They say that one man’s trash is another’s treasure. But what if you could feed those in need with what was thrown out in the garbage? That’s just what one YouTuber is setting out to prove – by digging through New York City’s trash nightly.

Anna Sacks was working at a bank when she realized she wanted more out of life. So, in search of a way to make a difference, she took part in a three-month Jewish farming program in Connecticut. Then Sacks went back to New York with a new goal in mind.

“One of the things that really stuck with me from Adamah, which means ‘Earth’ in Hebrew, was how little waste they produced and how they handled the waste they did have, primarily through composting,” she said. “And I just thought, ‘Why aren’t we doing that here?’ I’d walk around my neighborhood and was shocked at how many bags of waste were piled up. I began to wonder, ‘What is actually in all those bags and recycling bins on the curbs?’”

Anna Sacks looks through trash on New York City sidewalks. Photo by Patricia Lopez/Courtesy of Sacks

So Sacks began what she called “trash walking.” Her goal at first was to see what was being thrown out, as well as to find food for herself, as well. She had stopped working as a banker, so finding items was helping her, as well. “The root issue is overproduction, which leads to overconsumption, which leads to an immense amount of waste,” she said.

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She found clothing, designer accessories, food – and she shared her finds on TikTok and other social media. “It was very upsetting to see, but also not surprising,” she said. But producing less isn’t the only issue Sacks said – it’s not throwing away items that can easily be given to someone in need.

We make too much … as a society. We need to produce less.”

“I don’t usually gasp or get shocked, but this is shocking,” she said in one TikTok video. She showed viewers a bag from Duane Reade, drugstore – in it were 16 unopened boxes of tissues, two rolls of toilet paper and  in a 2021 TikTok video in which she unearths 16 unopened tissue boxes and two rolls of toilet paper. That store isn’t alone. Ranging from Target to Walgreens, Sacks will find unopened bags of candy, party decorations, unopened blankets and food that has not yet expired.

Some of the discarded food items that Anna Sacks has found. Photo courtesy of Sacks

Even the school system is wasting food, she said. “I think the New York public school system can do a better job managing their inventory,” she said, showing the 100s of bags of mini carrots, “so that this doesn’t end up being wasted, as it currently is.”

Stores typically destroy or throw out items instead of donating them, usually due to saving on their taxes, Sacks said. Retailers often can claim a loss on their taxes for the tossed out items, rather than the tiny amount they deduct if they donate it.

Her videos have led to some stores promising to look into their recycling and donation programs. When Sack’s video of the food tossed out from a Starbucks went viral, the company pledged to cut its food loss and waste by 50 percent before 2030.

While she has used some of the items she’s found, Sacks donates most to shelters or free stores, determined to help others in need. But Sacks said she is lucky. “I don’t have to do this. But there are people who go through the trash out of necessity.” For a look at her tips on going through trash, watch below!

Sources: Reader’s Digest | Gizmodo | Governing.com