Freeganism is a term that combines the word “free” and “vegan”. Freeganism is the ideology of not participating in classical consumerism by purchasing little to no goods, whether that is housing, clothing, and even food.
Being a freegan is definitely a lifestyle change, and often involves a lot of scavenging to find the resources necessary to survive. But, it is an interesting way to save money, as well as lower waste production.
In the US alone, 70 billion pounds of food is thrown away each year. While a part of that comes from households, a lot of that comes from restaurants, delis, and other food establishments. Because of strict sell-by dates and laws, everyday food establishments throw away tons of usable food, often that are wrapped up in plastic. To avoid that waste going to a landfill, a lot of people “dumpster dive” and get tons of free food. Although it might seem extreme, why not throw on a pair of rubber gloves and give it a try?
Clothing is another huge area of waste. Instead of buying more clothes, look to your friends and see if anyone wants to have a clothing swap. This way you can get new clothes without spending money or wasting resources.
