Messages from freegans around the UK.
Share your thoughts too!
Monday 6 September, 2010 (Dumpster Diving) - LJ says:
Another highly productive week. Wheat prices may be heading skywards with an impact on feed prices that will affect us all but store largesse from the back door continues unabated. Everything points to real inflation heading up to 10% in the short term.
Yet, at least on the food front, this increase can be negated entirely with a little initiative. But there is simply no competition. I never see anyone else. Are people so risk averse that they need to be led by the hand before they will get involved? In a recession it is the risk takers that survive and prosper. Will it take a 1929/1930s USA 'The Grapes of Wrath' style depression before freeganism flourishes? It is good to see some exchange/bartering systems being set up for excess fruit and veg. Certainly waste food figures with enough media coverage. But people stepping out of line and breaking a lifetime of conditioning … gosh, well that takes effort!
I can frequently fill up at just one store. This week alone has been generous enough to top up fridge, freezer, larder and restock for Xmas, plus still have an excess for others. It is gratifying that I manage to help out three OAP families with essentials plus a few luxuries now and then.
Saturday 4 September, 2010 (Legal issues) - Llew says:
Quick search on google scholar and his paper came up
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1748-121X.2009.00142.x/full
Enjoy :)
My conclusion is - do no harm. If you do get caught; stand your ground, be polite and honest about what you're doing, relinquish any finds if requested and ask nicely to be allowed to clean up any mess before leaving. A little appreciation and consideration for the person who catches you will go a long way.
Friday 3 September, 2010 (Meet Other Freegans) - Gemma says:
I will be travelling in England for Sept, Oct and the beginning of Nov. I am looking to meet up with some people possibly interested in roaming the streets and dumpsters for some incredible finds. I am a proud member of a site called couchsurfing.com it is a magnificent networking site for travelling which gives you a more intimate view into culture and society. I would love to meet up with some like-minded people interested in a fun one of a kind night(s) out with the goal of living as close to money-free as possible.
Monday 30 August, 2010 (Photography) - Adela says:
I am an environmentalist and environmental photographer and I like the idea of freeganism. I would like to document it, as part of my photographic project about food waste. I guess meeting freegans from the area would be a good start. Is anyone interested?
Monday 30 August, 2010 (Legal issues) - JD says:
Hi L-J,
I couldn't get the link to work myself, so it seems that something must have changed since I last used it. If you, or anyone else, wants a copy of the article, please email me (ukfreegans@gmail.com) and I will forward the entire paper as I have a copy of it somewhere.
Peace,
JD
Monday 30 August, 2010 ('Big Brother') - LJ says:
Cannot get link to Sean's pdf to work using copy & paste. Would you check link?
Thanks
LJ
Sunday 29 August, 2010 (Legal issues) - JD says:
Thanks to everyone who wrote in offering support concerning the issue regarding a UK-based freegan who was recently prosecuted by Tescos for "stealing rubbish".
I have now heard back from the man's solicitor with a brief update about how things transpired in court a few days ago.
In the end, Tescos - probably realising the embarrassing implications of having done so - decided to drop the charge of theft against the defendant.
It wouldn't surprise me if more cases like this occur in future. It would be good to keep sharing knowledge and support with regard to how best to tackle big businesses, like Tescos, who are more interested in protecting their reputations and profits than the environment.
Just to remind everyone, a university lecturer, Sean Thomas, was recently in touch with us. He wrote an interesting paper entitled "Do Freegans Commit Theft?", with some interesting pointers about how freegans may present their case in court. The link to this paper is:
http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/alss/deps/law/staff0/sean_thomas.Maincontent.0012.file.tmp/do_freegans_commit_theft.pdf
Saturday 28 August, 2010 (Dumpster Diving) - LJ says:
One store I visit is ideal. It's part of a small parade of shops in a residental area. By 10pm it is as quite as the grave. Apart from the occasional dog-walker there are no youths chasing coke, cigs, or crumpet and looking for trouble. Round the back it is unlit and not overlooked. Within half-an-hour the local take-away guys have driven away leaving me to investigate the bins. Over the last decade I have had many tons of goodies from this one store. Mid-week the instore staff bag up every split bag of pasta or sugar or split packet individually and label it for my convenience – praise be to conscientious mumsies who do their job with care. The weekend staff, obviously teenagers or school kids, just tip the lot into a bag with the minimum of effort and the maximum of mess. So the mid-week raid usually fills the van. But I keep two other sites in reserve just in case I have room to spare.
Just occasionally, perhaps only once a year, the bins disappear for a week or a month and I unnecessarily castigate myself for being careless. Perhaps a new directive from HQ or a new manager who needs to prove himself … who knows? Then, when hope has started to fade, the bins reappear primed with all the best that the store can provide. So keep checking once a week.
Do wear a cap to rest the bin's lid on – do not put the lid back up against a wall because if the wind catches it you will be decapitated and leave your head as evidence. For lighting I use a cig lighter with one blue LED which cannot be seen outside the bin. Always lift plastic sacks using the knot at the top, if lifting the base the bag will tear so turn them over first … the last thing you want is leaving a trail of burst yogurts leading back to the carpark. Phew enuf waffle.
Friday 27 August, 2010 (Freeganism in General) - JD says:
@Annaleisha: there are some alternative buying options which you can source from the following website:
http://myzerowaste.com/
I'd still encourage you to take a peak under those supermarket bin lids first. :0)
Thursday 26 August, 2010 (Freeganism in General) - JD says:
I don't know of any place to point you to off hand. I would recommend that you circumnavigate the stores and head to the dumpsters at the back. Plenty of blemished food there, without any cost at all. Some supermarkets knock down food that gets a bit old or damaged (tins etc.), however the bins are definitely the best bet, at least for initial searches!
Thanks, LJ for posting that programme. I hope you're well and continuing to flourish in a freegan fashion.