This article from the New York Times addresses issues of environmental justice in regards to food. It details the lifestyle and ethos of those who subscribe to “Freeganism,” a way of life that is “dedicated to salvaging what others waste and- when possible- living without the use of currency.” I think it brings to light one way that some people are dealing with the dilemmas inherent in our society such as exorbitant waste and consumerism. Especially after watching “The Food Producers,” reading “Domesticated Landscapes,” and learning about different means of sustaining oneself and one’s community, I found this article in line with the theory that foraging does not always give way to farming. Freegans in fact refer to themselves as a “modern hunter-gatherer society.”
The
freegans discussed in the article all live in a deserted mansion as squatters.
Although this poses questions of legality, the courts and surrounding
neighborhood actually ruled in favor of the freegans because of their commitment
to the upkeep of the mansion. Goals of reducing one’s own waste and making use
of others’ waste are manifested in the freegans’ eating habits, such as eating food
attained via dumpster-diving, roadkill, or scavenging for things such as
snails. Many freegans are barefoot and have little if any possessions. Most
abhor spending money. Although this lifestyle may seem like merely a more
stable form of homelessness, Freeganism is distinct from the plight of those
who are impoverished. Many of its constituents have left their middle or upper
class backgrounds to live in such a way because of their personal beliefs about
environmental consciousness. A man central to Freeganism’s growth founded the
movement after working at an organic food store that wasted much of its good
and salvageable produce due to minor imperfections or bruises. The movement
began with McHenry’s efforts to distribute the leftover produce to the needy,
and eventually morphed into a lifestyle. McHenry himself states that for him,
Freeganism would ideally not exist, because that would mean that those in the
food industry would no longer be outputting so much waste.
Freeganism
is an extreme reaction to some deplorable aspects of our society. It echoes
many of the questions we have discussed in class about what is the best way to
live, react to, or remedy issues of environmental justice. I think that,
although Freeganism has probably promoted awareness about food wastefulness and
made an impact through its members’ reduction of their own waste, it is
ultimately not a sustainable or ideal means by which to live. Freeganism places
excess strain on our government, court systems, and law enforcement because of
its extreme nature. Do you find Freeganism to be an acceptable, or even ideal,
lifestyle? What would you do if there were Freegans living in a foreclosed
house in your neighborhood?
I found this article to be very interesting. I had never heard of this lifestyle, and think its a unique reaction to sustainability issues in our society. With that said, I don't think it is a productive approach. The freegans are essentially just freeloaders, and are not doing anything to stop waste--they are just using the waste. They are not invested in making positive change. It seems like a very passive aggressive approach. They want to raise awareness, but they are doing so by exploiting the problem.
ReplyDeleteOne line in the article described freegans as modern hunter gatherers. This is a thought provoking label, especially in light of our discussion last Tuesday. The freegans have, in many ways, domesticated society, in that they are able to repeatedly "harvest" goods from it. From an evolutionary standpoint it would make sense for the freegans to "harvest" in a way that costs them as little as possible, but then it would make sense for society--or whomever is being exploited to try to stop the freegans and that doesn't seem to be the case. Still, society as a whole and the freegans are "coevolving" through their interactions in the courts and with their neighbors.
I found the article to be a comprehensive introduction for those who, like me, were not familiar with “Freeganism.” It was interesting that they not only deal with wasted food, but with discarded clothing (including designer jeans), other material objects, and even buildings. It was particularly striking when the author noted a man as saying “people throw away houses…it’s ridiculous.” Initially I was concerned that the squatters were rejecting society but still benefitting from its leftovers, so to speak, but I was encouraged that they were in fact fixing up the house and had a structure of life that included and valued work. There were examples of people who did not appreciate the values of society that they grew up with and consequently acted rebelliously, but then found new productive goals and paths after spending time at the house. It seems to be a system that promotes community.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a way of life that is acceptable, but not ideal. It is not something that could work if everyone decided that they wanted to adopt this way of life. I also wonder how typical this case is. It was noted that there were times when short-term visitors were disruptive and the neighbors became concerned, and I imagine these are problems that could easily arise in other cases to a degree that makes it more of a troublesome situation than a helpful one.