I came across something and I am trying to figure out how to be nice about someone else’s beliefs and what they are doing to support such ideals. Have you ever heard of the word “freegan”?
Nope, it isn’t slang for the word frigging, freaking, or fukking, uh-uh. It is a word that describes a person who forages through trash for free, vegan type foods that are tossed away daily by grocery stores and bakeries, mainly.
Hence, Free and -gans because they only forage for vegetables, fruits, breads and expired boxed goods. Not all freegans are vegans, however.
Surprised, shocked, and grossed out? Me, too. I mean, I have never heard of this before. Even more mind-blowing is that the people doing it are well-educated, successful people who decided that there is too much consumerism and waste happening in the world today and they have committed themselves to a life of minimalism, to include eating free and wasted goods by going on “Trash” field trips. Many are not employed and see money as bad!!
What constitutes a ‘field’ trip? Apparently, take along some plastic grocery sacks, maybe some disposable gloves and get the pep talk that consists of telling fellow freegans that they should wash any fruits and veggies when they get home, inspect any packaging for holes, and no eating while collecting food.!! Yikes! I’m sorry, but the thought of standing n the dark of night, with flashlight in hand to pick through the waste of a store makes me cringe.
For freegans, the imperative toward owning inanimate objects and purchasing ancillary services only feeds the beast of capitalist economics. They believe that housing is a right not a privilege, so instead of paying rents or mortgages, freegans tend to squat in abandoned buildings or live with groups of friends. I don’t like this at all. Ask a South African how they feel when squatters take over their private property and the government does absolutely nothing. Freegans also believe those who embrace capitalism are, in fact destroying the environment, the animals, and even humans. So, basically, the world. And the way they connect the dots to get to the point of being minimalist or by rejecting capitalism can be astounding. What do I mean?
Because of the pollution emitted from cars and other kinds of transportation freegans prefer to skate, hitchhike, walk or cycle. Nothing wrong with using self-moded means to get around, right? But I think they forgot that gas is used to transport the vegetables, or that a cow’s farting methane contributes to the “ruin” of the environment!! (Damn cows! Hold on a second…oops! I just contributed, too. Excu-use me!)
Or how about that cows are ‘hurt’ because we milk or slaughter them? Never mind good old vitamin D or the fact protein is an essential nutrient for strong bones and brain growth in children. (Do you think freegans have children in this awful world of over consumption and capitalism?) And, me, well, I truly love a nice freezing cold glass of milk a good petite filet and I work hard for the money (so hard for the money, do-do-do-do) to be able to enjoy that! I’m sorry, but why would cows be on the earth if not for that?
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 96 billion pounds of food are thrown away each year, making up 12 percent of the trash produced in the United States. Because of federal and state regulations for restaurants and grocery stores, expiration dates often come before the food actually spoils. This is perplexing to me- the regulatory issues. If food is going to be thrown away why can it not be donated to a homeless shelter or sold at a discount instead of tossing it? Why? Well, lawsuits, of course! (Tort reform, tort reform, personal responsibility, no entitlements!)
Freeganism is a spot-on practical illustration of Ayn Rand's term "stolen concept". Freegans are denying that which allows them to be! These people are living off the “spoils” (literally!!) of a free market system. This is indeed hypocritical. Should the free market system collapse, so would their ability to re-use the values of that system. Amazing, isn’t it?
The movement has been around since the 90’s, apparently. In researchin this article, I found several references that dated to 1997.
But, you see, we cannot go back to be cavemen who were hunters and gatherers. We cannot go back in time and become any less technologically advanced…Could we consume less and use the things we own more efficiently? Absolutely. I ask myself how is it that a person wakes up one day and has such a revelation about the consumerism and waste? What does giving up a 6 figure income and foraging through garbage actually do to help those who have less? (as somewhere in a liberal mind, it is about humanity and saving the planet) Why not take all that money and really do something to help those less fortunate or to change the policy to use the waste efficiently? Why not put it to tangible use instead of becoming a bit of a recluse against societal progress, government and the free market? Because, it makes them feel good. More power to them if that is truly what makes them tick. Not me. I will not apologize for wanting, even needing to consume. This is human nature and if it weren’t meant to be this way, we as a planet would have imploded long ago. I can be more frugal in many ways, but I will never embrace freegan ideals. I can’t. I’m a capitalist, after all!
Check out this link…you may need a barf bucket!