Freegans on the F Word

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Freegans on the F Word

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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 9:21 am Post subject: Freegans on the F Word

Did anyone see this week's programme which had Giles Goren being shown around bins by a "freegan" as mentioned in Jonnyboy's Dustbin or Dinnertable

I thought it was an admirable concept but not for me I'm afraid. It is ridiculous that they are allowed to throw out raw untouched fruit and veg though, I'm sure supermarkets could easily sustain compost areas/wormeries to produce planting material for their horrific busy lizzie displays.

However while bin-hopping is too adventurous for me I'm sure there are places which strike a reasonable balance, the sandwich chain Benjy's and I think possibly Pret used to give away end-of-day food to shelters etc. I spent a few months living in a "ladies" hostel in Paris and we would often find in the reception trays of loaves and even pastries left in by local bakeries or a local catering school, and boxes of fruits from greengrocers. In fact I think that's how I first tried a mango

. Nearly made up for the cockroaches.

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 9:42 am Post subject:

It is a brave ethical stand that has its roots in poverty - it is not uncommon to see people totting the gutters around any urban marketplace after closing time looking for dropped or imperfect veggies left behind. I have done so myself, almost without thinking. My father's favourite phrases were "Waste not, want not" and "Every little helps" and I suppose I was thoroughly indoctrinated!

More info here:

https://freegan.info/

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 10:34 am Post subject:

I've done a bit of skip and bin diving in my time, and know others who virtually lived out of bins at various stages. Its a bit of an art to both make sure you don't make yourself ill and to be aware of whether you are encroaching on the 'territory' of someone much worse off than you. We regularly used to find trays of slightly over veg outside the greengrocers aroud midnight, they'd put them out at end of day for the binmen, but lots of locals did rather well out of it too. The sad thing is, some of the best 'finds' require cooking facilities to deal with them not usually available to people in real desperate straits, eg, how does a homeless person deal with 50kg of slightly soft onions- whearas we could cook them all down for the freezer.

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 12:29 pm Post subject:

I am quite happy to look in a skip( much to the disgust of my kids if i am with them) i would not eat food from a bin-food safety etc. Personally i think that supermarkets and their type should be forced to recycle correctly rather than everything going into a skip. The food waste (even if it is just fruit and veg and bread)should be seperated from other waste and used for animal food, zoos etc. At one of the Sainsbury's that i worked in, rather than filling the skip, if we had excess waste it went to the safari park-at least it wasd used. Unfortunately due to over zealous food safety laws in the 90's alot more food will be destroyed rather than getting something for it.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28111
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 12:35 pm Post subject:
Never been brave enough to skip dive for food, though I am full of admiration for those that do I thought it was great that the f-word coverered Fregans

2steps

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 5349
Location: Surrey

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 1:29 pm Post subject:

never been brave enough to do it myself. It's not so much that the food might be bad, its getting seen and having any problems with whoever owns the bin. no good at all with confrontation

regually get stuff from skips. seeing a skip in the distace makes my eyes light up

I spied a large dog kennel that on one of my neighbours lawns. if it's still there in a few days I'm going to ask if its in need of a new home

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 2:21 pm Post subject:

The problem with not-for-human-consumption veggies and zoos is that zoos typically feed their animals on fruit and vegetables of "human food" quality. This is essential to preserve the health of their animals, many of whom are very rare.

Pig fodder? Compost?

Supermarkets are already forced by government regulation to sort out the rest of their waste - especially cardboard and plastics - and recycle them properly. Surely the next step must be (vegetable) food waste. This should really apply to smaller shops, too.

2steps

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 5349
Location: Surrey

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 2:42 pm Post subject:
or they could reduce more towards the end of the day. The safeways that used to be near my mums did that and a bit before they closed loads of people would go in I used to get iced dougnuts from the bakery on my way home from college, dead cheap

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 05 2:47 pm Post subject:
we had a cardboard and plastic baler, which was used most of the time. A cardboard bale would get between £8.00 and £3.00 depending on the price of sale by the company. At these low prices noone actually cared if it was done properly. It was for money as opposed to the real issue.

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