The Freegan Lifestyle

[Andrew Brunelle]

I'm just curious to see if there are any "freegans" on this message board. You can learn all about them at What is a Freegan? : freegan.info. I know it has quite a following in NYC, but otherwise, I have yet to see any large groups of these people. I find their lifestyle fascinating, so if anyone could give me a day in the life of a freegan, I would appreciate it.

[legend]

No.... but I am familiar with the freakin lifestyle These are a group of people who drive 45mph in the left lane, stop in groups to start talkin in the middle of the isle ways, Talk on cell phones while in public bathrooms and other such fun activities

[funchy]

Originally Posted by legend

These are a group of people who drive 45mph in the left lane, stop in groups to start talkin in the middle of the isle ways, Talk on cell phones while in public bathrooms and other such fun activities

I visited the web page and saw nothing like that. Are the two of you talking about the same thing?

[VacMan]

Freegan = "dumpster diving" for food.

In the effort to get free food, and not let anything "go to waste."

[funchy]

I've gone dumpster-diving for furniture and other things. Does that count? When I was off living in college dorms, there was some good stuff put out at the curbs at the end of each semester.

I remember hearing a great story on the talk radio about there being a special area next to a landfill in a town. I forget where it was? All the still usable things were dropped off there instead of being thrown in dumpsters. And people (not just poor people) could come and drop off an old dresser or pick up a TV stand... all free. And the best part is, by keeping stuff out of landfills, it saved the government money.

My thoughts on diving for food: Honestly, American has so much food, you don't need to dumpster dive to get a meal. All summer long I give away huge amounts of produce out of my garden. A farmer friend has a grove of apple trees and stopped picking them, so I must've gotten 100 lbs of apples from him free that year. Food is so cheap and plentiful another farmer friend of mine was getting very-ripe produce to throw to his PIGS. And if you have no friends, there are still plenty of businesses and charities that give food away.

Objects are so cheap in America: did you know stores like Goodwill THROW AWAY excess inventory when their shelves are too full? I've watched them put perfectly good, clean items into the dumpster bins at several goodwills. It's crazy.

I don't agree with Freegan's idea to take over buildings and become squatters though. In society, we have to respect others property. I don't think they'd like it if I snuck in and stole their lunchbag or clothes, would they? I do like the ideas of working within the laws to take abandoned buildings and legally take ownership to create housing.

[dice]

hahahahahaha they are living like racoons! right on! society is coming full circle i see.

[sbdiane]

Did you know that fruit that hangs over the fence is free for the taking? In my area, I can ride my bike along bike paths and alleys and collect backyard fruit. I can also go through areas that long ago were orchards and collect fallen walnuts or other items from old trees. Some neighborhoods have foodsheds, which are monthly parties to echange the bounties of your garden and meet your neighbors. You don't have to glean the excesses of capitalism to find free food. But I'm glad someone is doing it. The waste is criminal.