I have seen mentions of Freegans on various news media and social media. I find the concept very intriguing. Freegans eat only what they are able to gather at no cost. They utilize any and all available resources to achieve their goal. Edible plants found in nature provide a source of leafy greens for salads or berries and fruit in the correct seasons. Dumpsters seem to be their main source supplying the bulk of their meals. Every Freegan group I have knowledge of operates in a city. I am simply amazed at the amount and quality of food thrown away every day. I must admit I was shaking my head after my initial introduction to the world of Freegans due to thoughts of contaminated, spoiled, or otherwise unsafe foods. These concerns are unfounded for many reasons. The Freegan participants are very educated regarding food safety and the food thrown away in most large cities is fresh and often unopened. Talented and quick thinking Freegans eat as though they are wealthy simply by finding and accessing the best sources of food waste. I thought about making my own attempt at being a Freegan but it is not really feasible in my rural location. I would really like to try being a Freegan at least once in my life if I have the opportunity. A Freegan lifestyle saves a great deal of money with the added bonus of eating food beyond the reach of a low income individual or family.
I think I prefer homesteading. I can have all the produce and meat on my backyard that I grow on my own. Freegans are more of gathers. It is like living like a homeless person. Some of them though finds free food online. There are so many free food samples online. Seriously people of this forum should visit the freebie section more.
I recently watched a video of a group of people who were scavenging through various dumpsters in a city and using the food they found in them to feed themselves and others. I felt a bit sick even though I knew that the food was good and had not gone bad. There is still the question of other unhygienic stuff that people throw in the dumpsters and some of that stuff might contaminate the food when taken out from packets. It is so horrifying that there are groups of people who follow that kind of lifestyle, although what they are trying to do here - stop food going waste, is quite commendable, I still think it is not appealing. Instead, there should be a movement to stop people from throwing any food, but give it to people who want such food instead of throwing it away.
I honestly think that it sounds like a great way to save money. Though would most likely try this method only when it is convenient or they are low on money. Doing it daily would be most difficult but still possible. I heard of dumpster dicing but never this method, definitely a great money saving opportunity. Also, what ever one may find in the dumpster they don't want, they could easily sell to another.
It seems like its more work to climb in dumpsters, and the worry of it- would count me out,because you do not know where it has been. You can become ill from the bacteria and there is even more chance climbing in these dumpsters,because the dumpsters themselves breed bacteria and some are even sprayed with pesticides. If you do go dumpster diving though, I would make sure to wear protective gloves, also make sure to wash the food and your hands off good when you get home.
