History Main / DumpsterDive

* Harry does this at one point in ''Literature/{{Incompetence}}''.

* On the tv show ''Series/AndiMack'' they go dumpster diving because a clothing store was wasting clothes
* ''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 . . .

* Searching for VendorTrash in garbage is normal for Hunters in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'' and its [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse sequel]]. In fact, it's one of the two most reliable ways of making money, since MoneySpider enemies are rare.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Chulip}}'', your main character can look through 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...

* The BadFuture episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutron'' showed that Sheen became a dumpster diver.

* A longtime practice of hackers to get electronics, and by criminal hackers (Crackers) to obtain corporate information. Now, far less common due to shredding documents and destruction of hard drives before disposal.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcgee'': Scratch is shown to be fond of eating leftover or discarded food, even out of trash cans. In fact, part of his EstablshingCharacterMoment in the first episode involves him being [[InconvenientSummons summoned by the Ghost Council]] while he's eating a slice of pizza out of a garbage can.

* In ''VideoGame/MySims: Agents'', you need to do this to find clues for cases.

On the tv show Andi Mack they go dumpster diving because a clothing store was wasting clothes

* in online game ''VideoGame/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.
* In ''Videogame/TheSims2'', 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 ''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...

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoChinatownWars'': Huang Lee can engage in dumpster diving. Red dumpsters contain firearms and other weapons stashed by the Triads in the event of an emergency, while green dumpsters contain an assortment of random items ranging from useful ($10 bills, [[HyperactiveMetabolism clean food]], and inexpensive narcotics) to [[JokeItem profound wastes]] [[WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation of time]] (dead fish, moldy food, worn-out boots, used condoms, and discarded sex toys).

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' 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 weapon:

* Cracked has pointed out in an another article that dumpster diving can be [[https://www.cracked.com/article_16811_5-ways-to-get-rich-without-single-discernible-skill.html an easy way to earn big money]].

** Cracked has pointed out in an another article that dumpster diving can be [[https://www.cracked.com/article_16811_5-ways-to-get-rich-without-single-discernible-skill.html an easy way to earn big money]].

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'': The massive hive cities host billions of humans, with every layer going through the refuse of the layer above. The deeper you go, the more dangerous the denizens, who have to fight off cults, mutants, and spiders the size of tanks.

* In ''VideoGame/StardewValley'', interacting with trash cans has a small chance of yielding a random item. Usually this is trash, but Pelican Town's citizens have been known to throw away valuables such as diamonds. Don't expect this to endear you to any [=NPCs=] who may be watching.

* ''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 . . .
* ''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.

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' 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 ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' episode "The Bottle Diposit" features a montage of Kramer and Newman collecting various empty bottles and cans, including resorting to dumpster diving, to collect refund money for recycling them.

* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'': The season 1 finale, "Chuck vs. the Marlin", ends with Chuck and Sarah combing through a dumpster looking for Devon's grandmother's ring, [[spoiler: so he can propose to Ellie]].

-->'''Waste Collector 1:''' "Batman... dumpster diving?"

** In "Big City Blues", the homeless man Buster wants to get some food for Max and PJ at a place that's very affordable, that turns out to be a dumpster. The two boys are turned off by the prospect of eating garbage, and it helps compel them to donate some of their own food to the homeless.
** In "Puppy Love", PJ dives through the dumpster to find his crush, Rose Deckenbloom's poem, which she threw away because everyone laughed at her when she read it; PJ thought it was beautiful.

!Examples: