Health Implications of Homelessness: Experiences and Emotional Feelings

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Outline

This study considers the aspect of health implications in homelessness through the essay written by a noted writer, Lars Eighner, through his various essay, significant among them being called ‘On dumpster diving.’

In this article he narrates his own experiences and emotional feeling on diving, and writes on many facets of diving, including its health and economic impacts.

However, when one considers the work of Jeff Farrell, he has delved upon the various results of dumpster diving, not only at an individualized level, but also at a national and even international level.

It is sad but true that although US takes pride in being one of the topmost developed counties in the world, there are many in US who do not have a roof over their heads. It is therefore necessary that steps need to be taken to rectify the situation and ensure food and shelter to all Americans.

Introduction

In his essay” On Dumpster Diving” Eigner says that he contracts acute diarrhoea at least once a month, despite being careful about the kind of food he scavenges and consumes.

As a result of being ill often, and with no access to health care, he also needs to keep a stock of essential drugs like antihistamines and antibiotics, which again has been foraged through retrievals made by diving into dumpsters.

Again he writes that scavenging has helped him gain weight, since leftovers and throw-away mostly consist of pizzas and doughnuts, instead of low fat yoghurt, or for that matter, fresh water fish, etc. Moreover, since he is worried about his next meal; (albeit dumpsters carry lot of food) he tends to eat more than needed, mostly high fat food, which has made him gain weight.

Another major health risk with dumpsters is the potential for lurking pathogens like botulism is a possibility, more so, in the case of canned food. According to him, “Most other forms of food poisoning seldom do lasting harm to a healthy person, but botulism is almost certainly fatal and often the first symptom is death.“ (Eighner).

One should be very careful in consumer canned food, since bulging, leaking cans could pose serious health hazards to scavengers and add to risks of botulism, which is known to be a killer form of food poisoning, caused from consumption of contaminated food or fluids.

Thus, health implications of scavangering caused by homelessness and permanent vagrancy are indeed alarming and sufficient cause for administrative concern.

Empire of scrounge

It is now necessary to focus on the occupation of scrounging as Jeff Farell writes about in his book, “Empire of Scrounge.” In this book he writes at length about experiences he had gained as a professional scavenger in Texas, how his exploits ( if it could be termed as one) of turning cast off throwaways into useful and usable items for daily use or even consumption. While workers of the city waste management system earned fat salaries from trash, the poor scavenger manages to live from it for sheer survival and for doling out an honest existence. (Ferrell, 3). It is seen that Farell, unlike Eigner, often portrays the darker and gloomier aspects of dumpster diving. In his book, he delves upon the fact that in poorer economies, like Vietnam or Russia, death during diving is not uncommon.

According to Farell, in Vietnam for instance, there are about “6000 scavengers and junk buyers” and they may be constantly at health risk due to shrapnel wounds, mines or unexploded bombs. Again, in Kyrgyzstan, for instance, writes Farell, nine people died when twenty three feet of waste fell upon them, burying them, while they were rummaging for metal wastes. (Ferrell, 3). There are real life risk to health and life which are part of homelessness and depending upon rummaging and scavengering for livelihood.

Implications of homelessness

Homelessness in general could give rise to economic distress. Lack of gainful employment, lack of resources or health problems could reduce one to penury, or, in other words, living off the streets. It is felt that Eigner has taken a lighter view of dumpster diving, but in real terms it could make all the difference between life and death, especially in underdeveloped economies or

non-urbanized settings. The US is one of the most developed economies in the world, 740,000 Americans do not have a roof over their head, or depend upon public dole. Even if they were marginally employed, they would not be able to sustain for both food and shelter and thus would need to compromise one for the other. Even obtaining public housing programs could be more difficult than it appears, especially if one did not fit into their need profile. The difficulties could surmount if one were to have dependents and family to oversee. “Keeping people on the street does not benefit anyone, and actually costs the public much more than helping them to get off the street.“ (Clyde).

This it is necessary that while homelessness is an issue that cannot be solved overnight, it is necessary that people become more self dependent or independent in as far as Social Security and government doles are concerned.

This could be in terms of the fact that able-bodied and young people need to earn a livelihood, in whichever area or work they could possibly do. People who find jobs difficult to get and sustain need to start off business that could not only keep them occupied (wean them away from crime) but could also pay the rent bill and food bills. A scavenger has nothing to lose, so he needs to go ahead and take a dive. All that he is able to salvage is his incomes, whether food, scrap or liquids. Moreover, in competitive markets, it is necessary that scavengers need to equip themselves professionally in terms of assessing what lies beneath the dump, how to reach the bottom (where the salvageable junk lie) and be able to maintain control over the operation.

It could be seen in terms of the fact that over time, divers acquire the necessary skills and discretion to know which heap is more lucrative than another and how to rummage with minimum efforts and maximum returns.

In terms of health hazards, it could be said that each occupation has its share of health hazards, whether explicit or implicit, overt or covert. This is an occupation which requires no investments, except, perhaps a lifting hook or tackle, has no administered territory or occupational jurisdiction, and perhaps is seen as a win-win situation in all counts.

However, nothing could be farther than the truth. Many States have banned dumpster diving as illegal and an encroachment into rights of the municipal administration, since once the wastes or debris are placed on kerbsides, these wastes, according to law, rightfully belongs to the civic administration, and not encroachers and scavengers, by whatever names called.

Thus in many counties the fines could run to around $2000 which, in effect could wipe out many months of hard work on the part of the divers.

However, it is seen that scavengers have the last laugh. They conduct operations under the cover of darkness, during night time, where the probability of getting caught by the law, is less.

The basic rationale of diving, according to Eigner, needs to be the answer to one question “Why is it discarded? The answer to this question itself underlines the fundamental flaw in American psyche in that, youngsters for instance, do not value what they do not earn, or have not made efforts for. Thus answers could range from a whole gamut of throwing away useful or wholesome products just for fun or, as in many cases, to accommodate newer and fresher in style products. “People throwaway perfectly good stuff, a lot of perfectly good stuff.“ (Eighner).

Conclusion

It is seen from the above that health implications of homelessness is more real than is evidenced. One of the many ramifications of homelessness, due to lack of resources could result in penury, thus the need to move into dumpster diving, which, at least could provide food, if not shelter to underprivileged and indigent persons. It could also be seen in terms of driving home the fact that not all people may fit the profile for social security or dole outs, since they may not fit the eligibility criteria.

It is seen that the American society would consist of two categories of persons – one class who can work, but rely on outside sources for food, shelter and upkeep and the second, set of people, who because of poor health or other factors, are not in a position to seek and sustain gainful employment.

Therefore, it is necessary that people who could work should be encouraged to do so, and for those who cannot, the government needs to dole out reasonable amount of aid or relief that could sustain their lives. However, it is also necessary that the Government, or private charitable organizations, do not make people totally dependent on charity, or aid, since this would deprive them of pride and the willingness to work at a later stage when they are able to do so.

It is also necessary to differentiate between organizations that serve the cause of the poor, and others who only pretend that they do. As a matter of fact “There are huge organizations that collect billions in donations and government grants, much of which goes to administrative costs and advertising instead of assistance to those in need. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of small organizations and churches that really do help. Some feed hundreds of people every day without using government tax money.“ (Finding and Maintaining Meaningful Employment Is Hard Enough for Most People: It’s Far More Difficult While Being Homeless).

Finally it needs to be enforced that homelessness is more of a social malaise rather than an individualized issue. If the State provided enough work scope and opportunities to people, they would be able to take care of themselves and their families and would not, in the normal course depend upon charity or aid. The very fact that the State has failed on this count has exacerbated the situation, sometimes beyond repair. Thus, it is necessary that steps need to be taken at least to alleviate if not eliminate the problem of homelessness in American society.

Works Cited

Clyde. My Viewpoint. Web.

Eighner, Lars. On Dumpster Driving: What is Safe to Eat. Web.

Ferrell, Jeff. Empire of Scrounge: Inside the Urban Underground of Dumpster Diving, Trash Picking, and Street Scavenging. NYU Press. 2005. Web.

Finding and Maintaining Meaningful Employment Is Hard Enough for Most People: It’s Far More Difficult While Being Homeless. Web.

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