Introduction
Freeganism refers to an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group of people who promote the need for restricted involvement in the conformist financial system. Additionally, they advocate for minimal utilization of resources through strategies such as recycling (Barnard 9). As a portmanteau of “free” and “vegan,” the word freegan is a combination of the two words’ meanings. Vegans are known to avoid eating animal or dairy products as a way of expressing their feelings about animal exploitation. Theoretically, freegans completely avoid spending on foodstuff as their way of protesting against the structure, composition, and implementation of the conventional economic system (Brinkmann 204). Some of the common ideologies that have been associated with the freegan movement over the years include anti-consumerists, anti-capitalists, as well as alternative living schemes such as voluntary unemployment and urban foraging (Barnard 14). The practice by freegans of picking food items thrown away by others and finding consumers for them so that they are not wasted has been gaining momentum across the world at an escalating pace.
Discussion
Although the majority of the groups across the world that initially identified with the freegan movement have since gone inactive or are operating under different labels, its ideologies have received unwavering support due to the associated benefits. Research has identified economic reasons as one of the biggest motivations for the people who subscribe to the ideologies promoted by the movement (Barnard 35). Freegans are enthusiastic about recovering waste and use any possible strategy to achieve this objective even if it requires them to avoid consumption. Apart from the economic reasons, subscribers of this ideology also cite factors such as religious conviction, delight at being entertained, and the possibility of acquiring free items as the other motivations behind their involvement with the movement (Neuwirth 116). Studies have also shown that freegan diets are entirely dependent on practices that generate saleable food waste, which is still edible even when disposed of (Brinkmann 211). Such practices include disposing of foodstuffs with conformist sell-by dates and intentional overstocking of perishable goods.
One of the interesting practices associated with this movement is squatting. Apart from the notion that food waste should be collected and redistributed, participants in this movement also argue that buildings that remain unoccupied for a long classify as waste that needs to be reclaimed (Barnard 49). This is a practice called squatting, which was common in the United States during the 1980s and 90s (Barnard 61). The motivation for this practice was the need to create free schools and community centers, among other facilities. Another unique practice associated with the movement is working less or voluntary unemployment. According to freegans, it is unethical for someone to work with the sole intention of acquiring and accumulating wealth (Neuwirth 167). They argue that their choice to work less is necessitated by the fact that they only need little money to purchase necessities because the rest of the objects one needs can be acquired free from the garbage (Barnard 60). Additionally, they argue that the less one works, the more time for political action is created.
Principles of Freeganism
Freegans always aim at getting free objects so that they do have to shop. For anyone who subscribes to the ideologies of this movement, there are several precepts that one has to apply to have the right capacity to find free food, clothing, entertainment, shelter, and transportation, among other necessities (Barnard 34). There are two categories of freegans, namely city dwellers and rural inhabitants. Rural inhabitants tend to be highly isolated from modern society, a phenomenon that is necessitated by their ability to live self-sufficient lives. They can meet their food, shelter, clothing, and health needs from their farms without the need to outsource. On the other hand, city dwellers have to apply high-level survival tactics. They are often forced to trade the items they recover with other people instead of spending money to acquire something they need.
One of the main principles of freeganism is reusing and recycling. Freegans find the tons of waste produced by economies across the world quite disgusting. In their effort to be a part of the solution instead of escalating the problem, they opt to reuse waste material as much as possible. When it is not feasible to reuse, the next logical action is to fix the broken items and recycle others for a different purpose. If freegans find themselves with unnecessary items, they often choose to give such objects away to individuals who find them more valuable. Another crucial principle that guides the ideologies of this movement is the need to grow food (Barnard 102). Freegans believe that growing food is one of the quickest ways to escape the trappings of the conventional financial system. Apart from one becoming self-sufficient without the need to spend money, this principle helps people to enjoy the fresh air and interact more with community members during the process of exchanging goods and services.
Freeganism also applies the principle of eco-friendly transportation means. Most freegans do not own cars because vehicles contradict their idea of contributing to air pollution during and after production. Additionally, they avoid using buses and trains for transportation because they rely on fossil fuels, which have caused major destructions in various parts of the world to control the expensive resource (Barnard 126). Some of the preferred modes of transportation for freegans include bicycles, shared rides, as well as foot power options, such as skating and walking. Rent-free housing is another rule applied under the movement. Freegans argue that moving into unused buildings for shelter should be considered a protest against property owners who fail to complete their properties for years, whereas the housing challenge keeps escalating every year. However, this strategy is dangerous for occupants because most of the abandoned buildings lack good maintenance, thus endangering their lives (Brinkmann 213). Others opt to work in exchange for free housing in jobs that offer free space, while some also get opportunities to meet this need by offering house-sitting services.
The Downsides of Freeganism
Although freeganism has many supporters, it also has its fair share of critics who focus on its downsides. One of the most notable disadvantages of subscribing to the ideologies of this movement is the health risks involved (Barnard 180). Urban foraging is the most common activity associated with this kind of living. Critics argue that in a civilized society, digging through waste by other people is dirty, disgusting, and unhealthy in its entirety. Picking waste from the dustbins exposes the consumers to dangers such as food poisoning. Research has shown that scavenged food has high potential health risks because it may contain household dirt, pesticides, and rat droppings, among other contaminants (Barnard 181). In their defense, freegans argue that they have mastered the art of foraging safely provided someone knows the purpose of their work. According to them, most of the food discarded is often fit for consumption only that their classification as waste is due to their loss of economic value (Barnard 180). In most cases, the food is usually sealed in packages, which makes it hard for them to be contaminated by other waste thrown in the dustbins.
Another notable downside of freeganism is the legality of their activities. In the United States, urban foraging is allowed across various cities because anything found in dumpsters is classified as waste, and thus does not belong to anyone in particular. However, freegans need to familiarize themselves with the areas that have laws prohibiting these practices to avoid any legal penalties. They should avoid dumpsters on private property because one can be easily arrested and charged for trespassing (Barnard 207). Additionally, one can be charged for vandalism if a dumpster is locked and a freegan breaks into it, looking for objects to collect. Squatting is also another activity associated with this movement that is illegal in most cities across the United States. The benefit that squatters have is that the police cannot evict them from a building if the owner has not issued a formal complaint regarding their occupancy. Interestingly, squatters can own the buildings they occupy if they live in them for several years without any form of interruption.
The ethical dilemma associated with the activities of freeganism is also a major downside. Research has shown that some people consider the ideologies of this movement to be unethical because they embody the spirit of “parasites,” who live only by taking and not making (Barnard 235). From an ethical perspective, the freegan lifestyle is not sustainable and should be discouraged. The main reason for this is the fact that it highly depends on the wasteful capitalist system that they strongly oppose through their ideologies. In their defense, freegans argue that they engage in several other activities apart from collecting food where they work directly to better their lives and that of others.
Conclusion
Freeganism is a movement that has gained popularity for both positive and negative reasons. Its supporters argue that the ideologies promoted by freegans are for the common good because solid waste management is a challenge that continues to bedevil the operations of most cities across the world. Its critics argue that that lifestyle is unethical and ought to be discouraged. Their activities, such as scavenging, pose health risks to people who consume the food while squatting has been described as a violation of privacy and rights of ownership to the people whose properties the freegans occupy. Most people understand the sentiments of freegans concerning their willingness to protect the environment by reducing waste. However, few of their sympathizers would be willing to be part of the movement because they consider some of their actions risky. Trying to live without earning or spending money is an extremely challenging lifestyle regardless of the objective someone seeks to achieve. Nevertheless, there are many aspects people can learn from the freegan movement that can help in achieving the common good.
Works Cited
Barnard, Alex. Freegans: Diving into the Wealth of Food Waste in America. U of Minnesota P, 2016.
Brinkmann, Robert. Introduction to Sustainability. John Wiley & Sons, 2016.
Neuwirth, Robert. Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A New Urban World. Routledge, 2016.