Did You Watch Oprah's Show About Freegans?

[sfdavis918]

http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200802/tows_past_20080227.jhtml?promocode=incl20080227TD

I have been meaning to post about this since it was on. (Sorry if it was already talked about and I missed it.) Did anyone see this episode of Oprah?

I thought it was super interesting. Really makes you think about how much you consume, or rather, waste. It was amazing to me what they found in the store dumpsters.

It made me want to go and dumpster dive behind our Safeway! Which also made me think about the stigma that goes along with it and how you really have to be the type of person who doesn't care what others think about you.

What do you think about it?

 

[KellyTheChef]

I didn't see it, and I don't think I have ever heard of it! Is it trying to live as "free" as possible? (as in, not spending $$?)

 

[JAE]

I missed that one. I watch Oprah quite a bit, but I've been missing it this last week.

 

[Kristina21]

I recently started working in our warehouse at Staples...omg we 'destroy' a gagillion things! like instead of discounting stuff...we throw it away!!! I was amazed at how much we waste!

 

[sfdavis918]

It's actually more than just living "free". They believe that we are consuming too much and that we waste a ton. They basically go dumpster diving for food in store dumpsters. At first of course I was grossed out, but then what I saw what the stores were throwing away I was like, "I could eat that!" There were things that were thrown out that hadn't even reached an expiration date yet. And I mean tons of stuff!

This other newlywed couple have furnished their whole apartment with things that they got from dumpsters. And it's not like they are hurting for money, it's not about that at all. He actually was a Dr. (if I remember correctly) and she was an engineer. They just truly believe that they are doing better for our planet and mankind by reusing this stuff.

 

[straitfan]

I stayed home sick on Wed., so I actually did watch Oprah that day. I agree, once I saw the things they were getting out of the dumpsters, it really wasn't "gross" at all. It was really kind of depressing to see all of the perfectly good merchandise that was just tossed. We were talking about it in the teacher's lounge yesterday, and this one girl who is an antique nut was kind of turning up her nose at the prospect (she didn't watch) and her best friend was sitting there and said........"actually, I didn't think is was very different from things that you and I have done!" It was really pretty funny!

 

[straitfan]

Oh yeah, Kristina....my mother used to work in the china department at Dillard's and she was appalled at how they would just "break" merchandise and then throw it away at the end of season, etc. when it didn't sell. (She said they broke it to keep "dumpster divers" from getting it. Hard to believe!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

"Freegans" sounds like a cross between the Muppets and a new religion.

 

[sfdavis918]

"Freegans" sounds like a cross between the Muppets and a new religion.

some of the people on the show looked like that same description!

 

[RaggedyAunt]

My brother is a contractor and his previous girlfriend would clean houses. We live in a town with a decent-size university (Ball State), and for a couple of years they did repair and clean-up for rental properties. He would find all kinds of great things that college kids would just abandon because they didn't want to deal with it. I actually still have the coffee and end table they gave me MANY years ago. It's amazing how "disposable" our society has become. There are so many people going without, while so many others have no regard for waste.

I try to be responsible with items. When I am ready to get rid of something, I consider if it's still usable, if so I either donate it to one of our church-affiliated charities or take it to the local mission. If it's truly not salvagable, it goes in the trash.

I don't always get home in time to watch "Oprah", but I did see one segment where a teacher took her class to a landfill so they could actually see that when something is "thrown out" it's not really "gone", just in another place. I thought that was an AWESOME idea and I think all schools should incorporate that kind of field trip in April to coincide with Earth Day. Those kind of images resonate and make people more responsible with their trash.

I even bring home my recyclable items from parties (such as food boxes and cans). I made Taco Soup the other night and kept all the cans. I asked the host for a grocery bag to put them in. She said "The trash can is right here." I simply told her I try to be responsible and recycle as much as I can, and she was like, "Cool" and gave me a bag. I don't make a big deal of it at shows, I just keep anything that can be recycled with my stuff, and put it back in the bag that I brought the groceries in, and rinse cans out if needed. I feel it's the least I can do, especially since I recycle at home.

Tammy

 

[sklay723]

If you look online, you can find a Freecycle group in your area. I'm a member of one in my area through Yahoo, and people who are members can post items that they are looking to part with, but don't necessarily want to just throw away. Bookshelves, furniture, DVDs and tapes, baby stuff, all kinds of things you may or may not need. I've never followed through and picked up anything offered, but from time to time there are some very nice things available, like computers, desks, beds, etc. I have a ton of stuff in my garage that we're going to weed out in the next month or so, and I'll probably be posting it on the Freecycle group site!

 

[kspry]

I didn't watch it, but I dumpster-dived when I was in college and broke. Rich kids left lots of great furniture behind.

Not for food, though, that would squick me out. I went hungry or ate popcorn, very filling and cheap.

 

[MaddyandOwensMom]

That show facinated me and also made me so sad! I work in a school district where lots of kids have free lunch. Their parents are low income and do the best they can. So it made me so frustrated to see all that food go to waste. So many kids go to bed hungry or their parents do so the kids can eat and perfectly good food is thrown out. A small brown spot on an apple? Out in the dumpster when it is perfectly fine and full of vitamins. I had looked up some more info about freegans and found out that the reason so much is thrown out instead of donated to homeless shelters or food pantries is because the food chains don't want to be sued by anyone who might get food poisoning from, say day old bread. No kidding, it's Panera Bread's policy, or at least it has been in the past. Big chains need to step up and help instead of being part of the problem.
Jessica

 

[dannyzmom]

If you look online, you can find a Freecycle group in your area. I'm a member of one in my area through Yahoo, and people who are members can post items that they are looking to part with, but don't necessarily want to just throw away. Bookshelves, furniture, DVDs and tapes, baby stuff, all kinds of things you may or may not need. I've never followed through and picked up anything offered, but from time to time there are some very nice things available, like computers, desks, beds, etc. I have a ton of stuff in my garage that we're going to weed out in the next month or so, and I'll probably be posting it on the Freecycle group site!

Freecycle is awesome! I am a member of several local Freecycle groups - I unload all of my kids old toys & games, old clothing, books, old kitchen tools (when I get my new PC stuff)...it's a GREAT way to get rid of stuff rather than just filling landfills.

 

[redsoxgirl]

We belong to a couple of local Freecycles as well. We got our fridge there and have given lots of stuff away.
At our town dump, we also have a Take It Or Leave It section where people bring things they no longer want and people can go through and take it if they want. There's been desks, kid's toys, beauty shop chairs,all kinds of things!About a year ago I made a decision that I was going to reduce my footprint on the world. We went to cloth bags for shopping (I even use them at Target and stuff), recycle everything we can and eat less junk (ever notice it's the junk food that has more packaging?).It really upsets me when I think of the things that get wasted in this world. What are we leaving to our future generations??

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

You remind me of something they tried over in the People's Republic of Madison, a place where any weird old idea gets tried. Their idea of a free cycle was a little different.They bought a bunch of bicycles, painted them parking lot stripe yellow, and put them out on the street. The idea was, that if you needed a ride, you jumped on a bike and rode it to where ever you needed to go, then just left it there for the next person who needed a bike.Great idea. Good in theory.All the "free cycles" were gone in a matter of a couple of days.That was such a great idea that now they're doing it with a car.

 

[lacychef]

I was amazed by that show! At first I was grossed out too; watching them dumpster dive. But it really was amazing all the stuff that was thrown away. We Americans do waste way too much!

 

[lkprescott]

If you look online, you can find a Freecycle group in your area. I'm a member of one in my area through Yahoo, and people who are members can post items that they are looking to part with, but don't necessarily want to just throw away. Bookshelves, furniture, DVDs and tapes, baby stuff, all kinds of things you may or may not need. I've never followed through and picked up anything offered, but from time to time there are some very nice things available, like computers, desks, beds, etc. I have a ton of stuff in my garage that we're going to weed out in the next month or so, and I'll probably be posting it on the Freecycle group site!

Freecycle is awesome!! I've gotten rid of lots of books, toys and other things. I've also gotten great storage tubs, curling irons, clothing... omgs I got two STUFFED huge garbage bags of clothing that had something in it for every member of my family and then some! Great stuff too! I frequently see offers for appliances (washers, dryers, fridges), furniture (couches, chairs, etc), books, videos, packing supplies - there's even a bakery that offers up breads and rolls often due to their own surplus... I've only ever had one 'no show' and it's always like a secret treasure hunt when you go to pick something up (most folks, myself included, just arrange a day and set things to be picked up on a porch or by the front door)...

I'm just glad that stuff isn't going to the dump!

The Freecycle Network

There's usually a list for every town and I mean, I live in a very little town and we've got a great list! I'm also member of a larger neighboring town... I won't travel far and I try to combine it with errands I'm running anyway so there's no waste factor with gas and such. I've thought of dumpster diving but a lot of places around here lock dumpsters... but lots of folks put out things curbside (we got our coffee table and a computer desk that way - drove by and saw it sitting out with the trash)... it's fun to find something no one else wants and give it new life.

 

[lkprescott]

We belong to a couple of local Freecycles as well. We got our fridge there and have given lots of stuff away.
At our town dump, we also have a Take It Or Leave It section where people bring things they no longer want and people can go through and take it if they want. There's been desks, kid's toys, beauty shop chairs,all kinds of things!

About a year ago I made a decision that I was going to reduce my footprint on the world. We went to cloth bags for shopping (I even use them at Target and stuff), recycle everything we can and eat less junk (ever notice it's the junk food that has more packaging?).

It really upsets me when I think of the things that get wasted in this world. What are we leaving to our future generations??

That's a great use for old t-shirts - making cloth shopping bags. A friend of mine turned me onto a pattern idea (you sketch the simple pattern before cutting - no real pattern needed) that uses two t-shirts to make a lined, gusset bottomed shopping bag. I've made several and while some are obviously from t-shirts a couple have had folks ask me where I got them or assumed I bought them like that... they were surprised to hear they had been t-shirts! I've also made tote bags out of old jeans... cut off the legs, sew up the bottom, attach handles from the thick seems of the legs and you have a conversation piece and a handy tote with lots of pockets (especially if you use 5 pocket jeans) ... there's a great book called Generation T that has lots of ideas for reconstructing t-shirts into other things... from bags, to skirts... there's even a design for a wedding dress out of t-shirts and it's actually pretty. LOL..

I wish I could remember where that t shirt tote bag pattern was...

 

[priscilla]

That show facinated me and also made me so sad! I work in a school district where lots of kids have free lunch. Their parents are low income and do the best they can. So it made me so frustrated to see all that food go to waste. So many kids go to bed hungry or their parents do so the kids can eat and perfectly good food is thrown out. A small brown spot on an apple? Out in the dumpster when it is perfectly fine and full of vitamins. I had looked up some more info about freegans and found out that the reason so much is thrown out instead of donated to homeless shelters or food pantries is because the food chains don't want to be sued by anyone who might get food poisoning from, say day old bread. No kidding, it's Panera Bread's policy, or at least it has been in the past. Big chains need to step up and help instead of being part of the problem.
Jessica

You see, though, how lawsuit happy this country has become. Someone WOULD sue if they got sick, and they MIGHT win. No company wants to deal with that, so they throw it away.

We grow enough food in the world that NO ONE should go hungry. The problem is the logistics involved to get food from one place to where it is needed, the bureaucracy involved, the losses and bribes along the way.

Top it off with the fact that giving food to the hungry is a short term solution. We need to couple it with education and acknowledgment that wheat doesn't grow in the desert.

Robin

 

[aried]

Here at the University of Illinois you can get arrested for dumpster diving after the students leave. They leave a lot of stuff behind.

 

[Shawnna]

Lawsuits are killing our businesses, insurance policys, even doctors. We are actually losing doctors because of the cost of malpractice insurance. In our area a lot of our OB/GYNs have stopped delivering babies because of insurance costs.

Another reason businesses do not give away their wasted food...especially restaurants...is because employees would find a way to take it home. An example would be a cook in a restaurant who overcooks a steak...the customer sends it back and the cook can eat it. You do that every day with every employee you have and the cost is outrageous...and can put you out of business. Or they could cook more food than they know they will need...say for a buffet type dinner...and feed their family for free on the left-overs. People actually do that. Employees are actually some of the worst theives in any business...they take pencils, pens, paper, food...anything...and don't think a thing about it. they stay on the business phone for personal calls, they sneak extra breaks, etc. They don't consider this to be wrong...but the employer is paying for it in the end. It is really sad that a few people ruin things for everyone else.

I am going to have to check my DVR and see if I have this Oprah episode.