Freegans are a growing subculture that have opted out of capitalism by cutting spending habits and living off consumer waste...meaning these people fucking pick food out of garbage cans and eat it! Dumpster diving for furniture and bikes is one thing, but eating shit from dumpsters is another. I find this revolting and disgusting!
Madeline Nelson is paving the way for other Freegans by leading "Trash Tours" in New York. Freeganism was born out of environmental justice and anti-globalization movements from the 1980s. The concept was inspired in part by groups like "Food Not Bombs," an international organization that feeds the homeless with surplus food that's often donated by businesses. Madeline Nelson use to make a six-figure income before she quit her job...and now she is eating out of trash bins and making "gourmet" meals from scraps and not spending a cent. 
This is NOT something that I would support, but if you want to eat garbage...go for it weirdos! I do think that we are a wasteful society, but I would not go so far as to forage for my meals. I will not be pulling a chair up to the garbage can and having Donovan "hunt" for his food anytime soon. I think Freegans should change their identity to Free-Loaders! Most of them, according to the article I read, live with parents or friends or in abandoned buildings and they don't work (unless absolutely necessary). So, what I am getting from all this is that the Freegan movement is a bunch of hippies that don't want to work for "The Man" so they free load off of friends, family and garbage.
Here's what I think that these fucking Freegans should do...they should work with grocery chains and have them put uncontaminated foods that are still edible, but would be trashed, to the side and have volunteer Freegans pick up the food and bring it to homeless shelters. I agree that tons of satisfactory food is thrown away every day, just because the peach is a bit bruised, doesn't make it inedible. If they would work out a system with the grocers and volunteer their time to picking up the food from the grocery stores instead of waiting till it hits the trash cans, they could salvage a lot more food and make it a lot less work by having to sort out the shit. They could feed loads more people by working WITH grocery stores instead of digging through the fucking trash. My guess is that the average self-proclaimed Freegan is too lazy to try and organize this sort of plan...that would take some actual work! Fucking Freegans!
62 comments:
You have got to be freakin kidding me!
Hmmm.
No, don't think I'll try it.
Really can't see it tasting good.
that is so disgusting. I think just to mess with them, I would leave a pretty large portion of my meal in the garbage and then smear feces in it so that they wouldn't realize there was poop in there until they took a bite. that will teach them a lesson about eating found out of garbage.
In college in the dining hall we used to save all our slop for local pigs, until the state shut down that operation because the food wasn't pasteurized or something like that. weird shit....
Great !
So what do really poor people eat now then ?
As though the tramps haven't enough to worry about they've now got to compete with a load of idealistic spoilt brats for their food.
I dose of the galloping trots for the lot of 'em.
'Galloping trots' is diarrhoea in English.
They really do deserve all the disease ridden food they find! If I'm chucking it out, there's usually a pretty good reason.
Great idea. I am sure there is a law against it though. all good ideas have a law against it. lol
Probably like, since it isn't good enough to sell then it isn't good enough to give away. Therefor must be thrown out. Which means it is against the law to actually keep food that is good enough to eat, but won't fetch a buck in our society.
Not saying it is true... just saying it is probably true. hahaha...
that is really gross though.
Fucking gross. Seriously? I had to break out the Purell just reading this.
I'm quitting my job too. I'm pretty sure I could sustain myself by crotch diving for poontang.
Your social commentary has been fulfilled for another year. You had a very good idea Jen but there are lots of community groups doing the same thing ... theu pick up for homeless shelters, abused women, etc. Those are greater causes than freeloaders who can't be bothered
Fucking hippies. I'll stomp on their hemp shoes.
Um. Thats really gross. There's a difference between eating surplus food from a cafeteria or supermarket, but eating out of a dumpster...
They're all going to get some kinky disease and die. Darwinism in action.
Oh Gross. It is bad enough eating out of a dumpster from necessity, but as a life style choice! Ewwwwww ...
I've read about Freegans before, but they don't worry me as much as Phroggers do.
Now that's just gross.
Don't they realize that OTHER items are in the trash laying on top of or near this beloved food that could make them ill??
Examples: dirty diapers, used feminine items, used tissue, molded food that people forget about in their fridge, and the list goes on.
I have never heard of this. Thanks for the education. Man, that is sad.
Flyinfox_SATX
Here's what I think should be done instead of mucking around in filth looking for that slightly squished banana.
The Government should give grocery stores a tax credit for food it gives away to hunger charities. The tax credit could be calculated on ... say 20% of the shelf price of the item. Once the grocery stores have a financial benefit in donating food, you'll see how much more efficient the entire thing becomes ...
I can only imagine what these freakin' freegans wash their hobo cuisine down with. Think about it. I just want to reach out and slap the living shit out of them.It's dumpster diving, people. It's about eating trash.
I once worked for a company, where at several times I was required to buy and prepare food for business meetings and some employee celebrations. On more than one occasion I had to pour opened bottles of champagne down the sink, and throw away perfectly good, untouched food -- because they were "leftovers". The trouble is, I've been told, it can't be donated to homeless shelters because it might have been contaminated and they might then sue the business.
It's a fucked up world.
I'm actually always up for a good dumpster dive. People throw out amazingly good stuff.
Do draw the line before the edibles, though. Icky.
Uuugggghhh!
Eff freegans. If they're renouncing capitalism, then they shouldn't complain when others have more.
They're above it all. Right?
Let them eat filth.
I can think of a thousand other things I'd rather be digging for instead of food.
Geeez, these people are nasty....
OMG, Jenny! I met these people when I lived in NYC! They are free loaders! This was a brilliant post! You are right on point!
That's fucken gross, yo.
Pulling garbage out of dumpsters is disgusting and gross and just asking for sickness and disease, but on the otherhand I've never been that desperate thankfully. These people don't seem to be desperate, just cheap.
I'm with you, it's one thing to dumpster dive for furniture and stuff, but food? ICK!
As for coordinating with grocery stores for the stuff that's no longer in selling condition but still good enough to eat..there's an organization called Gleaners that do this at least on the West coast, but I believe them to be nation wide. They also go around to farms and pick the last remnants of harvests that would otherwise be plowed under.
But eating out of the garbage? um,...No thanks..
Stacie
I'm all for not working but that sure seems like a lot of work too. I like having Pizza delivered not having to walk over to the local dumpster hoping to find it. Besides, it might not have my favorite toppings.
As long as they eat garbage and don't take tax money that's fine..but still gross.
I was told that the best place to go is college dorm dumpsters at the end of the semester. Brand new laptops, ipods, blackberries etc...just thrown away because thay always get a new one each year.
They should call themselves The Seagulls. Ewww.
It's very hard to find organizations that will donate food for two reasons- The contamination one, they don't want to be sued if anyone gets sick, and TWO- It creates a "second economy" whereby people won't buy food, they'll wait for the soiled freebies.
If people want to eat out of the trash I have no problem with that. I wouldn't do it myself but I'm sure people in third world countries would give their firstborn to dine on some of the foodstuffs we throw away.
It's their bodies. Their risk.
That is truly disgusting. I think those people are just crazy. There is a strong chance many of them have a drug habit, which is why they don't realize they are rummaging through dumpsters and eating the food that comes from them.
Hmmm, I remember when I had my first beer; no way jay.
Cheers
OMG i just think i accidently recycled my lunch!
I think the most important question here is, "Who cares?" If they want to eat garbage and there's garbage to be eaten, knock yourselves out.
As far as freeloading off friends and family, isn't that as much the fault of the friends and/or family? If the friends/family are willing to be freeloaded upon, that's their issue, not mine. And it doesn't bother me a bit that they don't have a job. I wish I didn't have one either, but I'm not willing to achieve that freedom by eating from my neighbors Hefty bags. But if someone else is, more power to them.
As long as they aren't accepting government aid (read "living off our taxes") or trying to convert me, I'm not going to judge their lifestyle even though I don't agree with it. I wonder, why all the anger towards them? Granted, I'd think twice about shaking their hand without a glove, but still, are they really any worse than people who think reality tv is "reality?" Are they any more disgusting than people who think Fox News is actually fair and balanced or that Hillary should be president?
Roadkill is good though - this is stuff that hs been run over and killed. Not cats obviously. But most other stuff. Badger is nice - gamey and so is fox.
You are associating with known internet stalkers.
I hope you are aware of this and take steps to correct this.
Ew... Some people will do anything to save a buck!
I'm sure they have their reasons, but that is SO not something I would do.
Gross!
--snow
Diva:
Nope...I wish I was kidding!
Crushed:
I don't think it would be all that tasty either!
Fantwonkkid:
Oh...that's mean...but I like it!
Brian:
If leftover trash food isn't good enough for pigs...maybe it isn't good enough for people either!
Electro:
Idealist spoiled brats is the exact description I had in mind for Freegans!
Electro:
Good to know...I wouldn't have guessed that!
Loaf:
Right...I throw out food b.c its bad...meaning...not edible! Gross ass mother fuckers!
Kelly:
Your right, people are so worried about getting sued for stupid shit, if someone got sick from the donated food there would be a lawsuit...so its cheaper to just waste it!
Christie:
Ha ha...Freegans should be bathed in hand sanitizer!
Dykerson:
Crotch diving sounds like fun but poontang is easier to come by in the trash than sausage!
George:
There are loads of people doing good things, its the totally whackos that drive me nuts!
Dan Mega:
That might hurt their hippie ass hearts!
Phishez:
Yep...They will bring back botchelism and perish...won't it be sweet!
JFord:
I don't understand why anyone would want to eat from trash...the homeless would be in shock if they heard about Freegans.
Papa:
Ok...thta is just creepy! Does that really happen?
Random Moments:
So gross!
I go through some phases, but garbage picker is not going to be one of them. I'll leave that to Top Cat. He always came up with a four course, gormet meal sitting on a garbage can lid.
Anyone remember Top Cat or no way?
Hippies, working out a system! Ha ha ha. Really funny.
You guys...I really suck at this keeping up with my comments thing now! I feel so guilty! I want you all to know that I really love reading all your comments and I promise to get better and reading and responding soon!
yeah
that is pretty fucking disgusting, I wouldn't let my dog eat out of the trash
you are funny
your idea is good too.. although i know of some cases where some restaurants here would like to give their shit away at the end of the day but it's too much of a hassle for someone to organize it..
freegans. wow. wtf
I am very worried by your choice of language in this article you have written. Dumpster diving food is a very viable alternative to paying full price for it. I have friends who work at whole foods, and trader joe's , so all I do is call them up when I need more food, and they tell me what is being thrown out. Most of the food is thrown out into organic recycling containers in bags of their own, so very rarely will you find vegetables mixed in with rotten milk or anything like that.
Freegans (which I do not consider myself one) usually will go and retrieve day old food from dumpsters or outlets. In Minneapolis there is a dumpster with sarah lee breads and baked goods that are thrown out ofter they reach their sell by date. In the winter when it freezes we go and scoop up whatever we want.
The common misconception is that there are other forms of trash atop of the food we find is usually a misguided notion that we eat out of peoples personal rubbish bins, and that is totally false. I've saved a heap of money not buying vegetables, fruit, bread, naked juices, you name it. You can call me a spoiled jerk, but know this; I do pizza delivery, and graphic design part time, so I work my ass off to make ends meet. Every little bit counts.
I am also saddened by some of the comments I am reading as well. People threatening to smear feces on food and hide it in the hopes that a potential dumpster diver might accidentally bite it? How juvenile and stupid this is. It shames me to be a part of the same race of mammals as the lot of you, what ever happened to live and let live?
I suppose it's too hard to accept someone who is different when slandering them is so much easier and fashionable.
To the woman who wrote this blog, I hope you change your hateful mindset, as it is quite similar to that of the warmongers who run this country. Just because someone doesn't buy their groceries doesn't make them a freeloader.
The base ideaology behind freeganism is an escape from capitalism, and as Americans, we are afforded the right to live as we choose. Shame on you.
if you don't think we are a wasteful society and you don't care if the freegans eat the food, as long as you are not doing it, then why would you care if they joined forces with the grocery stores?
I made a short film about Freegans here in Portland Oregon. Check it out at:
http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1643952600
dude, learn what the fuck you're talking about before you start talking shit. most freegans DO dive out of grocery store bins, most food IS uncontaminated, and yes many people DO donate it to food shelters.
http://www.squidoo.com/secretfreegan
Actually, freegans are not free-loaders. They volunteer periodically to support their communities.
It's saddening to read some of the comments on here.
Every day, I walk past people begging on the street in the cold, and feel bad as I have no money to give them food. As you may have read in the media, donations to charities are down this year, and shelters are closing around the country.
I hope that anyone who reads this can offer some sort of help to the needy this year, whether it be food, toys, or clothing donations. I wish I could start dumpster diving to help those in need.
(Disclaimer: As a microbiologist, I'm not that worried about food that may have been wrapped up in a trash bin for a day - as long as it's cooked, it should be fine)
This is why ignorant people shouldn't write about things they know nothing about. Next time, do some more research about the subject that grinds your gears before you blog about it, instead of just taking USA Today's two paragraph column's word for it.
You may sound a little more intelligent next time.
Any idea how credit crunch affected porn?
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I'm quite appalled at the comments in this article and the way the writer has written about it. Most freegans I know DO NOT dive into dumpsters with meshes of food in the bag. They usually collect the food that is thrown out THAT night or is a day old still in packaging. Shame on you for acting like such a bitch towards something that you clearly know nothing about.
I guess that I should stop pissing in dumpsters in the alley behind the bar after closing in case one of these nuts decides to eat that yellow bread thinking that it must be pre-buttered or some shit like that.
It's concerning to me how many of the people commenting on this post seem to have such hatred for an entire group of people without knowing a single one of its members. The number of comments containing threats of violence is heart-breaking and frankly, scary.
I like that you have gone to the trouble of finding out some information when publishing this blog, however you are quite mis-informed as to what freegans procure out of 'dumpster diving'.
Freegans are not degenerates nor are they starving. They will not take moldy, rotting, or even unwrapped foodstuffs out of a dumpster. The process is done safely, with proper protection against injury, and an eye for fresh produce. You may think of it as freeloading, but these people are only using the perfectly edible food that our supermarkets throw out needlessly. You forget that in many countries and states there are laws in place regarding giving to the homeless and charity. Meaning millions of tonnes of edible food a year gets dumped. So how is what they are doing disgusting? Or taking advantage? The only thing being taken advantage of here is our society. Blindly following capitalism and throwing our money to the dogs...
Hey - I'm currently on the fence about the freegan community, but I'm quite interested in your views. I'm a journalist working on an article about freeganism - would you care to give me a short interview? If so, leave me a comment at the URL below and I will send you contact information. Cheers!
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