FIRST, THE BASICS:
What's A Freegan?
Simply put, a freegan is an alternative lifestyle strategist who prefers to eschew the typical trappings of modern society (as related to hyper-consumerism, materialism and the waste of valuable resources), instead making a conscious effort to embrace a more practical existence. Freegans boycott the mainstream economic system, thereby significantly reducing their role in the perpetuation of eco-and humanity-based injustices that typical result from the mass production of consumer goods.
Where Did The Word Come From?
A hybridization of the words "free" (which is pretty self explanatory) and "vegan", the term refers individuals who make food, clothing and lifestyle choices that in no way, shape or form ever harm animals, detrimentally impact our environment or play into our consumer economy. To be clear, you don't have to be a vegan to embrace the freegan lifestyle...the only real requirement is having a keen interest in reducing your cycle of consumption.
What Is Their Motivation?
Some choose to adopt freeganism as a way to demonstrate their anti-consumerist philosophy, others to exercise a faith-based life of simplicity, and others still to tread as lightly on the earth as possible. There are many different reasons why people consider themselves freegans, including the desire to save money, engage in community, share their found bounty with others and get back to basics by appreciating the simple joys in life.
How Does Being A Freegan Help The Environment?
At the most elemental level, freegans are nature's practical picker-uppers. They make the best use of consumer goods that have been discarded by the mainstream population well before those resources have reached the end of their useful shelf life. By refusing to buy items that are conventionally produced (often via animal/human abuse, displacement of species/indigenous populations and using environmentally destructive techniques that wipe out ecosystems, cause widespread pollution and generate untold amounts of greenhouse gases), freegans make a far more ethical and responsible lifestyle choice that reflects their desire to create the least negative planetary impact that they can.
When Did The Freegan Movement Start?
Considered an off-shoot of the environmentalist and antiglobalization movements, it was first practiced in the mid-1990s and loosely outlined by Against Me! punk band drummer Warren Oakes in his 1999 pamphlet, "Why Freegan?"
SO...WHY SHOULD I TAKE THE LEAP?
Are you of the opinion that the roughly 38 million tons of food that Americans discard on a yearly basis is almost sacrilegious? Do you feel perpetually angered that people are so wasteful and more importantly, selfish? Have you ever been inclined simply just to rescue perfectly good items from their temporary graves so that you can share them with people in need? Perhaps your budget is stretched to capacity and you could use a little relief. Whatever your position on the notion of freeganism, the "dumpster diving" aspect is what prevents many people from literally taking the leap, but what if there were a less distasteful way of partaking....you'd be tempted, wouldn't you? Surprise! There are quite a few freeganism opportunities that don't involve covert operations, masks, flashlights or a getaway van. Perhaps you'll consider testing a few of them out:
1) Contact local groceries and restaurants. Find out what they do with their leftovers once they're deemed "past their prime" and ask if you can take them off their hands. To be quite honest, many will claim that due to health code violations and legalities, they are not at liberty to hand their perfectly good leftovers to people in the community, however it's worth calling around to see if a few companies have more lenient policies. If you are determined to rescue good food without peering into their dumpsters, ally yourself with a local charity so that your request will become "more legitimate".
2) Check out Freecycle and Craigslist. These two free online classified ad sites are available to global citizens, enabling all of us to locate things that we need (or want) for the absolute rock bottom price of "free".
3) Really, Really Free Markets. A global outdoor trading and "stuff" depot where people offer up their perfectly usable goods (including food, furniture, clothing, etc.) for the taking with no strings attached. Check their website to find out when the next event is happening in your neck of the woods.
4) Curbside "garbage day". A great opportunity to score furniture and other household goods that simply require the magical one-two-punch of DIY and TLC.
5) End of college semester foraging. It should come as no surprise by now...college students chuck pretty much everything they own (aside from a few treasured items) prior to moving out of their dorm, graduating or breaking up with a significant other. Seriously though, the items they regularly dispose of could outfit a small army x 100,000. Scoop them up with a partner in crime and share the wealth with people who will really appreciate it.
6) How does free fruit sound? With just a few clicks of your computer mouse, you can have access to a bounty of nature's candy. ‘Nuff said.
7) Outdoor urban foraging. A bit more "free form" than the previous idea, you would be wise to educate yourself on how to properly identify plants first prior to getting out and about. Remember, some greenery is definitely toxic to humans, so tread cautiously before you pluck.
Community harvesting projects across the country abound...just read up, give ‘em a call and get involved.
8) Adopt a leftover rescue policy at all times. Whether you attend office parties or happy hour events, appoint yourself the sole proprietor of the food preservation club by packing everything up into handy little totable containers before anyone has a chance to kick perfectly good eats to the curb. Then, if people choose to leave the goods behind, at least you can enjoy the fruits of your labor without experiencing any guilt whatsoever.
9) Participate in swap parties. This isn't exactly a full-fledged freeganism activity since you'd be contributing your own worldly clothing possessions to the mix, but it still makes sense if you'd like to stay out of the stores and keep money in your pocket.
Got any juicy freeganesque suggestions to add to the list? Please share your voice below.
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