List of Necessities? An Innovative Mind is All One Needs

I am about to go from California to Ohio, with the clothes on my back and a bag in tow. Many people have asked me before what items are important for such a trip, especially if one is walking, hitch hiking and freight train hopping. Honestly the first thing one needs is a sober mind and sharp wits in order to respond to any challenges or snags that come along. After that, it is up to the discretion of the person about to journey. Everyone has their own ideas as to what is essential and what is not. In truth, everything else can be found or improvised. Though I do suggest having a decent set of clothes on one’s back and a bag of essentials that is not heavy or cumbersome to move around.  To appease the curious who ask about individual items, I went through my pockets and bag to itemize all the things I have on me:

Large Items
1 Sports Bag, dimensions 12” by 12” by 26”
1 Case containing 13 Maps of northern, central and southern routes of BNSF Railroad
1 Tarp, dimensions 68” by 78”
1 Yoga Mat, dimensions 20” by 74”
1 Tent, suitable for three to four people
1 Sleeping Bag, 4 degree C tolerance
1 Ranger Blanket, dimensions 48” by 60”

Smaller Items in Bag
5 Markers, dark to black in color (for making signs)
1 Eye Mask, 1 Pair of Ear Plugs, 1 Nose & Mouth Mask (for sleeping and pollution)
1 Lunch Pail, with Pirate Emblems on it (can you tell this is a luxury item?)
1 Plastic Liter Bottle for Water
1 Bag of Dried Fruit
2 Re-chargers for an iPod Touch and Video/Camera
2 Pairs of Spare Socks
2 Pairs of Spare Underwear, 1 Pair of Thermal Underwear
1 Extra Shirt and 1 Extra pair of Pants
1 Wool Hat
1 Backpack Bag
1 Book, Oscar Wilde Short Stories (Never read it and wanted to give it a go)
1 Bottle of Mouth Wash, 8.5 ounces
1 Bottle of Anti-Histamine Lotion, 3 ounces
1 Bottle of Liquid Soap, 6 ounces
1 Bottle of Sunblock, 2 ounces
12 Samples of Cologne/Perfume from Department Stores
24 Aspirin/Ibuprofen
1 Bottle of Hand Sanitizer, 3 ounces
1 Tub of Toothpaste, 2 ounces, Toothbrush and Toothbrush Holder
4 Lip Balms
1 Mirror from Make Up Holder
1 Tweaser
1 Toe Nail Clipper
1 Small Sewing Kit
1 Hairbrush
2 Small Tins of Shoe Polish, Black
2 Razors
1 Pack of Dental Floss
1 Small Pack of Toothpicks
1 Washcloth
20 postcards and postcard stamps
1 Bi-fold Folder with Documents and Articles I am working on

Smaller Items on My Possession (Clothing and Pocketed Items)

1 Baseball Cap
1 Jacket
1 Long Sleeve Shirt
1 Pair of Pants
1 Pair of Underwear
1 Pair of Socks
1 Pair of Boots
1 Bandana
1 Pair of Gloves
1 Small Flashlight
1 Pair of Binoculars
1 Utility Tool (with fork, spoon and knife)
1 Pair of Sunglasses
1 iPod Touch (Found in Scarborough, Ontario)
1 Video/Camera
1 Wallet (IDs, Cash, an additional Razor Blade)

All these things I am willing to lose, have stolen, or I can always give away to others that may be in need. Possessions come and go. The experiences along the way and the stories created from such adventures do not.

Landfills Eat Better than Many of the World’s Poor

FAO, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, estimates that 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted every year globally. Given that we have reached a population of 7 billion people, this means that for every person on the globe, 168.83 kilograms (371.43 pounds) of food are wasted every year. One does not need higher education to understand that such a waste is not only inefficient but also an injustice. 1.2 billion people experience malnutrition and famine each year, most of them being children. To give this problem some clarity, every three minutes 700 children die from illnesses induced from famine and malnourishment. If the number of those living with food insecurity (1.2 billion) is alternatively used instead since they could certainly use the food that is wasted, this would mean that the world’s poor watch 984.85 kilograms (2166.67 pounds) of food go to waste every year. Landfills have better diets than the poor.   

According to FAO, industrialized and developing world countries divide evenly between the amounts of food wasted worldwide. Where they differ is in the causes for the food waste.  People in the developing world have food going to waste because of a lack of, or poor infrastructure (roads, markets) and storage capabilities. People in the industrialized world watch food go to waste because of overproduction and cosmetic reasons (particularly with produce) as there are certain expectations how vegetables, food, dairy products look like. Despite the efforts some corporations make to reduce food waste and pass on foods to needy organizations like food banks and other charitable organizations, the pervasive problem of food waste continues as documented in the videos above and below this blog.       

Certified B Corporation

Our foods are becoming more and more tattooed with labeling that is supposed to reflect social and environmental responsibility. For instance, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic and Fair Trade Certified labels are growing in their presence on foods shelved in high end grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Also among these is the Certified B Corporation label, which is used to identify a food company that is socially and environmentally sustainable to potential customers. Consumers who have the means to buy such foods are likely to spend a little more, believing that their purchasing power shapes and influences food companies to not use genetically modified organisms or dangerous pesticides, to pay farmers a fair price for their produce, to use a minimum of amount of energy and natural resources in their packaging, and/or create little or no pollution and waste.

On a recent dumpster diving mission to a tea company plant that uses all of the above labels on its packaging, it was discovered that pounds of Black, Chai, Chamomile, Peppermint, Ginger, Lemon and Fennel were thrown out in large plastic bags. Four bags were found with these various tea assortments with two bags salvaged by the divers. The bags were then brought back to one of the dumpster-diver’s residence where the teas could be sorted through and salvaged for future use. As the divers sifted through the tea, it was discovered that most of the bags were damaged through the machinery responsible for packaging the tea. On average one out of forty bags was perfect and not damaged by the machinery. But as the divers sorted the perfect bags out, they found it wasteful to throw out the thousands of bags that remained, a few of these without tea but many still containing enough tea to salvage. Thus, they pulled out glass jars with lids to sort out and collect the tea that was in the punched, cut or slightly shredded bags.

The result amounted to pounds of tea … enough to keep the divers from buying tea for decades or at least enjoy until it until turning stale. Even if the tea is not consumed it can be used alternatively for composting. Still, reflecting on the fact that only 50% was salvaged from the bins that night and the amount of packaging and tea that was both salvaged and wasted brings into question the ‘sustainability’ of this tea company and other foods that meet the regulations to become a Certified B Corporation. The tea could have gone to food banks for gleaning; it could have also gone to workers or poor communities who might want the tea but instead was headed for the local landfill.

Certified B Corporation is a non-profit organization that has a logo similar to the Copyright Symbol: ©, only the B takes place of the C. From what is posted at their website: http://www.bcorporation.net/ , the B is informally short for ‘Benefit,’ implying that the standards the organization upholds for companies bearing the label are good for both society and the environment. From the point of view of the people who dumpster-dived the tea factory and found a considerable amount of waste of both tea and packaging, Certified B Corporation is more about good marketing than holding companies to sustainable social and environmental practices. It is quite possible that the tea factory makes contributions in other ways, but from the point of view of people who sifted through their waste, Certified B Corporations have a long way to go before achieving ethical and sustainable practices.

Drink Coke … Receive Cancer Treatment

Someone I know recently approached me with a plea. The person asked if I could collect as many Coca-Cola product caps as possible for a friend of his/hers who has a daughter suffering from cancer. He/she said (and I quote), “For a thousand bottle caps, the father can receive one cancer treatment for his daughter.” What else could I do but go around areas where bottles are recycled and gather as many caps as possible.

The Coca-Cola Corporation has for the past several years offered people who drink their product a reward of entering codes on the caps of their products. Those who do can accrue points from entering the codes on the inside of caps to enter sweepstakes for prizes or, cash in points for rewards for things like electronics, household appliances, clothing, etc. Coca-Cola can afford to do this as the amount of points is considerable for these products, and for a person to collect the needed points for an item involves large product consumption. The company makes their money, and the truth is, not all who buy Coca-Cola products take part in the rewards as it takes time and patience to enter and amass the needed points for the products or contests that are offered.

There are a couple possibilities as to why this person told me the father needs the Coca-Cola product caps. One is, he/she is lying and just wants me to do the legwork in collecting caps for him/her. They know I collect caps although I have not purchased Coca-Cola products in years. What I do is go around to recycling stations and collect the caps off of bottles and enter the maximum amount week by week. Like I said before, this takes patience and routine in order to gain from the company’s promotion. While I do not support Coca-Cola through purchasing their product, I have no qualms in profiting from their giveaways.   

A second possibility is that the person and the father are not lying but there is some unscrupulous individual at the hospital that is extorting Coca-Cola product caps for cancer treatment. This certainly sounds farfetched but should we dismiss such a possibility when people are more and more focused on material things and are so ingrained in a high consumption society? After all, it is not uncommon to see on the news channels people trampling one another on Black Friday to purchase one product or another. People wait in long lines to purchase iPads and iPhones. It is too soon to dismiss the idea that, informally, people in the health professions are also seeking out free stuff.

I would not be surprised, given peoples’ resistance to universal health care in the United States, we continue in a direction where the Coca-Cola Company eventually offers health care treatments for consuming their product. A simple search on the internet of cancer treatment with Coca-Cola products does not retrieve such offers as ‘trade in your Coke caps for cancer treatment’ (yet), but the constant drinking of Coca-Cola products may lead to such serious health problems like pancreatic, bone and breast cancers. We have a tendency to allow the ‘arsonists to put out the fires’ in our politics … why not with the international corporations that appear so benign as well?

This sick story, whether it was true or a fabrication, has a sad ending. I collected over 250 bottle caps from Coca-Cola products before this person told me not to do it anymore. He/she told me that the father’s daughter passed away. I did not question this person’s story. I only offered my condolences. I leave it up to those who read this Blog whether or not this was a tale of a liar who gained a considerable number of Coca-Cola points or if this is the sad state of affairs we are headed in when it comes to health care in the United States. My advice is to drink no Coca-Cola products but do take part of their giveaways in order to fight the unforeseen cancer known as the international corporation.    

 

Freight Trains and the Uncertainty of Direction

Photo of the Big Rock Candy Mountain, Marysvale, Utah (source: unknown)

It takes patience and some effort to hop a freight train. There are the obvious obstacles: the fences, the ‘No Trespassing’ signs, the ‘bulls,’ and the local police as well. But to avoid these and to go in the needed direction one also has to play scout, intelligence gatherer, and have the patience to stare at freight as it goes by time and time again. It is not as easy as orientating oneself of the tracks’ directions upon arrival and then hopping on the first train that passes. Some tracks continue in the paths they show at the terminal; others can veer as much as 90 to 135 degrees in various directions. Some freight lies uninspected as it is not worth a thief’s time to break into or security’s time to patrol. Other freight is highly valued and sought after like those carrying automobiles. Thus, if one has a certain direction and commitment to hopping freight, it is necessary to put one’s bags down and walk the tracks for a few miles back and forth, to watch the routine of the brakemen and engineers and wait for night to draw closer in order to board an outbound freight train that runs little risk of inspection and change in direction.

Once someone is on a train, it is a major commitment. To make sure one is going in the needed direction, it is advisable to ask local people, particularly the elderly, where the trains go. If that is not possible at least a quick visit to a public library and map search is advisable to make a calculated choice. If one wears corrective lenses, bring them. Even if one has perfect vision, bring a small pair of binoculars. It is best to take hours and observe the routine of a train yard before choosing than to desperately hop on a train after a few minutes without knowing the workers’ routine and rhythm of the place.

To change one’s mind and try to hop off after the train is in motion is not advisable at all. For one to hop off when a train slows for curves or turns is still taking a risk of serious injury. There is also the uncertainty of how far one has to walk before they reach a settlement or even side of a highway for assistance. Some train tracks follow interstates and state routes; some are completely cut off from major thoroughfares. This point, of course, is moot if one can see the highway from their vantage point. But to hop off is still a major risk.

The ride is over when the train halts; the engineer turning the motors off, or, if the train stops and then goes in reverse – stop – forward, and vice versa repeatedly (this is a sign that they are detaching the freight cars). There are sometimes stops in train yards to add cars or detach them but this is often recognizable by the pause and ‘crash’ that one feels when freight cars are pushed into others. If it is a busy yard the train has pulled into, there is sometimes a delay before the train continues on its path but the engineers do not turn off the engines.

It is not recommended to ‘buddy up’ with other people when doing this. Unless one is with reliable, trusted people, it is best to keep this activity as a solo project. To place trust with someone immediately, especially if the person offers liquor or to stand guard while one sleeps, is a great risk. People can be territorial about their cars and places on trains so it is best to avoid others altogether. There are probably a few more things omitted here, but it is a start to finding the big rock candy mountain.

Photo of the Big Rock Candy Mountain, Marysvale, Utah (source: unknown)

Different Towns; Different Methods

Different towns across the North America, Europe, East Asia, and Oceania and other economically booming regions throw away perfectly good food and/or other household products because of dates printed on the packaging, the packaging being damaged, or simply to make space on the shelves. The tragedy of this practice, aside from the waste, is the other people living in regions like the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and other territories less integrated into the global economy could use these products, more so than the landfills that are consuming food, furniture, and other household goods.

I am traveling at the moment but this does not stop me from foraging from bins, dumpsters and other refuse areas around stores, strip malls, and shopping malls on the road. This is, in fact, how I feed jmyself as I journey across the United States. Some sites are lucrative, where the employees do little to hide the food they throw out, it is easy to spot, and realitively clean to pull from the refuse bins. Some places go to some effort to 'sabatoge' the food but in the end leave it manageable to salvage goods (as depicted in the photo above by the plastic bags containing pretzels and graham crackers). There are a few places to intentionally destroy the food when throwing it out by opening up liquids and pouring them onto the foods or breaking things. What matters is persistence and understanding the routine and nature of the store and local environment, which needs accounting for very quickly if one is on the road. 

One last concern regarding the people who do 'glean' or 'forage' or 'dumpster dive,' etc. There are those who are very poor and check these bins to subsist in the industrial countries. Poverty is an issue that was never dealt with wholeheartedly in the societies of the industiral world and continues to be a specter everywhere. Then there are the middle class kids, academics and activists who appraoch the bins for various nuances of social justice. Who has the right to take advantage of local economies of waste? This is perhaps a resource that needs better logistics in its distribution to people who need it, instead of a commons that is exploited by those who profit  and those who live day-to-day by what they find.