Hi,My name is Rebecca. I work with research at a Swedish Television company, called Titan Television.We are interested in dumpster divers. The philosophy, reflections and yous guys life and thoughts.Would you have any interest in participating? Showing us your life?Best regardsRebeccaA nswer to:XXXXXXX@titan.seph: XXXXXXXXXXX 25Personal contact info edited for privacy reasons

Hi Laryn,I called Willem for his birthday today and he told me about your site and your television debut. I think that it is really neat that you guys don't just sit around and feel bad about the waste in our society but actually take a proactive approach. I'm not sure I will be able to follow suit but it was really neat to have an update on how you are doing, and what. It also makes me more aware of what I am doing to contribute both in a negative and a positive way to this huge problem. Take care and keep up the great "shopping" habits. :)Janneke Bakker

Any ideas for giving away food from dumpster diving?

I couldnt quite believe this until I saw it for myself.
I always felt we wasted alot and would somehow become accountable for our waste, but this subject matter blew my mind.
Its doubtful that I would go to this extreme to make myself heard (its the germ phobia thingy) but it has been instrumental in helping me reevaluate what I buy and toss.
Thankyou for making us all more aware of our consumpton.

Lets not turn our planet into a wasteland.
dd

See below for a few more dumpster diving and freeganism news items:

[color=aqua][/color]Greetings From Redondo Beach,CA:

I was amazed to find this site while I was reading it's previous "TAG" on Squatter's Rights.

Awhile back I was having to resort to ANY legal means of survival.

My Real Estate property was being stolen by our local court's legal pro's.

During their scandalous proceeds they were trying to squeeze me off my own property.

They started their illegal process by putting up a chain link fence(as if it was abandoned/boarded up & ready for demo)at the sametime their paralegal fraudulantly had all my utilities turned off & she put passwords on each acct.

Trying to squeeze people off their own properties is and has been occurring way too long.

I had to resort to whatever it took to survive this illegal event.

It worked the best for me at the Grocery Stores by seeking permission first from the stores Mgmt.

I was amazed with what the floral dept. had tossed out the day after Valentine's Day.

I retrieved over 35 dozen of Roses in perfect condition. I had passed them out to elderly neighbors in my neighborhood.

I proudly told them the truth in my findings.

I haven't read all the reply's posted here yet. Maybe it has been posted already, I think that a lot of any negative reactions by the local residents/peace officers/retailers might stem from a certain group of people who have alternative motives.

They are classified around here as "Tweekers". To satisfy their drug addictions, they even go to point of robbing people by stealing items in parked cars/garages and homes.

The first time I heard of this
(people's scamming techniques)it was referred as "GHOSTING".

They go into neighborhoods,park their vehicles and jump on their bikes and scout out the area.

I'm not sure how I would of survived in those days without starving.

Call it pride etc., but I've never been into lazy hand outs.

It has given me a new perception on judging people who appear to be homeless.

So many people, even from upper class levels have been victimized by having their Homes(Real Estate)stolen.

Keep sharing your in site and experiences on the web. Maybe more people will open their eyes to the real problems of poverty.

Hopefully before they get caught up in the scandalous web of our so called "JUDICIAL SYSTEM".

Best Regards~
laurie_n_redondo@yahoo.com

Here's an article from the UK that has a positive spin (and doesn't resort to the easy -- and misleading -- 'workers and divers are in conflict' meme):

Quote:

...
Sometimes, not often, the friends meet other bin-divers: there's usually a polite 'No, no, you first!' exchange. Freegans are decent people, and, in this shopping centre, at least, there's never been less than enough to go round. Often the security guards come down to say a friendly hello to the bin-divers: they, in turn, are scrupulous about not leaving any mess.
...
Pen finished one salad and started on another - an Orzo Pasta with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes. 'The funny thing is,' she said, 'you still feel guilty throwing away the food you can't eat - even though it's already been thrown away.' 'Yeah,' said Cuthbert, 'our eyes are often bigger than our stomachs.' 'But we've got more sensible over the months,' says Dave. 'We used to just gorge on all the bourgeois food. We'd grab packets of chocolate doughnuts. But that gets boring and now we're eating sensibly.' They're drinking too: a few weeks ago when the bins were full of unwanted grapes, Cuthbert used them to start making wine.

'What we're doing with this food is not an answer,' says Dave. 'But it is at least a gesture against the waste and excess.' 'And, besides,' said Cuthbert, 'we're skint. Some people might feel embarrassed at doing this - I'm not. I told my Mum and she asked me to get her some salad and bread. I'll get her a turkey for Christmas.'
...
Food is cheap, and that has made us lazy. With cheap food everywhere, in all seasons, we've lost our respect for it and its makers, according to Blythman, and so we're not fussed about throwing so much away. We're a nation that no longer does left-overs.
...
Freeganism won't solve all this, obviously. But it is, as the anarchists promise, a whole lot of fun. The biggest step is to dive that first wheelie bin, I was told: after that there's a whole new world out there, alive with the thrill of not paying...If you want to join in, remember that Freeganism starts small and in the home - and most parents are already at it. But next time you polish off the remains of your kids' supper, think of it not as a sad modern-parent way to eat, but as a political act, a first blow in the battle against waste. As the freegans say: 'You are what you eat. So eat free!'

The Observer: No such thing as a free lunch?

Newsweek:

Quote:

Before June of this year, I thought only the sad and desperate ate garbage. Then I discovered the freegans. For those new to the term (free + vegan), a freegan is a person who has decided to boycott capitalist society by severely curtailing consumption of resources through reusing, recycling and Dumpster diving. Taking the expression "Waste not, want not" to its extreme conclusion, freegans try not to purchase anything up to and including food. Instead, they rely on bartering and what the rest of us leave for the garbageman. Now a presence in most American cities, freeganism first popped up out West in Seattle and Portland in the mid-1990s. At first blush, freegans might seem odd and peripheral. But I began to wonder: are they a fringe group reminiscent of our primitive past or are they our carbon-neutral future? At a time when the environmental movement is gaining mainstream acceptance, the freegans are actually living the most hard-core beliefs about consumption and sustainability.

America's overconsumption is legendary. We struggle with morbid obesity, use 25 percent of the world's oil and buy houses we can't afford. If the mildest projections are true, we are recklessly contributing to the warming of the planet. OK, we've made some changes, but does anyone really believe that "carbon offsetting" is anything other than eating your cake and having it, too?

...

DAY 31: I expected to go flying back into the arms of my local Target without a glance back. I can't. I would just feel too guilty. And not that free-form kind of liberal guilt because life is harder on some people than it is on me, but real guilt. I know, I whined a lot. It's not easy to make all your decisions in line with your conscience. But we can't deny that our planet is warming and therefore I am hedging my bets. I think I'll try moderation. I've already learned how to turn the lights out when I leave the room. And you know what? I am determined to limit my buying. So one pair of fall shoes won't break my budget or make me feel guilty but 12 pairs would—a distinction that I would not have been able to make four weeks ago. There's too much waste, and I'd like to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. And with the twelve hundred dollars I saved, I can now retire two weeks earlier than I planned. I'm a changed woman. Recycle, reuse, renew? You bet. Shopping in the trash? Sorry, can't do it.

Quote:

We waste too much food and should return to the way we lived during the war, says a new campaign. It would save us money and help save the planet.

It was considered a crime to waste food during the war, according to 92-year-old Marguerite Patten.

And she should know, being the woman who helped housewives make the most of their family's rations during World War II.

BBC News Magazine: The lost art of leftovers

She called you guys freegans, which is so totally wrong.
Lol.

There's an interesting new site at www.vdumpsters.com - It's just launched and appears to be based on the UK version www.vskips.co.uk which has about 6000 virtual dumpster divers. Similar principle to Freecycle only simpler to use I think

These two environmentalis ts recently picked up the art of dumpster diving from a friend of theirs named Ryan. After learning about the positive aspects of diving from Ryan, they decided to try it out for themselves. Though they are dumpster divers, they find it helpful to the environment to take excess. They said, "The more you take and can actually use, the more environmental side benefits you reap by rescuing it from the dumpster and the more resources you potentially free up." They also push the points that you must be quick, polite, and clean. That was very interesting.

Dumpster diving sounds fun when it comes to finding interesting stuff like jewelry, clothes, and other items everyday people throw out, but when it comes to food it sounds extremely gross. I understand that it is cheaper, and it is good for the environment, but why go through others people's garbage and eat their food? Why don't the people who dumpster dive go to a homeless shelter and just eat for free without getting messy and smelling like a dumpster? Instead of dumpster diving why don't people just form a group and promote compost piles to help the environment?

I was amazed to learn these two environmentalis ts could discover how beneficial dumpster divng can be to both the divers and the environment. I never believed that many divers could find any amount of food that is readily perseved. Since dumpster diving is a cautious practice, I can understand that there are rules that must be followed for one to become a successful dumpster diving. What I found was most impressive was how someone could find means of making a profit off what they found in a dumpster. After reading about the practice and benefits of dumpster diving, I can guess that even though you could become homeless, there is still a way you could get by in life.

I don't understand why these people dumpster dive for fun. They take the food to save money but then the donate money to other charities. If you need the money that bad, why wouldnt you spend money on food and clothes instead of donating it. I also thought that it was interesting that they have asked permission from the workers if they could go through their trash. If they didn't ask or if the workers said no, they would still probably do it, so what would be the point of even asking.

This is pretty interesting, and I am pretty sure I would have never thought of this. I cannot necessarily knock what I have never tried. So, I guess this is something good,it benefits.

I was amazed at the benefits these two environmentalis ts could find from dumpster diving. I never believed that dumpster diving can be beneficial to both the divers and the environment. Since dumpster diving is a cautious practice, I can understand that there are rules that one must follow to become a successful diver. What amazed me the most was how a person was able to make a profit off some well preserved bread he found in a dumpster. I guess it goes to show you that, even homeless people have effective ways to get by in life.

After reading this article, I found it very interesting to see the many benefits that seem to come from digging in the garbage. Not only does this person and his brother learn to help the environment by saving perfectly good food, but they also save money on food they would normally have to buy and recycle and compost bad food and its containers. However, I would like to know more about "Janel's quality control". It seems that much of the food could be hazardous to one's health, therefore I was curious to know how extensive this "quality control" was.

I found this article as well as the video very touching. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of dumpster diving is filth and a reeking aroma. But this article has changed my opinion, as it demonstrates many other positive things that trump the risks involved in the process. The mass amount of food and the overall quality of the food was surprising to me. I was astonished by the fact that they could cook meals for themselves as well as think of the less fortunate as equally deserving of the benefits of the food. I don't see a problem with dumpster diving, especially if it's done out of generosity. They are not just dumpster diving to help themselves to the benefits, but also those in the community surrounding them. I do not feel that this is something to promote, since it can be rude and messy if performed in the wrong manner, however, I feel that this group has mastered the technique and realize what they need to do to help others as well as themselves.

I find it really interesting to dumpster dive and i would definately love to try it some time. I love the fact that you are helping yourself by saving money, as well as the environment. I would be very cautious about the food and would probably not eat anything from a dumpster. I also really loved that lary and Janel donated the money that would have origanlly gone to food for that month to charities and other organizations. I think it is a great idea and more people should participate in it.

They make dumpster diving seem fun and worth while to do. But what dumpster diving really shows is how wasteful people are with food. They implied that when they first started out they didn't have a lot of confidence, "The more we went, the more confident we became and the more systems or routines we developed." They spoke how dumpster diving benifited them by means of saving money to do other things. They also suggested that dumpster diving gave insight on how they use their food in their own house. Towards the end they inform you what to do if you want to dumpster dive.

New York Times:
Not Buying It

Quote:

The site, which provides information and listings for the small but growing subculture of anticonsumerist s who call themselves freegans -€” the term derives from vegans, the vegetarians who forsake all animal products, as many freegans also do -€” is the closest thing their movement has to an official voice. And for those like Ms. Elia and Ms. Kalish, it serves as a guide to negotiating life, and making a home, in a world they see as hostile to their values.

Freegans are scavengers of the developed world, living off consumer waste in an effort to minimize their support of corporations and their impact on the planet, and to distance themselves from what they see as out-of-control consumerism. They forage through supermarket trash and eat the slightly bruised produce or just-expired canned goods that are routinely thrown out, and negotiate gifts of surplus food from sympathetic stores and restaurants.

They dress in castoff clothes and furnish their homes with items found on the street; at freecycle.org, where users post unwanted items; and at so-called freemeets, flea markets where no money is exchanged.

Colbert Report:
The Freegans

Quote:

To prevent these trash-eating hippies from freeloading, Stephen asks us to hoard our garbage.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler (God's Politics):
Another Colbert Retort

Quote:

...I haven't been so outraged since Colbert mocked our presidential candidates forum. And by outraged, I mean gratified by the free satirical publicity—which is second only to imitation as the sincerest form of flattery.

Now, as a person who gets 95 percent of my groceries from dumpster diving, I'm used to misunderstandin gs about the safety and legality of this lifestyle, but Colbert cut right to the heart of the matter, citing a recent New York Times article and taking issue with those who are "living off consumer waste in an effort to minimize their support of corporations and their impact on the planet."...

The Christian freegans I posted about from Oprah's show have a good series of posts on why they dumpster dive. It seems our philosophies match fairly well.

Why we dumpster dive and recycle, Part 1:
FAQ
Why we dumpster dive and recycle, Part 2:
"...We recycle and dumpster dive because we care about God's earth and its inhabitants, and we believe that consuming and wasting too much of the planet's resources is destroying both...."

Why we dumpster dive and recycle, Part 3:
"...Dumpster Diving is a radical way to point out the overconsumption and careless waste in our country. (Radical enough to be noticed by national TV, I guess!) Hopefully not just to point out the flaw, but to educate and encourage the audience to change some of their own habits. We are not going on TV to convince people that they, too, should dumpster dive. But we do hope to ask everyone to come up with creative ways to decrease their own personal consumption and waste.

Remember when the desert fathers made their radical move away from the affluence of their day? Well, we're not like them. :) But, in a very small way, it's similar. They weren't asking everyone to join them in the desert. Instead, they were making a radical statement against the church's new marriage with the wealthy empire by taking vows of poverty and moving to abandoned areas. Amanda and I feel that our nation's consumption and waste is out of control, and we feel so strongly about it that we will live in a way that speaks loudly against it...."
FAQ

The title of this comment is a philosophy I have tried to follow all my life. When we were raising our small children, my husband was working full time and was a full time student. To survive those very lean years, we shared grocery store toss-outs with another family in our neighborhood. We have canned, frozen and preserved various fruits and vegetables we have grown in our yard or food given to us by our neighbors who had excess in their home gardens. I have remade clothing for my children from my old clothing, or purchased items from yard sales and thrift stores. My friends and neighbors would share outgrown clothing with us. I used a bicycle trailer and bike to transport my children to and from school each day and to sports activities. I have learned to economize out of necessity and not so much as a "protest" or a personal statement against our wasteful society. It is a wonderful thing to "make do" with less, and to share your resources with one another. I would just say don't act too prideful about it when others don't understand or misconstrue what you are doing. We are not "better" than they are because we are conscientious with our resources. Perhaps there would be more peace in the world if we would stop competing with each other and do more to forgive and be willing to help each other.

Question: So do you guys consider yourself "freegans"? Not sure that it matters, but am curious because I've been noticing lately that there is a group of dumpster divers who are really into throwing this term around, and a group who are not, and I am curious what would keep someone/lead someone to using the term.

Nice article by the way. I live from the dumpsters as well. Amazing how many people all over the world the trash is feeding.

Dumpster Dining For Jesus (Andrew Sullivan): "Now here's someone not expecting Christianity to provide a welfare state. Ryan Rodrick Beiler, the Sojourners web editor, calls himself a "freegan" and defends himself from Stephen Colbert. "
More