Freeganism facts for kids

Freeganism is a way of life where people try to get things for free. They do this instead of buying new items. A freegan is someone who doesn't want to pay for things. But they also don't steal anything. Freegans look for useful items that others have thrown away.

Often, people throw away things that are still good. Sometimes they just get tired of old items and want new ones. Freegans search through bins and take what they can use. This is sometimes called "dumpster diving". It can help the environment. This is because no new energy is used to make new things. But some cities have rules about taking items from rubbish bins. Freegans might get into trouble for doing this.

The word "freegan" sounds like "vegan". It mixes the words "free" and "vegan". But freegans are not always vegans.

Why People Become Freegans

Most people who practice freeganism do it to save money. But freegans also have other reasons. They might do it because of their beliefs or for political reasons. They want to avoid buying new things or recover items that would be wasted. Some freegans also say they do it for fun. Others do it to get free stuff or because of their religious beliefs.

Freegans and Food Waste

Many freegans were already vegetarian or vegan before. Freegans often point out that vegans might not think about how their food is made. They also think about the impact on workers. They also consider that big companies own many vegan brands.

Finding Nature in Cities

Freeganism is mostly seen in cities and towns. Freegans try to make the city feel more natural. They see city waste as a natural resource. They think of dumpster diving like hunting or gathering food in the wild.

How Freeganism Helps

News about freeganism was very popular around the financial crisis in 2007-2009. Later, people started talking more about freeganism when interest in food waste grew.

Tristram Stuart is a well-known person who fights against food waste. He says that media attention to freeganism was very important. It helped people notice the problem of wasted food. Other studies also show that freeganism helped create new rules. These include laws like the French law on food waste. It also helped with the U.S. food waste reduction challenge.

Images for kids

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  A box of vegetables and fruits recovered from the dumpsters of a hypermarket

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  Urban foraged food in Stockholm, Sweden

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  Freegans foraging for wild food in a New York City park

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  A freegan in a squatted building in New York City

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  Bleach on discarded food in Paris, France

See also

In Spanish: Friganismo para niños