Freeganism
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Freeganism is a lifestyle in which an attempt is made to abstain from purchases so as to curb the corporate drive for profits. This drive is seen by Freegans as the source of ethical negligence. This display of eroding concern for ethics or morals by corporations was initially an issue mainly taken note of by vegetarians, vegans and animal rights supporters in general. The Freegan notion of boycotting products that violated the consumer's own code of ethics began with animal products but evolved to include a broader range of commodities. It is important to note that the term is relatively recent and its definition may fluctuate in actual daily use. The word "freegan" is a portmanteau of the words free and vegan.
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[edit] Basic concepts
Popular mostly among North American anti-capitalists, freeganism is a practice that seeks to lessen what is considered rampant overconsumption, environmental destruction, waste, and exploitation in the developed world. Freegans and strict vegans both consider the practice of confining and killing animals for human consumption both environmentally unsound and unnecessarily cruel.
Freeganism differs from veganism primarily in its priorities: followers of both ideologies refuse to support organizations which profit from animal mistreatment, death, or exploitation; however, as a matter of principle, vegans refuse to consume animal products even when they obtain them for free. Some freegans, on the other hand, consider it not only justifiable but beneficial to consume edible animal products after they have been discarded, as such food is still a viable source of nourishment which would otherwise go to waste. Freegans do not all have qualms with eating meat, dairy, and so on — so long as they are not giving money to the corporations that sell them; unlike vegans, freegans see nothing morally superior in refusing free food. One freegan slogan which could be said to sum up the principles of the movement reads: "We'll eat your scrap, but we won't buy your crap."
By contrast, some vegans feel that the freeganism is inherently unsustainable because: it does not economically support non-animal alternatives; it avoids making an explicit statement about food of animal origin; and it presents difficulty in determining the 'freeness' of food, ie. food taken without permission from a buffet table may be free to the recipient, but it has the potential to create a shortage for others attending the buffet who might later fulfill their food needs by purchasing animal-based foods. A common derogatory term for freegans is "Opportunivore".
There is some disagreement about the definition of freeganism. Some freegans consume meat, as long as they don't pay for it; others still abstain from meat even when they find it for free. Some freegans, represented by the freegan.info website claim that "freeganism is a broad-based lifestyle ethic encompassing food, housing, transportation, clothing, and all other necessities of daily life"; however, the addition of many non-food-related items to the definition of freegan does not reflect the most common historical usage of the term.
[edit] Freeganism in practice
Many freegans get free food by pulling it out of the trash, a practice commonly nicknamed dumpster diving in North America or skipping in the U.K. Freegans find ample amounts of clean, edible food in the garbage of restaurants, grocery stores, and other food-related industries, and this allows them to avoid spending money on products that exploit the world's resources, contribute to urban sprawl, treat workers unfairly, or disregard animal rights. By dumpster diving or skipping, they prevent edible food from contributing to landfills and sometimes feed people and animals who might otherwise go hungry. Many freegans (and strict vegan "dumpster divers") claim that they are able to eat very well, and even avoid paying for food altogether, due to this practice. Many vegan dumpster divers come to embrace freeganism in order to utilize more of the thrown-out food they find, which would otherwise be needlessly wasted.
Food Not Bombs is an organization based widely on freegan principles.
[edit] References
- 'Freegans' choose to eat garbage Tucker Carlson, MSNBC, February 3 2006 URL accessed February 24 2006
- "Freegan" Dumpster Diving Reveals America's Colossal Waste of Food Nicole Bergot, Newsday, September 29 2004 URL accessed February 24 2006
- Rubbish meals a gourmet treat for freegan diners Richard Luscombe, The Scotsman, November 25 2005 URL accessed February 24 2006
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- freegan.info
- Freegan Kitchen, a cooking video blog
- How to Drop Out
- Evasion, a freegan memoir
- Skip Dipping in Australia
- "Freegans forage for food in bins," Reuters article
The page was seeded with material from Wikipedia
