I am the go to person when it comes to using what is at hand and then using it until it is gone. Leftovers of food are appreciated as a quick meal that can be put together. I come from a long line of frugal people and am quite pleased about that.
Dennis and I were in Mankato today. As we were heading for home we were on the street that happens to run along the back side of Walmart. I could not believe my eyes. I always wondered about all the products within large stores, small stores, hometown stores and box stores. Today I saw with my own eyes. There were large dumpster boxes lined up. Dumpster boxes can be seen anywhere and everywhere. What I had not ever been privy to was a train of grocery carts loaded with products lined up waiting to be emptied into dumpster boxes. There were several individuals standing as if supervising employees while the products from the grocery carts were being heaved and hoisted. It took me awhile to realize I was seeing gallon containers of milk being hoisted. Grocery carts in the train waiting to be unloaded held various sizes and colors of products. O.K. this must be reality for stores that have perishables. It really tugged at my heart strings that there was not a way for these products to be made available before “dumpster time.”
There are no doubt rules, laws, guidelines that must be followed, but nonetheless, it made me very sad for all the waste. Employees may not be able to use those products under the stores policies. With all the red tape that has come about from lawsuits, donating is not allowed. I will continue being frugal within our own home and feel very proud when Waste Management picks up our trash bin and it holds the empty bottles, boxes and containers. I sure could have gone a long time before having to see with my own eyes the waste of our times.