Nightscrawlers

by **fourpawsonthefloor** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:26 pm

It may be a concept that is familiar to some, and I was aware that some people did it...but I didn't realize how strong the movement is growing.

Freegansim

On the surface at least I have to say that I really think it's cool. The thought of people putting to use what others toss out is pretty awesome. A lot of these people are extremely educated and in high paying jobs - they simply don't believe in supporting the consumerism lifestyle. I think what they get is a much pared down, simplier and perhaps in many ways a more soul satisfying way of living.

Now I'm sure that there's other things to this, after all rare is the case where something is completely good and without it's flaws, but while I'm not ready to toss on my wellies and go trash wading, I'm certainly one that is trying to change my whole mindset on the matter. (though as a child one of my favorite activities was going to the dump and looking through the 'treasures' there. I still can smell that familiar stench to this day and not totally think 'phew' but 'hmmm. wonder what's in there?'

by **Ult_Sm86** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:30 pm

I understand the novelty of it, but I think it's probably a little complex and and straining to keep that lifestyle up.

I'm sure after adjustment period you'd be set, but I can't imagine an adjustment period worth it. Being raised that way is one thing, but forcing yourself to do this? Hard, arduous task if you ask me.

by **Bamfing_Bob** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:59 pm

I can see it's advantages, but I wouldn't dumpster-dive for shoes. I'm a garage sale kind of guy

by **Ult_Sm86** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:13 pm

Here, here.

Those are always fun. Yard sales at the Campus are great to, when kids leave to go home? They gotta get rid of crap they don't have room to bring home or don't want their parents to see.

Top notch bongs.

by **fourpawsonthefloor** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:28 pm

Oh I have a love for garage sales that I'm trying to pass along to the kids. Picked up $100 worth of kids books for them the other day for about $10. Woo! We're getting set for summer.

Plus then, as you said, you're not wasting. I hate the idea of wasting stuff, though I know that I do it as well.

by **Ult_Sm86** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:35 pm

I got a box of Harvard Hard Cover Classic Series for 10 bucks.

Emerson, religious essays, twain, Yeates, John Steinbeck, many many more. Very good. I don't believe in throwing out books. Ever. If you don't want them and you can't sell 'em give 'em to a library.

The library at my school threw out 330 books this year. I was furious, most of them were in good condition they were just books that "were no longer in print" or "more recent printings had been put out".

So? It's a book! More copies the better!

by **fourpawsonthefloor** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:44 pm

Our library donates those sort of books to a charity or has it's own book sale to raise funds. Makes way more sense.

Unless the book is falling apart. Sadly, sometimes you need to let it go.

by **The Drastic Spastic** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:26 am

Hipster hobos. I like getting something for free as much (probably more) than the next person, but putting all that high-and-mighty language on it turns me off in a big way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeganism

Striving for equality and reform, squatting is a political action that has been incorporated in numerous movements. Squatters view the act as a necessity because of the lack of housing available. They believe that there should not be buildings remaining empty when there are people who are in crucial need of a home but lack the resources to legally obtain one.

What a load. The people doing the squatting are not the same as the people lacking resources. Political statement my ass, especially since it also says that the number of squatters is unknown because "it's illegal". So they're making a secret political statement, eh? Ladies and gentlemen, the counter-culture! :rolleyes

It's kind of funny because I do a ton of that stuff. I pick up furniture off the street, I take minimizing the time spent at work very seriously, and I guess I've technically been squatting since December. But I don't talk it up like it's a freaking moral imperative. I just like it. It's fun. Not working much and not paying rent is fun. Pretending it's not fun and is actually "for the environment" or "political"... ha! I see through you, freegans. You lazy bastards!

by **Slarti** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 5:17 pm

I really have to agree with you there, Spaz. This is stuff a lot of people have done at one point or the other in their lives (college), but putting a name to it just makes it all cool. :rolleyes

Also, while I see the value in some of that kind of scavenging... I'm going to draw a solid line at getting food that way or climbing in a fucking dumpster. I've worked at grocery stores, so I know what's in those things. Also, just hopping in a dumpster and stomping around is a great way to get stuck with something, and you never know if the sharp object that got you will just be rusty metal, or a needle. Seems like a good way to play tetanus/hepatitus/HIV roulette.

by **The Drastic Spastic** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:52 am

They don't actually get into the dumpster, they have a stick to dig around with.

I still wouldn't be eating any food out of the trash though. I buy the cheaper almost-ready-to-expire stuff, and I used to eat the actually-expired-already sandwiches that my boss would bend the rules on and let employees take home instead of tossing them, but actually digging through the trash for food... it's just ew.

by **Slarti** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:26 pm

Well, then these guys never got the memo on proper stick use.

by **steyn** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:39 pm

My dad's a bit of a part time freeganism. He doesn't go all out and eat from the bin, but if he sees something tht he can fix in the garage that someone doesn't want, he takes it. And then sells it.

by **The Drastic Spastic** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:40 pm

Slarti wrote:Well, then these guys never got the memo on proper stick use.

Okay, so I guess only real homeless people know about the sticks. :whistle

by **Slarti** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:02 am

The Drastic Spastic wrote:Okay, so I guess only real homeless people know about the sticks.

They have more common sense.

by **fourpawsonthefloor** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:07 am

LOL! Yeah, well some of these groups are out there. What I do like though is the whole rejection of having things just because. I'm guilty as the next person of that, I know - but some of the things do get pretty crazy, like people ripping out cupboards that are only 10 yrs old to put in brand spanking new ones and tossing away perfectly good stuff.

Don't toss it. Donate. Have a garage sale. Throwing it away is just such a waste.

by **The Drastic Spastic** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:04 am

But they do have stuff just because... just because it happened to be in the dumpster when they went digging. *hi fives the guy who took home a scavenged iPod*

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