Irishsean

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,136091,00.html

Article concerns people who believe its wrong to throw away any food, so they eat out of the garbage. Anyone heard of this before or have any thought about it?

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macsmith230

I've never heard of this before, as a movement, per se.
When I was in college I dated a girl that was into this Food Not Bombs movement. They try to get ahold of food that would normally be thrown out to give to the homeless. Sometimes she'd ask around at restaurants to get food before they threw it out, other times she'd dig around in dumpsters for food and I helped her once. We went to a bagel shop at 10 pm after she knew they would be throwing their left-over bagels in the trash, and for some reason they double bagged them every night, so I guess they were kind of tasty still? I dunno, I don't really like bagels too much so I never tried one. And things didn't work out between us.
I guess it seems like they have a point about food being wasted, but is dumpster-diving really the best way to prove your point? <shrug>

KellyC

So they're fighting materialism in a capitalistic society by digging through garbage...activists are getting so weird...gotta admire their determination though.
I would have asked like Macsmith230's ex g/f.

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oblar

i've known several people who get food out of the dumpsters.. Most of them aren't trying to make any sort of political statement, but rather just don't wish to pay for food when there is a plentiful, free supply readily available.

i see nothing wrong with it.. If it would be thrown out anyways, might as well not waste it, however, I would be careful since a) it could be rotten or b) some places pour nasty stuff over discarded food that makes it inedible (or at least no longer safe).

personally though, I think I would have trouble doing this.. certain foods it wouldnt be too hard to get over it, but anything that I would refridgerate I would be apprehensive about.

Irishsean

I believe in the 5 second rule... if its in the garbage, its long past 5 seconds someplace I don't want it to be...

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SecretMethod70

Their website: http://freegan.info/

*shakes head*

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moosenose

when I was a kid, I ate well off of mcdonald's food for almost a month based upon one 20 minute dumpster diving expedition. Went to the dumpster behind one of their office buildings (not a restaurant), and came across a couple of thousand winning food tickets for one of their games. Got cleaned up, went through the loot, and ate free and well until the redemption period ended.

The Chad

She sounds like a cheap date.

I can't stand throwing out food. I'd rather eat until I felt sick than throw food away. I just feel too guilty doing it. My Dad's the same way.

feelgood

Never heard of it either, I always thought people who ate out of garbages were homeless people but this really brings a new light to who else eats out of garbage...

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Bill O'Rights

What the hell is wrong with people? Were I to find myself homeless and hungry, then...yeah, I'd probably grab a quick meal out of a dumpster. But, yknow what? Until that time comes no way I'm grabbing me a snack out of the Dempsy.

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anti fishstick

I've heard of it. It's called dumpster diving. A lot of "indie" mod people do it too. Trying to be alternative and trendy and shit. Maybe it can be a political statement but I just see it as a weird fad.

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pocon1

Seinfeld quote:

"Elaine, you are the bearclaw of my life". Green Lantern

Fire

the freegan page was kinda useful as a last resort urban survival guide, but beyond that it seemed kinda freaky- I am all for re-use but thats taking it to extreems.....

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MSD

Dumpster diving has its purposes, but getting food is not one of them. Now when liquor stores and bars throw out half-full bottles, that's another thing altogether.

Smells like ... Communism. (Based on the first few mind-numbing sentences)

calixstus

freegan.info is a project of a non-profit organization called Wetlands Preserve; an environmentally friendly pro-animal and human rights organization (and anti globalism/capitalism) based in new york city.
their website is hosted by a company called Jaguar Technologies, LLC out of houston TX, who charges wetlands preserve minimum of $9.95/month to maintain the site.
the point is, freegans are consumers of jaguar technologies' service and wasteful in the amount of server storage space that they purchase.
hypocrites!

cybersharp

Yeah it makes a good point not to waste food...yet getting food out of a dumpster even if it is dubble bagged is unsanitary.

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0PtIcAl

StephenSa

Actually, I eat out the garbage at home! Not as bad as you might think. See my wife got food poisoning many years ago and it damn near killed her so she won't eat food that has been stored for more than a day. She's really completely paranoid about it. She throws all sorts of perfectly good food away. The other day I found a whole loaf of bread in there. It was only three days old for the love of god! It wasn't even stale! (though she claimed it was) Bannannas go as soon as they get a brown spot and take-out food's got about a 12 hour window (in the fridge) before its history. This is why I try to let HER pay for the groceries. I'm not paying for food that will just be thrown away. Pretty much all the leftovers become mine. Of course I don't dig around the coffee grounds and muck for a quick snack but anything still in the wrapper/container that's on top and hasn't been there long gets retrived for inspection before being tossed out. I just can't stand wasting food.

World's King

Just fuckin' eat.

Who gives a shit?

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aurigus

If they really don't want to support the "capitalistic pigs" why dont they move to a farm and grow their own food.

Eating others refuse is dangerous and just plain weird.

mbaha

they are called bums

xepherys

MSD-

Where are there bars/stores that throw out half-full bottles? I'll be there shortly!



As for the idea of dumpster diving for food... not my thing. I love food, but not THAT much. If I were homeless, then yeah, I guess I wouldn't have much choice in the matter.

And StephenSa, you might want to have your SO go to a therapist or something. I can understand food aversion when something makes you sick, but this seems a bit overboard. I'm not saying there's something wrong with her, just saying that it might save her a few thousand dollars a year if she were to find a way to get over it.

My ex would thorw things out as SOON as it hit the "best by" or "expiration" date. I'd get so upset. I'm sorry, milk doesn't magically spoil on a certain day. It's not a damned coupon. If it's bad, you can usually tell (for most items at least). Of course, the flipside is that I'm cheap. If I have a loaf of bread, and the top piece is moldy, I'll pull the first few pieces off and throw them away. If the rest of the bread is good, I'll still eat it. I dunno, maybe I'm the wierd one! *shrug*

K-Wise

Whats next are these people gonna start recycling their shit too? "It's such a waste for all that nutrient rich fecal matter to just be discarded..I mean Harry just LOOK at these tomatoes!" "Yer right honey...must be the shit. We're never flushing our shit again. Lets go see what the neighbors threw out!"

Asta!!

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raeanna74

Crazy. If I was homeless and had no income, yeah sure I'd scavange for survival purposes, though honestly I'd move to a rural area and forage for my food. I'd rather cook a rat or squirrel for supper than dig in someone's garbage can. I do find it wasteful how much garbage gets thrown out. I know one woman who makes me cringe every time we eat at her place. Any dish that isn't more than sevaral cups full left gets dumped in the food disposal and flushed down the drain along with gallons of water. I find it hard to throw away a hotdog that my daughter ate less than half of. I don't get stupid and save every last piece but I also don't throw away much food. If we eat and meal and the only bits left are each enough for only one person I'll get out my divided plates with lids and store a "TV dinner" for sometime when I'm eating on my own or just plain hungry. It makes a quick meal and saves money and waste. I honestly wouldn't get a food disposal for my kitchen ever. It tends to hide the volume of food that you throw away. I'm more conscious of what I throw this way. Besides if I lived in the country I'd be starting a compost heap to avoid throwing away more. There's better ways to avoid this. Restaurants that throw away loads of day old bread and such would be wiser with their leftovers if they donated them to a food pantry or shelter depending on what they had left. Bagels thrown away by the garbage bags full - that definately could have been donated. Waste not - Want not. Be a good steward of what you are blessed with.

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Cynthetiq

jeez... like Costanza and the eclair in the trash can...

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StephenSa

by xerpherys
Too funny! I completely agree. I've been through some lean times in my life and I've just become conditioned to never waste food. Its just like throwing money down the drain. Every four bucks I save is another pint of Guinness!

avhg1

I don't think I could dig in someone's trash, let alone eat some thing out of it. I throw dirty diapers in the same trash that my kitchen trash goes in. I can see getting a couch or something that is on the side of the road if it's still good.

water_boy1999

I heard this story on NPR several days ago. The problem with throwing away all this good food is that it is predetermined when to throw things out by the FDA. Once the food hits the throw away date, out it goes. I thought that if they are throwing away all this food anyways, perhaps they should have an outdoor cupboard where they put their throways instead of putting it in the dumpster. If it isn't cleaned out on a weekly basis, THEN they put it in the dumpster. This would keep people out of the dumpster and show a little concern to those in need.

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filtherton

It's not as bad as it sounds. Food is food, and if its wrapped in plastic and you're careful there's nothing questionable about the food, especially in the colder months of colder climates. I think it is difficult to eat well, but not difficult to survive eating trash. Dumpster diving is also a pretty decent way of getting a great many non food items as well. Check out your local blockbuster video on the right day and you will see what i mean. As a lifestyle, though, i think subsisting solely on the waste of others, without contributing to society is unethical.

Ustwo

Food being a completely renewable and 100% biodegradeable is the last thing anyone should worry about throwing away.

As long as we have the sun we shall have food.

Having had a case of food poisoning about 2 weeks ago I think its quite amusing.

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lurkette

Yeah, but it takes energy to grow, produce, and transport it, and it's not free. Unless you're growing your own or foraging. Dumpster diving is just the urban form of hunting and gathering.

I never understood the whole "clean your plate" thing - it's food that's already been dished out and it's not like we're going to put it in a "to-go" box and send it to a starving kid in China. At school we had the Clean Plate Club who would stand there at the trash cans and shame you if you hadn't eaten everything. Food Nazis. The only thing they said that made sense was "take what you'll eat, eat what you take." The "Take what you'll eat" part made sense, anyhow. The amount of food the caf prepared was based on previous demand, and if you are taking more than you eat, they're making more than they'll need, and will have to throw stuff away.

I don't have a problem with throwing food away per se, but rather throwing away food that is still edible and could still be used to feed someone who doesn't have money for groceries.

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Ustwo

I'd rather teach them to fish.

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The Magic

You, sir, have made my day. Thank you for that lovely link.

lurkette

Fair enough, but they still have to eat something while they're learning.

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macsmith230

Hehe, we're assuming, of course, that the restaurants actually throw away the day old bread...and not re-use it.

Cynthetiq

City Harvest is a group here in NYC that picks up food from the MTV Studio on a regular basis. There are so many rules and regulations as to how that food can be "given away" that it's ridiculous. All because everyone is afraid that the "hungry" person will get sick and sue.

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jalora

I recommend picking up a copy of John Hoffman's wonderful book "The Art & Science of Dumpster Diving" on <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1893626075/qid=1098807259/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-3461000-5105613?v=glance&s=books&n=507846" TARGET="resource window">Amazon.com</A>. It's a fun read, and the stuff he writes about could save your ass someday.

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Irishsean

Want to post what you found out, or give us a summary?

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There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.
Leon Trotsky