Comments on: Restate Replate

By: Iroquois

Iroquois — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:02:49 +0000

Homeless people go through trash cans looking for something to recycle–mostly cans–so they can buy a bottle of hootch or a night in an SRO, not looking for food.

There are any number of churches and food pantries that provide the homeless with safe food and meals. Ususally they take donations of cash or canned goods, some even have regular deals with bakeries or coffee shops for day-old goods. The people who handle the food are trained in safe handling practices and do so according to a city code. These groups also provide some rudimentary medical screening and access to twelve-step groups–many times an individual’s poverty is linked to alcoholism or an addiction problem.

People who put their trash on top of trash cans are looking for 1)an excuse not to clean up after themselves (or to order the amount of food they actually need) 2)an excuse not to do something meaningful for the homeless 3)a reason to feel good about themselves.

Putting trash on top of trash cans might do something to fulfill the spiritual needs of the person who puts it there, but it does absolutely nothing for the homeless.

By: Mother Davis

Mother Davis — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:12:35 +0000

Does it clearly aim in that direction, Niles? I don’t see anything clear about it. If people don’t want to waste their leftovers, then why don’t they eat them themselves?

If people really want to help homeless hungry people, why don’t they give them a good fresh meal instead of table scraps left to molder outside on top of a garbage can?

By: Iroquois

Iroquois — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:44:37 +0000

I sure can’t figure it out. Anyone who has ever taken a food safety course knows this is not a safe way to store or distribute food. Is this project meant to decrease the homeless population through food poisoning? Or increase the fly and rat population? I can’t imagine a city as big as San Francisco would not have soup kitchens or a plan for controlling rodents that involves throwing away trash. The only thing I can figure is they’ve been eating California breakfast: fruits, nuts and flakes.

By: Niles Kelly

Niles Kelly — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 01:54:01 +0000

Perhaps you’re not in an urban area, so you don’t get it. The project clearly aims to feed those who are hungry. Or at the very least, to start people talking about the food they waste. I live in LA, and I see people leave their leftovers from their night out at a restaurant on trash cans all the time. Maybe they’re not going to eat them and “don’t want them to go to waste.” And wouldn’t you rather have homeless people who search through garbage cans for food anyway not have to do so? It may not be perfect, but I think it’s a good step in the right direction.