History Main / DumpsterDive

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1769554/1/Aftermath-A-Story-of-Blended-Clich%C3%A9s Aftermath: A Story of Blended Cliches,]]'' [[RanmaOneHalf Ranma]] being caught when reduced to this causes a DespairEventHorizon, [[spoiler:Something [[Franchise/SailorMoon Sailor Pluto]] had been working Ranma towards to rebuild her.]]

* Dumpster diving is a living in Manshiyat Naser, whose residents live off Cairo's garbage, making it one of ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s [[http://www.cracked.com/article_19590_the-6-weirdest-cities-people-actually-live-in.html The 6 Weirdest Cities People Actually Live In]].

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1769554/1/Aftermath-A-Story-of-Blended-Clich%C3%A9s Aftermath: A Story of Blended Cliches]]'', [[RanmaOneHalf Ranma]] being caught when reduced to this causes a DespairEventHorizon, [[spoiler: Something [[Franchise/SailorMoon Sailor Pluto]] had been working Ranma towards to rebuild her.]]

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1769554/1/Aftermath-A-Story-of-Blended-Clich%C3%A9s Aftermath: A Story of Blended Cliches]]'', [[RanmaOneHalf Ranma]] being caught when reduced to this causes a DespairEventHorizon, [[spoiler: Something [[SailorMoon Sailor Pluto]] had been working Ranma towards to rebuild her.]]

* in online game ''BillyVsSnakeman'', people who are in a village, and have access to Burgerninja content, can do this as an ingredient hunt for combine-able items that later help later.

* ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'': In the first episode, "The Lady in the Bottle", Major Nelson rifles through the back of a garbage truck in an attempt to recover Jeannie and her bottle. With Major Healey, Dr. Bellows and General Stone looking on . . . .

Making a Dumpster Dive is going into the dumpster [[note]]A large trash bin, ranging in size from about 3 feet wide, 6 feet long and 4 feet deep to around 7 feet wide, 30 feet long and 6 feet deep; note that "Dumpster" was originally a brand name (and a play on the name of the inventors, the Dempster brothers, who originally developed it for use in their construction business), though it's become genericized[[/note]] ''intentionally'' to get something.

* In ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', Tony Stark has his first conversation with the youngest recruit on his team after the latter has come in from an afternoon of dumpster diving; the teen is pleased to have pulled a perfectly good DVD player from the trash.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'', dumpsters are one of the containers which can be opened (they usually contain ammo and money, but sometimes contain cheap guns). One quest involves retrieving a character's PornStash from several of them.

* The play [[http://www.arthurjolly.com/trash.html "Trash"]] is built around this trope, as two estranged sisters spend the entire play digging through a municipal dump to find alter from their dead mother that was thrown out. At the end, [[spoiler: they find the letter but leave it in the trash unopened.]]

* ''VideoGame/GaiaOnline'': there's a "mini-game" called this where users can donate and obtain unwanted items to the dumpster.

* In ''GeniusTheTransgression'', the "Dumpster Diver" merit improves a character's ability to build things on the spot, presumably by using this trope.

* ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'': In the first episode, "The Lady in the Bottle", Captain Nelson rifles through the back of a garbage truck in an attempt to recover Jeannie and her bottle. With Captain Healey, Doctor Bellows and General Stone looking on . . . .

* ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie: In the first episode, "The Lady in the Bottle", Captain Nelson rifles through the back of a garbage truck in an attempt to recover Jeannie and her bottle. With Captain Healey, Doctor Bellows and General Stone looking on . . . .
* ''Series/Monk'': In "Mr. Monk and the Psychic", Monk ''makes Sharona'' do a dumpster dive in order to find a vital clue. Later, in "Mr. Monk and the Captain's Wife", Monk would himself chase after a garbage truck in search of key evidence.

* Real Life: Freeganism is an offshoot of veganism that supports, among other things, dumpster diving to avoid wasting food in order to live more sustainably.

Making a Dumpster Dive is going into the dumpster [[note]]A large trash bin, ranging in size from about 3 feet wide, 6 feet long and 4 feet deep to around 7 feet wide, 30 feet long and 6 feet deep[[/note]] ''intentionally'' to get something.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Video Games]]

* The [[VideoGame/AnakshaFemaleAssassin Anaksha Mini-Adventures]] have the title vigilante assassin doing this on a number of occasions to get the items she needs for each game's ChainOfDeals.

* In ''VideoGame/TheSims 2'', sims who have a sloppy personality are able to rummage through bins, while in ''The Sims 3'', sims who are members of the police can look through others' rubbish bins for evidence.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' after [[spoiler: the Equalists take over Republic City]] Team Avatar is taken in by a group of homeless, who offer them shelter and food "taken from the finest dumpsters in the city." Asami has an IAteWhat moment right after.

* ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' had a weapon search in one. Lindsay was still new to the show, and complained about the 'rookie doing the dirty work' stuff getting old. But she did find the shotgun.

* The ''EverybodyLovesRaymond'' episode "Diamonds" concludes with Ray and Debra sifting through a dumpster to find Debra's engagement ring, after Ray had previously gotten rid of it to replace with a better one.

* Done in the ''{{Moonlighting}}'' episode "Atlas Belched", where David has to go dumpster-diving to find a lost rolodex for a client.
* One episode of ''DiagnosisMurder'' had a couple of cops trying to get rid of a time bomb that had been planted in their car by throwing it in a dumpster. Then they had to go back, because some homeless guy saw them and decided to go see what they'd tossed in. They manage to get him away before it explodes, but soon after they guy throws up in the back seat. It was a brand-new car, too.
* A ''SeeingThings'' episode has Louis and his Crown Attorney friend searching a dumpster for a syringe, which proves embarrassing considering they attract the attention of a Salvation Army officer who is convinced they are homeless.

* In [[VideoGame/Chulip]], your main character can look garbage cans and dumpsters for loot that can include a sweet potato to eat. But be careful, sometimes you can end up with poopy on your hand which does damage to your fragile heart. At least you can sell the poopy afterwards...