'Freegans' Take Green to Extreme - New York Post

[drugrocker]

this blatantly makes so much sense, as a statement against waste, and for recycling etc. all the comments about it being dangerous and morally wrong are hillarious. i've gotten sick from shop bought food but never from skipped stuff. and if you call the freegans vultures then the jokes on you - vultures form part of an balanced ecosystem. and real vultures do not destroy the planet. only humans have "evolved" to that level

[skeletorphd]

Let's be honest, its legal issues that stop people from consuming things that are consumable.

It would make more sense for food to be given to those who would need it like the homeless before its just thrown out.

[ZarinsKrisjanis]

Not being a slave to your money is the point here! Go ahead and spend your life getting education you don't need, to get a job you can't stand, just to get money to buy stuff you don't need, just to show off to people you hate.

[usaf317]

@ZarinsKrisjanis ya things i dont need like a house with running water and central heat. morons

[ZarinsKrisjanis]

@usaf317 I am going to live in a garage sir. Rain water at my area averages at 40l/day enough for washing hands, no central heating is needed because the area is 20 m2. +a public shower/laundry in 150m. Overall cost - at 30$/month. I bet I can find enough food to eat and stuff to sell to get at least 30$/month. Now I have no need for my University Engineering diploma.

[usaf317]

@ZarinsKrisjanis well you do that......good for you! if you want to live the life of a free loading scavenger go ahead.

[KingOfStaples]

Awesome!

[kne92]

that cake looked already eaten.

[xcucho]

Cool!

[EurekaRecycler]

There is so much throw away food arpund here I have to get another freg to put it in

[BlueBetaPro]

This is so cool. Thumbs up :)

[tseredate]

Well, economic too, (because no?). The capitalist distocion .

[JENDALL714]

"So let me get this straight. You find yourself in the kitchen, you see an eclair in the receptacle, and you think to yourself, 'What the hell, I'll just eat some trash"

"Well, you, my friend, have crossed the line that divides man and bum. You are now a bum."

[pianogirl051]

Damn hipsters...

[cantfiteveryheart]

Better solution than the stupid Occupy movement

[RogueCrockett]

lol had no idea carrot top had a homeless twin brother XD also food is food just use common sense and you won't die XD

[NeedleFactoryTube]

imagine not being able to even aspire to earn what your parents did in the boom times, and even tho you did pretty well at uni there is no job for you, not even at the local supermarket. no wonder so many middle class kids find rebellion in anticapitalism and bohemianism. 'daddy your evil are your big car is killing the earth!!!!'

[CatpurrRobertaBobbi]

I have my apt chairs from walking by on trash day. Good stuff too. 2 Ikea Herman Chairs 30 EACH and 4 Heavy Plastic Chairs 35 EACH. Heck I even find unopened gum candy bars etc too. Mom didnt raise me spoiled. You just have to pick quality and use sense.

[EvilMaxWar]

I support these guys, its not true that they will get sick, they know what they are doing. I do not dumpster dive for food, but i do the next best thing; I never waste any. 100% of what i buy ends up consumed or composted. I dumpster dive for old objects though, mostly computers and electronics that i fix and collect, i also buy most of my stuff second hand and fix just about everything. And no, i am not a jobless hippy. I work hard and unlike most american, i have absolutely no dept.

[muddiedknees00]

Lazy bums. If they really care about the environment, why not help develop alternative energy or support waste reduction, recycling, or composting. These guys actually benefit from wasteful practices.

[HaphazardCrappola]

@muddiedknees00 They are nothing of the sort. Scavengers are important too!

[RubberWilbur]

It really is not being environmentally conscious or economic conscious to dumpster dive for food. The chances that you could get sick and even deathly sick goes up every time your rummage through people's trash. The medication and treatment to overcome that sickness far outweigh the savings to the economy and to wallet in the long run. Penny wise pound....well you understand what I'm talking about. You'd be better off spending your time working or handing out clean sandwhiches to the homeless.

[TaraCoons0810]

going thru curbside trash is legal since the supreme courts said so in the 80's (think cops getting evidence) its only if a bin is on private property then u worry. i thinks its hilarious that ppl assume food in restaraunts isnt sneezed on or veggies @ stores are rat free. out of sight out of mind.

[5swords3]

Wait but I don't get it, are these guys taking EXPIRED food from bins? if so that is just revolting, I don't mean "sell by dates" but expiry dates, because expiry dates are to tell when food will start/might start rotting. So that's really disgusting, I don't want diseases/parasites.

[xxxdesira]

carrot top n shit!

[jonssyy]

Im all for it as long as they live indoors and are out of harms way.

[dwcanker]

get a hair cut and a job hippies

[ZennLa13]

wow- that hair!!

[outdoorzgirl]

Some of you guys are seriously narrow-minded. I dumpster dive for food. I find perfectly good food that would otherwise be wasted. I worked in the fast food industry when I was a teenager. I am now 36 years old. I can attest to the amount of waste that occurs on a nightly basis. I even volunteered to take our leftover food to the homeless shelter and they would not let me. We are not weirdos or freaks.

[CelticKraut]

I like to pee all over the food before those guys come and get it.

[drugrocker]

these people are immediately more interesting than the majority of people you see droning around supermarkets. bright eyed enthusiastic and environmentally aware. yo!!

[usaf317]

@drugrocker ya..eating food thats in the garbage...just great....wait until the get sick. most of my food comes from my garden....the scraps i compost and then till into the ground. i dont see any reason to dig in the garbage....these people are human vultures

[drugrocker]

@usaf317 i grow most of my own food too, and compost etc. the one or two people i know that get food from skips also grow food, alot, organically. as for the sickness and vulture thing see my later comment. i guess we just have different views and i am fine with that.

[usaf317]

@drugrocker well, to pick stuff from trash cans and eat it is not safe. i think stores and resaurants should make an effort not to just toss perfectly good food into the trash. if you think we are all going to live like this you are nuts. if you want to eat stuff that rats and mice have run across, pissed on and nibbled at the go ahead. you will get sick from it sooner or later. ..these people are freeloaders

[drugrocker]

@usaf317 i don't think we are all going to like like this. i never suggested that. i think we should waste less and grow our own food and make our own houses etc. if that sounds crazy then sign me up for the loony bin ;-)

[usaf317]

@drugrocker not everyone has the abilty to grow there own food...lack of space or even knowledge. make your own house? ..out of tin and old tires? or build a home out of lumber? i bought a small home so that i can add on over time. i will do the work myself...but i am not living in some structure made of trash. this is what i mean...these freegans, vegans are just crazy people. i guess shouldnt hunt anymore either huh

[MrChanabanana]

i think freegan is very interesting, we do throw away too much. i mean look at those bananas and apples they are completely fine, but i still i don't know i have my doubts, buying local vegetables and fruits and organic is better i think than going to trash

[natureboy1462]

good good

from switzerland

[doubleestark]

Cont'd get paid to squat there and draw a paycheck. Take it one step further than your average squatter.

[bakedinspiration]

@doubleestark I really just want to stick it to the man this seems perfect.

[doubleestark]

I find that freeganism is a great way to drill for the eventual collapse of the global economy. Learning survival skills as these are great and stimulate jobs for the security industry. May I suggest you freehand to take a job as a night security guard where you not only are able to often squat for free but

[aaartnaz]

the freegan chick might actually be doable, does anyone concur?

[cheesypasta]

@aaartnaz all in favor say 'aye'! AYE!

[DarklingX]

Also there are other risks involved their could be wild animals in the dumpsters that could be diseased or rabid and may bite you.

[DarklingX]

@dogofdog1018 It's technically theft and trespassing. The stores themselves are basically private property. I mean would you go into your neighbors house and dig in their trash and take there stuff? That would probably be invasion of privacy as well. I don't like waste anymore then anyone else but I don't necessarily support this kind of action. Make sure you smarten up on proper food safety and get some knowledge on food bacterias and parasites.

[EricBochene]

nice hair quinn!

[ugslug]

I can't take anyone with hair like that seriously. It seems a lot of dumpster divers are uni students who like the thrill and excitement I don't think you necessarily need to be a full blown weirdo to do it

[Tripo1iSamson]

hahahaha thats fucking retarded.

[jeans423]

 are there groups here in australia where u can do this ??? or any websites ??

[Groudie101]

You've got me on the massive wastage and whatnot but no one is going to convince me that digging in dust bins for food is the answer.I'd rather put my energy into convincing people not to waste food.The fringe,anti-capitalism,anti-re­ason thing is way too much for me

[Seedr0]

@Groudie101 Not sure why you throw in "anti-reason"...

care to explain?

[VoiceByMega]

Mega notices:

:26.. WTF Carrot-top!?

[OldmanMaestro]

impressive.

[legion0101]

i believe we all need to be exposed to various germs occasionally to keep our immune systems working well. i find that the people who are extremely careful germophobes tend to be sick more often and to a greater degree.

so you get a case of food poisoning from some rotting cottage cheese..life goes on.lol

[cwegers1]

I wouldn't necessarily do it , but how can you have a problem with others doing it . It's a good thing .

[123456789zxcvbnmddd]

Some of you people are so ignorant. They are not doing this because it is free, they are doing this because so many Americans are wasting food. Have you ever thought of 3rd world countries who would die for one of those trash bags of food? Yet you sit on your computer saying how disgusting it is. Also the food is not touching other garbage, stores put it in plastic bags so it doesn't touch anything. Learn to not take everything for granted and you'll learn to appreciate these people

[EricSchwin22]

ewww..okay so what happens if someone cleaned up dog crap, blew there nose on tissue...put this all in the trash along with the water melons, apples, and bagels. Also maggots,roaches, ants and spiders can crawl in there and spread bacteria on the food too.

I can never be Freegan.

[chichotango]

@EricSchwin22 .

[chichotango]

@EricSchwin22 . Sure, You doesn't know what are you talking about. Speak about something you know, i never seen a roach in supermarket food, and it came in its bag, of course fruits in good shape are washed with water in house. Brainwashing?

[angelalewis32]

dumpster dive for a brush

[Zareste]

Outright stealing might be less risky if you know how

[Zareste]

@dogofdog1018 it tends to be illegal, but enforcement varies. I used to work at a store and saw trash divers come by with trucks and haul trash in. I never told anyone. We threw out a big bag full of bread every day, and it was still soft and edible. Other employees would get upset about divers (yeah, really) and may have reported them. I imagine the penalty is light if you're caught. My advice is to go after midnight. Only daytime dumpster divers got caught. There are even guides online

[mbbell23]

Well....to each his own I guess.

[RitvarLegend]

i love to eat my own shit

[ka2395]

eww this is stupid..its fkn nasty

[wardy2294]

@ka2395 It's people with your attitude that cause all the wastefulness in society.

[bcubed72]

0:22 Wow has Shaun White fallen on hard times!

[BBProduction001]

@bcubed72 you don't understood the vid

[bcubed72]

Even if you were careful to pick food that was clean and not rotten, I'd be worried about needle sticks from wherever some junkie decided to toss his works.

I make a fair amount of money garbage picking, but I'd rather pick up a water heater and use the scrap money to buy food.

[Trickroad]

Parasits of society

[wardy2294]

@Trickroad

When you learn the spelling of the word Parasite and what it is to be parasitic, you will realise that these people are the complete opposite. It is actually people like you in society who are destroying the planet. These Freegans are some of the few people who have realised the problems with modern society, and choose to live against it.

[5toneg]

@wardy2294 u could do the same thing by either buying from local ppl or just stealing if u are that broke. especially now that they are making this illegal. digging for food in trash for me would be a last resort, before cannibalism...maybe. depends on the person/trash i guess.

[Zabetheconfused]

Dude... Brush your hair. Maybe scavenge up a hair scrunchy or two?

[3Storm]

At the local Ralphs they trash all the pastries every day at about 7pm. I bought a bread roll and came back for more and saw that they had already trashed all the pastries in a huge box. In the front of the store there was a man asking for money for a feed the homeless organization.

[CoasterCloud]

Is that red hair up for grabs too? Just kiddin'

[Jobbyj37]

I hope she had a shave before she appeared in Cosmo Girl....

[fataldesain]

this is fucking sick, I worked at a supermarket before and I would not want to do this. I'm sorry but food is not that expensive.

[plutoplatters]

@fataldesain you dont get it... it's not about the price of food....."think"

[chichotango]

@fataldesain < you are a consumerist. Because is cheap for your pocket, it doesn't mean we have to deserve day after day, that is called glabalization, may you read ablout that, and all the waste that people, "clean " and without conscience do to this world. And don't think everybody is a Rockefeller.

[DonerciHussam]

If you saw what I ate in my college dorm years, you would probably puke.

[HeatherOfOz]

Good on them for puting their convictions into practice.

[juancamex]

For me, these guys are just a bunch of losers with out any goal in life, just look at this filthy lazy red-hair guy. Get a job and buy nice food.

[rc08abk]

@juancamex What a loser. You're judging him in regards to the way his hair looks? Grow up.

[shiftyshard]

@rc08abk But it looks so silly.

[plutoplatters]

@rc08abk and YOU are judging him for judging !

[plutoplatters]

@juancamex  the problem is YOU just don't "get it" YOU can get past the the ways they acquire...things.

[kevylei]

When trash is in black plastic bags, there's only 1 destination: the dump. So the freegans are not really taking away from Harvest groups because harvest groups take them before they go in the trash. While I do think it is very selective eating (you're limited to veges and fruits because no one actually takes meat), they do make a point of corporations wasting food. Corporations do so because they are afraid of lawsuits over food poisoning.

[rainbowlor]

i know people who do this and i try the food and its always good you have to get it when they first put it outside that's the best time so to all the freegans out there keep doing what your doing .

[lessica01]

How can some of you call these people lazy or stupid. They work every night by going and searching for the food and sacrificing there own time. What harm does it do to take the food the average american wont take. As far as the getting sick from poisens, most pesticides are more dangerous. As long as you take the proper precautions and wash your food well and cook it properly you should be fine. I say continue and hopefully all of America can learn to become less wastefull.

[LittleImpaler]

or shit, whatever. It's TRASH and there's harmfully things in the trash. They are not helping one bit. If they don't want to be a wasteful person, they can make sure they don't wast their own food, they can recycle, and what not. This is too the exterme, and it's not right.

[Soufiaaw]

@LittleImpaler Why isn't it right?

[jewels81818181]

because we live in america where people dont need to dig threw GARBAGE to eat!! I love how they judge all of us for being wasteful but dont want judgement passed on them for picking around rotten trash for choice products. Are these people really that uneducated? I am a nurse and the stuff that multiplies, not to mention what people do around dumpsters (jack off, piss, shit, vomit, etc) is vile. But if they end up in my hospital I will have to help them....

[LittleImpaler]

And other thing that gets me. They say they don't get sick from taking food from the trash...which is totally BS. There is a freegan on one of these youtube videos, that said she got sick, because she didn't know there was rat poison on the food she ate. That in itself isn't healthy. Trash is were people put their waste products, and when you go searching for food, that you think is not tamatieded. You don't know where that food as been. You don't know, if someone put poison

[LittleImpaler]

too. Like this Harvest Charity. If freegans keep taking the good food (where they could just get off their lazy asses and buy for themselves.) There is not going to be good food left over to give to these Charities. In a way they are stealing from the people could really use it. What they do and say have a lot of double standard and their trying justify themselves by doing wrong. Which isn't right.

[LittleImpaler]

What I don't get they are against waste and against capitalism way of doing things, but yet their being hypercritically. When have to work, so it doesn't make sense they would be against capitalism. Because they doing the same thing that every hard working person with have to do. If they really want to help, why don't they open charity, for using the good food that the store don't use and help people that really need it. Them taking the food that someone else who really is need, is wrong...

[jewels81818181]

I would love to see one or two of these spolied americans grow up in communist Russia. People are so far out!!!!

[tubofbologna]

these videos and such are causing stores to dispose of their food in unatainable methods!

[00BeesKnees00]

A friend of mine used to serve cookies, sandwiches, coffee to UBS employees in board meetings. They were so caught up in a financial discussion of millions of dollars that they were too occupied to notice the treats. At the end of the day these delicate gourmet goodies that were made just hours ago, and left untouched were thrown out in the trash. There was too much to consume.

[dublin58]

What a great idea. Where can I join the Freegans?

[KinkypunK1]

What extreme is that? I've been a freegan for about 2 yrs now and enjoy this healthy way of choice. I never would afford the gourmet stuff I am gobbling away every day=)LOL. My kids dont have anything against it either.

[barefootnavigator]

I spent an entire year dumpster diving and living off of fresh road kill. I was a banker at the time had been bringing in a 6 near figure income just one year before I went homless. Sometimes life throws a curve at you. I went with the flow and spent the winter living in a snow cave. After losing everything I had to rethink and relearn everything I had been tought. ali

[falsepride]

Americans from the states make up 3% of the world. We make/create/produce 65% of the worlds trash! Where do you think it comes from? I work in a grocery store and we waste so much shit! Cans with no labels, dented boxes with perfectly good food in them. Every go to a fast-food chain?Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, you name it. At the end of the =night they throw everything out. Nothing is donated and freegans and foods not bombs helps those who need it!

[kiddfridge80]

hippy!

[falsepride]

Hippy or not, you decide that. I am talking about waste that can be avoided. Some ones trash is some ones else treat!

[MADEDITOR05]

The seth green look a like distracted me with his mane, holy crap man grab a pair of scissors your hippie.

[wibarm]

Do these people have any ambition? Well its a free country, who am I to criticize.

[OHT53]

Snack trucks are a good source of free food at the end of the business day they will go to a car wash dump the left over food and clean out their truck

Waste not want not

[mans0nh]

"Our country is moving towards being greener" ha ha.

Maybe green, but not sustainable.

[flyingvoflc]

For every food item that get's eaten out of the dumpster, another one get's thrown in because it doesn't get sold. They are not changing the amount of food that gets produced, and they are not changing the amount of food that gets consumed, therefore they are not actually preventing any food from going to waste. Only thing that changes is that food producers make less money.

[mans0nh]

Actually a lot of fregans also grow their own food. And if they were to buy food, then more food would be brought in to replace the food they bought and the same amount would be thrown out.

So infact, even though its not obvious, they are infact saving food from being thrown out.

[ZTallon]

Only initially. Once the food producers get the hint they will produce less. Demand goes down, supply goes down. "But then they will go out of business..." You will never convince me that we should keep on wasting food just to keep someone in business.

[alphacanis]

But because of this trend there will soon be locks on every container and the lives of those who can't afford to call themselves "freegans" will get even harder. I believe that'll be one of the consequences of your hobby. Don't get me wrong, I too don't like the consuming hysteria and all the waste in our society.

[mans0nh]

Actually a number of stores are willing to give out their out of date food free.

Obviously not the big chains, but an example, butchers are often willing to give someone the left over meat and bones, which can be made into a great soup or stew.

Its not always about dumpsters, sometimes you can get it before it ever reaches it.

[LittleImpaler]

@mans0nh But that's different. You know where that food came from. It was given, not found in the trash.

[Bmud]

I worked at a Whole Foods, and there is a big mechanical garbage compressor in the back where all the food waste goes. It gets smashed together with everything else that goes in there. I think you're right. Once businesses owners become aware that this hurts their profits, they will force food to be wasted.

[LittleImpaler]

@Brnud In some states they have band the freegan lifestyle. And in some states it is illegal to go through someone else's trash. I agree to the person, they keep doing it, it will come time, where they can't go through someone's trash.

[alltreehugger]

There is enough food in the dumpster for the freegans and the homeless. There is just THAT MUCH in there...and more. We're such a wasteful society. I could never go back to buying my food.

[alphacanis]

So now the homeless and real poor people, who dumpsterdive for food because they have no choice, need to compete with people who do it for luxurious reasons? People who could buy their food if they wanted to but like the excitement of dumpsterdiving and to be special by call themselves "freegans"? Wouldn't it be greater if they did the dumpsterdiving and gave away their findings to people who REALLY need it and then spend their money to buy ecological?

[LittleImpaler]

@alphacanis Great point.  If you notice these freegans have REALLY NICE houses. They are like the people who cheat the wellfare. They are just LAZY, they know the could buy it for themselves, but they don't. Of course they say it is because of this, but their not really helping anybody, but themselves.

[killermoose99]

I believe what the freegans are doing is honorable i would like to see eat out of a garbage can for you're beliefs. And what they are doing is still helping just in a different way. actions speak louder than words

[Cruistix]

All these people are doing is stealing food from people who REALLY cant afford to buy it. They should leave it for people WHO REALLY DONT HAVE A JOB and cant afford it.

[HypeBlog]

They're feeding on overconsumption, how f*ing ironic is that? Also, HIPPIES!

[Demonbfg]

Back in the day,we had another name for them,"Hippies".Nothing wrong with that as long as they don't sell out like my generation did.

[ewoowoo74]

Hippies :(

[4point54billionyears]

Distribution centers for close-to-expired food already exists. Instead of throwing food into the garbage Wegmans grocery gives that food to the Salvation Army distribution centers on a daily basis. This idea of preventing waste should branch to other grocery markets BEFORE food hits the dumpsters.

[metalebd]

the corporations are evil cos they make money

[mizikal]

your kidding right

[metalebd]

yup

[mizikal]

why is that?

[flyingvoflc]

yeah, those bastards.

[sigurdas]

good video. better than mine ;)

[KenCat1337]

Are freegans mostly anarchists?

[RevoltGraphics]

A lot of anarchists are freegans.

Most freegans on the other hand are usually poorer people, or people who don't want to give the corporations.

[UnknownDragon06]

Yo, I'd like to see one of them open a trash bag filled with body parts.

lol

He gets to the 3rd bag and says, "Damn Dude! There were more eyeballs in that bag than the one before it!"

[leoca]

who needs mice?

[Jayen4]

My previous post was aimed at harrisonfong. Some people are idiots.

[SeenGod]

what kinda sick motherfuckers dig through trash??

[MegsHead]

Check out freegan [dot] info to learn more about it. Sign up for email list on website, please. :)

[jeanpockrus]

these comments are priceless! i'm the "cosmogirl" in the video. my name's jean. i sincerely hope that this video does some good. the store managers who had all the stuff we were collecting thrown out actually came outside and encouraged us to take what we wanted and said, "we know that we throw away good food. just please reclose the bags when you are done. all the food in there should be safe to eat." it's not unsanitary because it's protected in plastic! we overpackage our food in this country

[ChallengeDK]

Hey, what are you doing? Using the Internet? You're supporting the evil corporations, man! Don't you see it??? The planet is going to be destroyed!!

You are some of the most hilarious losers I've ever come across. You're the kind everybody else makes fun of. It's good to have you, though - I don't know where I would be if I couldn't look down on you.

[nyy4288]

oh man now i have to shit on my food and throw it away

[MegsHead]

The haters are just haters let them "bark." They are the real dirty ones.

Must feel super-guilty for their life-style - though they are just encouraged to be haters and slobs.

[hassleoffa]

Freegans are ... poor and surviving.

[deepfreezevideo]

There is a very good chance that a LOT of us might be practicing "freeganism" if the economy continues on its present course.

[wheniflyandlookdown]

alright! i'm really glad that this was something done by the new york post. and cosmo girl is actually giving that girl a spot in the magazine. that's amazing. i'm very glad to see this in the mainstream media.

[MEC316]

a landfill would be like super wal mart to them

[Corterelcesped]

Carrot top is a freegan!!!!!

[harrisonfong]

i hereby pledge to rub food on my ass before i throw it away

[MegsHead]

Reminds me of the guys who let the water run constantly during a water shortage.

[Jayen4]

Make sure you start with the chile peppers,o.k??

[PhilosophyOfAngst]

The "freegans" may avoid consumerism, but it's obvious that they're not avoiding insanity.

[MegsHead]

Haters have to cover up their negligence by disparaging people who try to better themselves and the world.

[PhilosophyOfAngst]

"Freegans" don't need to be disparaged. They disparage THEMSELVES by acting like morons.

[MegsHead]

People who waste while others starve are smart?