Word of the Day: Freegans

I first encountered this term in this NYT article, which describes freegans as

...scavengers of the developed world, living off consumer waste in an effort to minimize their support of corporations and their impact on the planet, and to distance themselves from what they see as out-of-control consumerism. They forage through supermarket trash and eat the slightly bruised produce or just-expired canned goods that are routinely thrown out, and negotiate gifts of surplus food from sympathetic stores and restaurants.

I really admire freegans... I mean, not only are they not buying things (including toiletries and groceries!), they're also vegan. (Actually it looks like in practice, most are vegan-- I'm guessing for animal rights reasons and because discarded meat is not an option). They make me feel like the CEO of ExxonMobil. I should also point out that it looks like most of them (a) live at home, and (b) do not work, as I'm guessing dumpster diving for the necessities in life can't be done on a part-time basis.

Click on their website for more info. You'll find the best use of euphemisms I've ever seen: "rent-free housing" (ahem, squatting), "waste reclamation" (dumpster diving), "Eco-Friendly Transportation" (hitchhiking). Here's their defense of "rent-free housing"

Freegans believe that housing is a RIGHT, not a privilege. Just as freegans consider it an atrocity for people to starve while food is thrown away, we are also outraged that people literally freeze to death on the streets while landlords and cities keep buildings boarded up and vacant because they can’t turn a profit on making them available as housing.

Squatters are people who occupy and rehabilitate abandoned, decrepit buildings. Squatters believe that real human needs are more important than abstract notions of private property, and that those who hold deed to buildings but won’t allow people to live in them, even in places where housing is vitally needed, don’t deserve to own those buildings. In addition to living areas, squatters often convert abandoned buildings into community centers with programs including art activities for children, environmental education, meetings of community organizations, and more.

Would you give this man a ride?