I salvage? Should make a list of resources in your local area you can grab up when the time comes.

[Canadian-guerilla]

So I'm thinking PSHTF what things would/could I salvage? Should make a list of resources in your local area you can grab up when the time comes.


+1

Will I Be Called A Looter, A Forager, A Scavenger Or Just A Common Thief?

- See more at: http://www.thedailysheeple.com/will-i-be-called-a-looter-a-forager-a-scavenger-or-just-a-common-thief_102013#sthash.zthD9Trf.dpuf




in the movie The Great Escape
my favorite character is Hendley, the scrounger

[Jewboo]

+1

Will I Be Called A Looter, A Forager, A Scavenger Or Just A Common Thief?

- See more at: http://www.thedailysheeple.com/will-i-be-called-a-looter-a-forager-a-scavenger-or-just-a-common-thief_102013#sthash.zthD9Trf.dpuf



The guy talks about looting his "abandoned" neighbor's homes and most of the reader comments there approve.

:o let's go visit our neighbors now so we can "make a list" of their stuff

[Glass]

I think it strange you are worried about being called anything at all. If no one is around, who's gonna call you anything? And by no one I don't just mean at 3AM in the morning. I mean there is no one around because they all perished.

I am talking a true SHTF, not something like a storm causing people to relocate to a temporary camp with the view they are going home soon. I'm talking, no one is coming home. Period.

So abandoned stuff is not lootable. It's abandoned. And yes I think while others are going to the supermarket/electronics shop in the early apocalypse. The smart people are grabbing up more longer term useful stuff that the government might have deployed and obviously because they no longer exist they are not going to be using or needing it.

So you are maybe looking for:
power - solar panels, gensets
Fuel - liquid or solid
building materials - lumber, wall cladding, roof sheeting, plastic sheeting
fencing materials - gates, wire rolls, link mesh
water access - pumps, pipes, hoses etc
parts - for just about anything, vehicles, electrical, tools.

Anyway, if anyone has more ideas on what to be on the lookout for post em up.

[Jewboo]

I'm talking, no one is coming home. Period.




http://exclaim.ca/images/vacation.jpg


How long you willing to wait, exactly, before you loot your neighbor's home?


:(?? would they tell you they ain't never returning?

[ximmy]

AURORA, Ill. (CBS) — As if their life were not difficult enough, the Stapleton family of Aurora came home to find their house looted – allegedly by people they thought were their friends.
As WBBM Newsradio’s Dave Marsett reports, the Chicago Sun-Times says (http://www.suntimes.com/news/13932317-418/neighbors-blamed-after-aurora-couple-finds-personal-items-removed-from-home.html) Mike Stapleton of Aurora already had heart surgery in 2007, and two years later he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Complications from radiation treatment left him on disability.

As if that weren’t enough, Stapleton’s wife, Susan Kendall, lost her job – and so did their daughter and son in law, the Sun-Times reported. The daughter, son-in-law and their four kids moved into mom and dad’s house.

But that didn’t work out, and they had to arrange to turn their two-story brick home over the bank, the newspaper reported.
They all moved to Topeka, Kan., when Kendall found a job with the YWCA. They took what they could in the first trip, and returned for the rest of their belongings, the Sun-Times reported.
But after the Stapletons left, their already devastating situation got even worse. Some neighbors and friends thought the Stapeltons were not coming back to the Aurora house, and they came inside and took everything the family had left behind, the Sun-Times reported.
The neighbors entered the house without permission, and took about $3,000 worth of property from the house, including Stapleton’s lawnmower, hedge trimmer, and other gardening implements, the Sun-Times reported.
The neighbors even took personal items of sentimental value such as family photos and heirlooms, the Sun-Times reported.
Aurora Ald. Rick Lawrence (4th) said he was called by a neighbor about the trash left behind, the Sun-Times reported. The neighbor wanted the house cleaned up.
Lawrence said he was inside the house shortly after the neighbors had picked over and taken many of the items, the Sun-Times reported.
But Stapleton tells the newspaper the air conditioning was still on and the utilities were still in the family’s name, and they would never have abandoned the house with everything inside. He told the paper that no one had a right to barge into the house and take anything he or she wanted.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/23/neighbors-loot-aurora-familys-home-after-they-move-leave-items-behind/

[Neuro]

http://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/2560x1600/smurfs/1216097/smurfs-apocalypse-caos-and-fire-in-city-hd-best-1216097.jpg
Don't go looting Jewboo says!

[Hitch]

I've got to agree with Book here. We've got no reason for taking other people's things, even in a collapse situation. Get the things you need now. My father told me some good advise, you can tell a man's character by the things he does when nobody is around, nobody is looking. Even if nobody is around, stealing is still stealing.

The important thing is to rebuild after a collapse, and to rebuild a better future, it means we must keep our morals and values with us through it all.

[Glass]

So anyway, back on topic. The topic is scavenging. Ideas on where you might locate usable supplies. I'm thinking municipal depots. Even work/building sites for obvious things then not so, like medical/first aid kits, possibly other items depending on site facilities. TP. that kind of thing.

[Hitch]

So anyway, back on topic. The topic is scavenging. .

You've got to define what the difference between scavenging and looting/stealing is. Just because you think something has been abandoned, doesn't mean it is, even if the rightful owner dies. The owner's son or daughters may show up, needing shelter, only to find their parent's homes looted and ransacked. Property rights must honored, even in the worst collapse situation, imo.

There is some grey area however, for example, say one of the survivors is a doctor needing medical supplies to treat the sick and injured. Or, another big one, is locating an AED. Most people can't afford their own, and if you are near an airport, for example that has many of them. AED's are meant to be taken and used if needed anyway, that's why they are mounted in public areas. Most schools have them, keep your eye out in your local area for them. They are usually well marked and mounted on the wall somewhere easily accessible.

[Jewboo]

So anyway, back on topic. The topic is scavenging.




http://gold-silver.us/forum/image.php?u=3330&dateline=1348598662
Where's my stuff Glass?

Ponce scared the crap out of K-os with his MILLIONS WILL DIE from a massive Gulf methane gas explosion during the BP spill so she locked up her home and went on her months-long Mystery Tour (http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?33667-The-Mystery-Tour&highlight=mystery+tour).



:rolleyes: absent owner is not "abandoned" property...lol

[Hitch]

If you are planning on scavenging, might want to get yourself a black hoodie. That way you'll fit in with these guys on their 'scavenging' adventure...

5532

[gunDriller]

+1

Will I Be Called A Looter, A Forager, A Scavenger Or Just A Common Thief?


shop-lifting vs. semi-shop-lifting.

[Hitch]

http://gold-silver.us/forum/image.php?u=3330&dateline=1348598662
Where's my stuff Glass?

Ponce scared the crap out of K-os with his MILLIONS WILL DIE from a massive Gulf methane gas explosion during the BP spill so she locked up her home and went on her months-long Mystery Tour (http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?33667-The-Mystery-Tour&highlight=mystery+tour).





:rolleyes: absent owner is not "abandoned" property...lol

I've got to comment on this post. This post is completely uncalled for, a direct lie, and a personal attack on a well respected member who helped build this forum in the beginning.

Miss k-os had an adventure of a lifetime. She did what very few people do, had the courage to take a great adventure. She brought a lot of good folks together, friends for a lifetime, and many great times were had.

If you folks wonder why we keep losing respected members on this forum? This post quoted is why. Book's miserable existence and his need to push his negativity on to other members.

[Jewboo]

This post is completely uncalled for, a direct lie, and a personal attack on a well respected member...




:rolleyes:





No longer "and many will die".......but more like......"and all will die"...The oceans periodically produce massive eruptions of explosive methane gas...The people and property located on the greater expanse of the Gulf Coast are sitting at Ground Zero. They will be the first exposed to poisonous, cancer causing chemical gases. They will be the ones that initially experience the full fury of a methane bubble exploding from the ruptured seabed...Next, the ocean bottom will collapse, instantaneously displacing up to a trillion cubic feet of water or more and creating a towering supersonic tsunami annihilating everything along the coast and well inland. Like a thermonuclear blast, a high pressure atmospheric wave could precede the tidal wave flattening everything in its path before the water arrives.

[Spectrism]

I've got to comment on this post. This post is completely uncalled for, a direct lie, and a personal attack on a well respected member who helped build this forum in the beginning.

Miss k-os had an adventure of a lifetime. She did what very few people do, had the courage to take a great adventure. She brought a lot of good folks together, friends for a lifetime, and many great times were had.

If you folks wonder why we keep losing respected members on this forum? This post quoted is why. Book's miserable existence and his need to push his negativity on to other members.


Now this is interesting. I have been wondering about Hitcher. For you to write like that, you had to be around long before Feb2013. Who were you back then? You can send me a PM and I promised not to tell my dog the secret formula.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw57aZ_hvY

[Glass]

You've got to define what the difference between scavenging and looting/stealing is. Just because you think something has been abandoned, doesn't mean it is, even if the rightful owner dies. The owner's son or daughters may show up, needing shelter, only to find their parent's homes looted and ransacked. Property rights must honored, even in the worst collapse situation, imo.

There is some grey area however, for example, say one of the survivors is a doctor needing medical supplies to treat the sick and injured. Or, another big one, is locating an AED. Most people can't afford their own, and if you are near an airport, for example that has many of them. AED's are meant to be taken and used if needed anyway, that's why they are mounted in public areas. Most schools have them, keep your eye out in your local area for them. They are usually well marked and mounted on the wall somewhere easily accessible.

There is no grey area. I was very clear. Everyone is dead. There is no functioning govrnment, there is not law enforcement. There is no one to claim any thing. There is no stealing.

So back on topic please. Good places to look for supplies to scavenge.

Airports - medical supplies, check.
I'm figuring good for lots of stuff if you can get into the hangers. fuel as well. hehe AV Gas. That will help the Mad Max's out there.

[Jewboo]

There is no grey area. I was very clear. Everyone is dead.



On a serious note, in forum conversations about "Bugging In (https://www.google.com/search?q=bugging+in&hl=en&site=imghp&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=A2NoUp24Mer3iwLMqYCoBg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAA&biw=1280&bih=556&dpr=1)", some said they would intentionally make their home look trashed and abandoned and hide in their basement with their guns and food and preps.

[Hitch]

There is no grey area. I was very clear. Everyone is dead. There is no functioning govrnment, there is not law enforcement. There is no one to claim any thing. There is no stealing.

The reality is, you will never know if everyone is dead. It will never be that black and white, there will always be a grey area, and we will always need to make ethical decisions.

That being said, I wonder if there's a way to access fuel tanks manually, at gas stations.

[Glass]

The reality is, you will never know if everyone is dead. It will never be that black and white, there will always be a grey area, and we will always need to make ethical decisions.

That being said, I wonder if there's a way to access fuel tanks manually, at gas stations.

I think a Pitcher pump might be the go. These are pretty cheap and you can probably pick them up at junk/garage sales. You can grab them at Agriculture supply places for maybe $20-30 bux. They do have a maximum head on them which I think is 30feet although it varies by quality. Attach a long enough hose.

This guy has good advice for pumps, water etc
http://www.youtube.com/user/engineer775
The Ram or Pulse pumps are well worth knowing about. They require no power to run but need at least a small drop/flow.

He does a video on pitcher pumps here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHiOMc6Vlhs). Good info and the tech specs on how far one of these can draw is something you need to know if using one.

For me, I would be looking around to identify the pumping houses for the water supply in your area. I would also look at local park lands and so on for the location of the bores/wells that reticulate those parks. Assuming the water is not too brackish, it would be useful to know where the bores are, what pipes to crack open so you can hook up a pump, pitcher or otherwise. Some bores will actually be under positive pressure so it pays to be careful.

Think about having to walk to the local well each day to collect water - Africa style. Being able to open up a well to serve the local community of "whos left" could be a good thing.

I know there are a lot of bores around my city and many hot springs as well. The hot springs were all concreted over and many of the bores, the water is too sweet to go into the water supply so they add salt to it first. Most are used for reticulation and not drinking.