Freegans Are Diving in a Dumpster Near You!
Well folks, the newest lifestyle on the block is Freeganism.
Freegans are anti-consumerists who aren’t afraid to dumpster dive for their next meal. AKA if they can avoid paying for food, they will. Or anything else for that matter.
Freegan = vegan + free (however not all freegans are vegans and visa versa)
Perhaps I’ve lived in Seattle too long, however as ludicrous as some may find it (and don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to go elbow-deep in garbage for a piece of tofu) freegans may not be that crazy.
I’ve worked in restaurants, food joints throw a LOT of edible, good food out. As long as you get there while there’s minimal schmang and it’s reasonably fresh…why not?
C’mon, we’ve all stared at an old chair or box of random stuff on the corner a little longer than we care to admit. But where’s the shame?
There’s relatively no difference than from buying any second-hand stuff. Especially thinking back to all the decent things I’ve probably thrown away in my lifetime.
You tell me, gross or genius?
Relevant Links:
I’ve got to go with the “gross” argument, at least when it comes to food. While taking free stuff for your apartment from dumpsters and street corners is reasonable – I’ve done it myself, though only after enough analysis to convince me said items were disease-free – I could not imagine doing so for food. That’s really taking a risk.
Thanks for adding SCB to your blogroll, by the way.
Seattle Crime Blogger
March 12, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Agreed. When it comes to anything other than food, bring it on. However, there’s a fine distinction between a belly flop into a dumpster and picking up day-old goods from a respectable place.
SCB is a positive addition to my all-things-Seattle blogroll.
Anytime!
seeattle
March 12, 2008 at 6:19 pm
My current desk was next to some garbage cans when I salvaged it. And I gave an old girlfriend a hoodie I found on top of some one’s trash on my walk home. I washed it and told her I found it in the lost and found. Whatevs.
mb
March 12, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Grand Central Bakery in Seattle has a dumpster behind their bakery on E. Marginal Way, right by the indoor soccer field. The bakery throws out perfectly good bread daily, individual loafs wrapped in plastic, just like you find at the grocery store. When the bakery has excess bread (which is pretty much every day) the bread is tossed in the “bread dumpster.” I’m not sure why the bread is not donated to a shelter, but I am told shelters have strict rules about accepting food donations and day-old bread isn’t good enough. It is common for people (ok, mostly bike messengers) to grab bread out of the bread dumpster. The bread is still good, and it is ridiculous how it is just thrown away. Wouldn’t it be great if the bread could be donated to a shelter, or placed on a table for people to take in a less gag-inducing manner? The bakery must be aware that people are taking bread from their dumpster. I wish there was a good way to get surplus/left-over food from restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, etc. to people who need/want that food without forcing those people to dig in a dumpster for it.
Stacey
March 14, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I hear ya, the divide is disgusting.
Thanks for the tip though, as a college student on a strict budget an individually wrapped loaf sounds like a gold mine.
Move over bikers, I’m a comin!
seeattle
March 14, 2008 at 8:00 pm
they’re lucky they haven’t caught salmonella yet! i can’t see how knicking left-over food equates taking the moral high ground. i think polishing off untouched desserts and bread baskets is a *wee* bit different than being a scavenger. at least we know where the food’s been and who’s touched it. freegans sound like glorified bums.
ashlee
April 15, 2008 at 11:33 am
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