Beyond The Barrio: Freeganism. Not Even An Undocumented Person Would Do This

In an article in this week’s LA Times, staff writer Erika Hayasaki introduces us to Freegans– the word combines “free and vegan”– who describe themselves as anti-consumerists who dramatically cut their spending by living off consumer waste. In other words, they dig through the trash for food and not because they have to! In fact, some of the people in this story are New Yorkers who were once corporate executives or trust-funders who now eat garbage out of guilt.

We rummaged through the article (Ha. Ha. Get it?) and highlighted an excerpt that really captures our reaction to this whole thing. More after the jump!

First, allow us to set the scene.

What: A Trash Tour, a lesson on how to dumpster-dive for food.
Who: 40 experienced and first-time diggers, including college students, a high school teacher, a taxi driver and a former investment banker.
Where: D’Agostino’s supermarket in Midtown Manhattan
Why: Because they’re freakin Freegans!

Two men in dark dress slacks, button down shirts and shiny shoes approached the trash tourists. “Pardon me, what is this?” one asked. “Vegetable justice?”

“It’s over-consumerism,” said Gracie Janove, 19, an anthropology student with a crescent moon pendant hanging around her neck. Janove, who participated in her first dumpster dive during a trip to France, frequently searches the trash of New York bakeries for pastries and the garbage of grocery stores for fruit.

The two men walked away, laughing.

As did we.

Free-lunch Foragers[LA Times]
Image [Google]