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“The meat can be smelly, but we wash it in potassium permanganate.” Who are freegans and why do they rummage through trash cans?
Miscellaneous / / September 27, 2023
Some are helping the planet, while others are trying to survive and make money.
Who are freegans
Freegans are people who get food, clothing, shoes and household appliances from trash cans.
Freeganism (or freeganism, from the words free - “free” and vegan - “vegan”) originated in the 1980s in the USA. At that time, activists campaigned under the slogan “Food not bombs” and distributed food to those who wanted it, thus drawing attention to the problems of hunger. These were good products that stores and markets were about to throw away, which seemed absurd against the backdrop of the general poverty population.
This is how the ideas of freeganism gradually appeared.
Why do freegans dig through garbage?
There are several reasons.
To combat hyperconsumption
Freegans believe that there is abundance in the world, because thrown away 30% food. Therefore, everything you need can be obtained for free. They look for good quality products and things that for some reason ended up in the trash, and use them without meaning to. spend they have money in stores. They call it salvaging goods.
32-year-old Yuri encountered the fact that stores throw away good products that don’t look perfect when he first went on vacation to Israel. A group of friends had little money, so they decided to try freeganging.
Yuri
Freegan.
Israel is a rich country, and the quality of products there is very different from those sold here. You know, we have better and more expensive bananas, and there are discounted bananas that have already darkened. And in Israel, no one will sell or buy a banana with a blueberry. They'll throw him away. But this is not rotten, it’s just ripe banana.
Even on Friday, before Shabbat, for example, they throw away all baked goods. Because everything will be closed on the weekend, and on Monday it will all be stale.
In countries where the standard of living is higher than ours, products end up in the trash that are better than those in our stores. This kind of food shouldn't go to waste.
By data UN, the world's population is increasing and to feed it, by 2050 we will need 70% more food than in 2009. Under such circumstances it seems that throw away food really unreasonable.
Yuri
When you check the trash can, there is a feeling of embarrassment because it is frowned upon in society. But I am outraged why so much good food and things are thrown away, this is wrong. And I’m thinking in my head that I have nothing to be ashamed of - I don’t insult anyone, I don’t offend or do anything bad. It’s a mystery to me why to throw it away when you can give it all a second normal life.
Yuri adds that he has created a special group on social networks “I’ll give it for free”, where everyone can offer their things to those in need before sending them to the trash.
To survive
In modern realities, freeganism is not always built only on the ideological component. Often this lifestyle helps people survive.
Svetlana and her sister have been freeganging for almost 10 years. They were pushed to do this by necessity: they were left without relatives and without money even for food. We started collecting cardboard to hand over, and then checking trash cans for food and useful things.
Svetlana
Freegan.
We are looking not only for food, but also for clothes and shoes. It helps us live, eat, dress. We continue to do this both because we have to - we have nothing to live on, and because we like these finds.
Now Svetlana does not have a permanent job. She works periodically janitor or does other part-time work. And if it weren’t for freeganism, he and his sister would not have survived.
In order to economize
Freegans are not always people who cannot afford to buy something. They often have a job and are philosophical about their work.
Irina works as an economist, but even so, freeganism became a help for her when salaries began to be delayed and life became more expensive. In addition to food, she enjoys looking for things - you never know what interesting things the trash can will bring.
Irina
Freegan.
Things are a separate category. If food is needed for food, then searching for things is literally a hunt for treasures. Often kind people do not throw them in the trash, but leave them nearby; this is actually a gift. This is how I found boots on which I simply changed the zipper and heels.
You have no idea how much good stuff people throw away. You can find almost anything - from packaged cookies and Doshirak to some containers with food from restaurants. I practically stopped buying food in stores, I do it very rarely and eat what I can find.
It is difficult to name the total amount of savings: from case to case. Sometimes a month I end up spending a few thousand on food - I find the rest. It even happened that I didn’t spend anything and ate exclusively from my finds.
Freeganism also turns out to be a useful tool when traveling. Thus, Yuri discovered freeganism abroad. He loves trips, and finding good food in containers, near shops and restaurants is great for him way to save.
Yuri
In Turkey, for example, I didn’t need money at all. We ate only from trash cans, and literally only spent money on ice cream. And they lived like that for a month. People there also understand that someone might need it, so they don’t throw it into the tank itself, but carefully place it next to it.
Yuri says that at one time in the trash you can find everything for a great dinner - even a frying pan with a label.
To help others
The idea of freeganism goes side by side with the idea food sharing. People get free food, keep some for themselves, and distribute the rest to everyone who wants and needs it. After all, one of the important principles of freegans is to take as much as you can eat.
Svetlana
We take not only for ourselves. We try to help animals and the elderly. We share finds, food, things. Elderly people always gratefully accept, rejoice and say that these things and some products help them.
I think that even if we didn't have a need, we would continue to do this to help others. You know, very often people resort to petty theft because, for example, they don’t have the money to buy a jacket in winter. And we could show that there is another way to get things and food, legal and at the same time free.
To earn money
True, freegans don’t always get their prey hand out. Often there are so many finds that they sell them.
Svetlana
We find a lot of cosmetics: polishes, eye shadows. Sunglasses, bags, hats. Recently we found tweed jackets and shirts. Things with tags are often thrown away - you can find something like this almost every day. We sell some things that we don't need. We always warn where they come from, but they still buy them, no one is bothered by it.
The author of the popular YouTube channel “STREBUKH”, Vladik Strabukh, admits that he now uses freeganism mainly for sport and to earn money. In his videos, he regularly shows finds and tells how much he sells them for. So, in one of the videos he mentionedthat things found in the trash and sold on Avito, brought him 36,350 rubles. “I wonder when I’ll earn 100 thousand?” - asks the freegan.
Irina also periodically sells her finds, noting that even 1,000 rubles is never too much.
What do freegans face?
Usually - with misunderstanding and condemnation. Freegans are often asked if they hate eating out of the trash. As it turns out, no.
Yuri
If you explain that this is acceptable food and show what it looks like, then many people’s questions will immediately disappear. It’s one thing to say that I eat from the garbage, it sounds ugly. And another thing is to show that I found 25 packs of packaged good cookies with a good expiration date.
Freegans mainly hunt trash cans near stores and restaurants, where they often throw away food that is about to expire or that looks unpresentable, but remains of good quality.
Svetlana
Stores usually throw out food a few days in advance or on the expiration date. We are not afraid of being poisoned by this, and there is no any disgust. In all the years of freeganism, we have never been poisoned by anything, not even canned food. Now, for example, we have found bread and bananas in our freezer, frozen for later. The meat can be a little smelly, but we wash it in potassium permanganate to disinfect it, and stew or fry it with a lot of spices. And everything is fine, everyone is alive.
Irina says that at first was shy misunderstanding, she was embarrassed. But freegans tend to keep in touch with each other, and if a novice seeker doesn't know where to go or is confused, you can always find companions in groups and chats.
Irina
At first it was embarrassing. To go on the first raid, I found companions in the freegan chat - it’s still somehow calmer together. Then I got involved.
Of course, when you pick something up, people look very askance. While I don't look poor, I don't look like someone who needs help. Sometimes they make some poisonous comments, but I don’t listen to anyone, I even find it funny.
In general, freegans have little interest in other people's opinions; they are confident that they are not doing anything reprehensible. “I’m not ashamed to tell someone that I eating from the trash heap. Disgust disappears quickly, you hardly notice the smell - you just go towards your goal of finding something tasty and healthy,” says Irina.
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