Freeganism in a World of Mass Consumption

Freeganism has gained popularity in the last few years as advertising, mass consumerism, and debt picked up speed. But what is a freegan? According to www.freegan.info freegans use alternative strategies including foraging through dumpsters for safe and usable discarded goods. Most freegans make a comfortable living, are white-collar professionals, and use freeganism as a means of making a political statement about minimal impact and unnecessary consumption. In short, freegans are rejecting ideas about materialism and protesting society's definition of garbage.

Although America only makes up approximately 5% of the world's population, we generate 30% of its garbage every year. Some sources even indicate we throw out $30 billion in food a year, or enough to feed entire countries. In response, freegans choose to offset their own consumption and waste by living off of what others consider garbage. But it's not about rotten food and tattered clothing. Freegans regularly discover entire bags of fresh bread that was baked that morning and thrown out to make room for tomorrow's inventory. Other finds include working computer and exercise equipment, clothes with the tags still attached, unexpired boxes of cookies and crackers, sandwiches in their original packaging, fresh fruit and vegetables, thousands of dollars worth of office supplies, and electronics. Some cities including New York even have freegan trash tours to teach others how to safely forage for food and goods.

But what are the direct benefits of freeganism? Many freegans claim to find enough food and resources to only spend $25 a week on essentials they cannot recover in the garbage. Despite the fact most of these urban foragers work full-time jobs, they discover a life without mass consumerism leads to a life where overtime, weekend jobs, and debt quickly disappear. Some freegans come to the realization that their job was simply a means to provide a life of constant buying and are able to make a shift to a less profitable but more fulfilling career. And given the current climate of the United States' economy, housing crisis, and staggering debt, freegansim could be alleviate some of our worries.

Could you have freegan sensibilities without even realizing it? When New York University's dorms empty for the summer, locals from all walks of life arrive in droves to claim working televisions, ipods, furniture, books, art, CD's, and household appliances that the students throw out on moving day. Whether it's because they have no means to move everything or are tired of their "stuff", locals reap the benefits.

Small Steps towards Freeganism
Repair a discarded coffee table or pick up books left on the street.
Only buy food you can eat within its expiration date.
Cook and freeze what you can't eat and save or give away.
Discard unwanted clothing to the Salvation Army or local charity.
List unwanted items on www.freecycle.com or the free section of www.craigslist.com.
Buy used goods including CD's, DVD's, books, and household supplies from ebay or thrift stores.
Reduce your consumption whenever possible.
Recycle.

For more information about freeganism, please visit www.freegan.info.