Questions for this week: Why is there so much waste in the contemporary world? How did people behave in this same area just a few hundred years ago? How is this tied in with concepts of economic development and inequality? What’s preventing us from taking care of objects in a similar way today? What does […]
Care, repair, responsibility Read More »
I was very intrigued by the freegan approach to environmentalism. Prior to this reading, I had not encountered this school of thought before, yet it makes sense. More mainstream veganism still relies on the capitalist logic of exploitation and domination that Freegans seek to escape. However, is it even possible to exist completely outside the
What does our trash say about us? For the freegans, waste is a symbol of capitalism’s excess – perfectly good food or items thrown away because it no longer holds market value. For law enforcement, trash can be a source of evidence, as seen in California v. Greenwood. These two distinct perspectives – trash as
The Social Meaning of trash Read More »
Before this week, I never thought of “freeganism” as a particular ideology or lifestyle with valid reasons behind it; rather, I tended to look at “dumpster diving” as simply a gross and disgusting practice since it involves searching through trash, which can be quite unsanitary and possibly dangerous due to sharp objects, broken glass, and
Reflection on Freeganism and Dumpster Diving Read More »
This weekend I stayed home longer than normal. Sometimes when I stay home it results in my family ordering food. In the photo, you can see how we used the Wingstop bag to hold other items we wanted to throw away. Similarly to what we have been discussing this week, we can take note that
The concept of freeganism works against the damaging consequences of modern food systems, especially in America. The action of commodifying food makes a consumer promote throwaway culture and feel that food products will always be readily available. The US having fully stocked and colorful supermarkets, also enhances these ideologies. Being hyper-focused on the aesthetics of
Why Freegans Hate Capitalism Read More »
Growing up on a small farm, we didn’t waste a lot of food– as we’d cycle it around a lot. If we had food we weren’t going to eat because it was old or because we just weren’t going to finish it, we’d just throw it in the compost or in with the chickens to
Compost or Trash? Personal reflection on food waste Read More »
I was always told not to waste food when I was growing up, but the reality of the world today—where food is abundant and convenience is key—allowed me to overlook it. Over time, however, I caught myself with the amount of food I wound up throwing away, ranging from old food that was left behind
Rethinking Food Waste: A Personal Reflection Read More »
The first rather existential and philosophical piece we read on the different ways food can be seen and for what purpose it serves was rather illuminating in highlighting important aspects of the way food presently works that I have never considered before. Something that has been on my mind is this concept of ‘removal’ from
discussing food in freemarket capitalism Read More »
Questions for this week: What does a focus on food tell us about social structure and our links with nature? How does fast food, junk food, and food waste modify our conceptions of the self and relations with each other? Why is there so much food waste? Is reclaiming free food waste in this way
Food, Food Waste, Freegans, Dumpster Diving Read More »