Freeganism; Can you live your life buying absolutely nothing ever again?

Sounds unfamiliar? According to Wikipedia “Freeganism is an ideology of limited participation

in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources, particularly through
recovering wasted goods like food. The word "freegan" is a portmanteau of free and vegan.”
This movement originated from the 60s anti-globalization movement. Unlike other movements
of that time this one caught public interest and grew. It primarily focuses to defy consumerism.
Followers of freeganism called freegans take extreme measures and I mean going all out to
extract basic necessitates of life from other people’s trash. The rules are generally flexible and
each Freegan has the liberty to adopt whatever lifestyle changes they can manage and work
their way around it. For example, one freegan might depend on living off discarded stuff
completely from crashing in abandoned buildings for the night to bartering possessions they
own, while some might be limited to trash tours and the like.
It is surprising is how much edible food these people find in the trash that would have been
gone for good. It should be noted that while it may be a bit squashed and bruised, it is in good
condition and can satiate the pangs of hunger. According to Madeline Nelson, a well-known
freegan from New York, 50 percent of food from supermarkets ends up in trash. That is an
astounding figure and it explains why many rarely go without food when scavenging. This is also
why freegans do not stockpile, there is always new trash everyday which means more food.
But why is perfectly edible food being discarded as trash? Because of some laws regarding
expiry dates. It should be kept in mind that expiry dates are just human estimations of when
the food is likely to go bad. They are not hard facts so essentially it’s problematic that food that
looks and feels okay should be thrown out. It is especially more disturbing to digest this when
12.3 percent of the U.S community lives in poverty and would willingly make use of this food.
Is it a realistic way of living? While this aspect might be debatable, majority of the people shy
away from such a lifestyle as being realistic because of the health concerns it encompasses.
Looking through trash is not hygienic for many as there might be toxic waste present. Plus there
is a factor of whether it is legal or not. Technically it is not illegal but there is the issue of a
freegan being accused of trespassing if the trashcans are on private property. There’s a societal
role at play as well. People tend to engage and communicate with those that appear well off.
Anyone who looks too plain, is jobless and lives off trash will most likely to be looked upon as a
freeloader or a homeless person and thus ward off any friendly engagement. Additionally it is a
huge time commitment as well. Not everyone can search trash cans every day for breakfast,
lunch and supper.
Many freegans proclaim that this movement ignites a sense of freedom. This is due to the fact
that one no longer has to worry about how to put food on the table as you no longer rely on
income. Freeganism also frees you from the chains of luxury; you learn to suffice on whatever
the supermarkets throw out be it stale broccoli or a loaf of bread. The human desire to attain
more and more which is the crux of consumerism is chained and put on hold.
But one might question that are these people ridding themselves unnecessarily? What is so
wrong with earning a decent income, live in a house and eat whatever you can manage to buy?
Well, freegans focus on minimizing ways to participate in the local economy hence shun these
things as luxuries. They have an anti-capitalistic ideology which has resulted in voluntary
unemployment and squatting wherever they can. They argue that this capitalistic system is not
sustainable at all.
How much has this movement expanded? Buffalo, New York is one of the poorest cities of US
that consists of a huge freegan community. There is no leader but there is a free market there
in which the people have adopted barter system. This market is extraordinary. Sometimes
people will give away their stuff and expect nothing in exchange. This is really a plus point of
this movement as it contributes to the spirit of sharing and empathizing with other human
beings and their needs. The online Freegan community is growing too. Freecycle.Org an online
website where freegans connect and trade their possessions obtained from scavenging. There
are thousands of members from all over the world gathered on one platform.
There’s another website Feegan.info that sets up trash tours. Many Freegans will join hands
and go rummaging for food out on the streets. This primarily happens at night because that is
when trash is thrown out. These people will then sit together to eat whatever that have found
and chat with each other about politics, weather or whatever the latest hot topic is.
Whatever the pros are, one cannot ignore that there are risks and hazards of dumpster diving.
Trash can consist of a wide array of things from spoiled food to detergents, toxic chemicals etc.,
unbeknownst to the one rummaging the trash. Trash might also be teeming with bacteria and
fungi a potential source of harm.
It is without a doubt evident that freeganism is not for everybody. However it should be
realized that the ideologies of this movement are well thought out and should be pondered
upon by all of us. Consumer culture is growing day by day especially when there so many online
platforms to showcase the latest things in town. This quickest way to defy this is by minimizing
our needs and sticking to only what is absolutely necessary.
Mahnoor Shafiq