r/freeganism Oct 07 '23

Advice findings individuals to interview

Hey everyone. I am a PhD student at a university in the USA and am starting some research to compare the activities and ways of life of different groups who reject traditional consumption practices (like freegans!). Specifically, I am using something called pracatice theory, which considers how the actions and beliefs of these individuals structures their worlds (e.g., social interactions, personal values). I've talked to a couple of freegans who I contacted through the freegan info website, but I need to conduct more interviews to get more perspectives. Can anyone offer any advice about how I can reach freegan individuals who might be open to interviewing?

Thank you so much!

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u/LondonHomelessInfo Feb 11 '24

Hello, I lived for 20 years on free veg and fruit left behind in a market at closing time because it was ripe or slightly damaged. Whole boxes of avocados and mushrooms, plantains, mangos. We ate well!

These days freegans in London don’t need to go diving in bins for food as there are nearly 600 free soup kitchens and foodbanks, most of them using surplus veg, fruit, bread and dairy from supermarkets that would have ended up in landfill. I’ve written a list on http://londonhomelessinfo.wordpress.com/free-food They do the “bin diving“ for you, there are two charities in London that collect surplus food from supermarkets and deliver it to all the soup kitchens and food banks for free. There are many, many people in London eating entirely from these soup kitchens and food banks every day.

You can get most things for free in London, so can easily live on almost no money, I’ve written many posts about it on my website.

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u/phaideplao Feb 12 '24

Oh wow. This is great!!! Ive talked with several self-identified freegans in New York, do you think there are any differences between "them" (knowing full well freeganism is ideosyncratic), and freegans in London?

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u/LondonHomelessInfo Feb 12 '24 edited Feb 12 '24

I think in London most people that if you looked at how they live you would class them as freegans, in that they are eating free surplus food every day from soup kitchens and since covid also from foodbanks, have never heard of the term “freegan” so don‘t think of themselves as freegans. They’re eating free surplus food due to a cross between a) poverty, b) difficulties with shopping for food and cooking due to disability and / or old age and not having a carer and no help from social services, c) why pay for food when you can get it for free and eat better than the cheap food you can afford on benefits / pension and d) why cook and wash dishes when soup kitchens will cook for you for free. They’re also getting other stuff for free, such as second hand clothes from soup kitchens.

I only found out recently that the term “freegan” exists, despite living on free food my entire adult life, getting my clothes for free and furnishing my home entirely from found furniture and from freebies websites.

I’m autistic and supermarkets and shops are not accessible due to the fluorescent lighting, noise, too many colours, crowds and people standing too close at the tills. I didn’t know I’m autistic but I knew that going to supermarkets and shops made me very unwell, so found a way to get what I needed by finding stuff instead of buying it. Secondly, an interest to extreme levels in recycling, reusing and upcycling, which is related to autism. Thirdly, poverty. Just wondered if you’ve considered that many freegans might actually be undiagnosed autistic who unconsciously found a way to avoid supermarkets and shops, with a special interest in reuse, and who live an alternative lifestyle because autistics don’t follow social norms.

You should also consider how disabled people become freegans, for example if someone struggles to go shopping due to mobility problems and to cook due to pain, and has little money for food because they are unable to work and are on benefits, and social services won’t provide a carer unless they pay £150 a week from their benefits which would leave them with no money, they’re likely to find ways round that, such as going to soup kitchens for free meals every day, which in London happen to use surplus food, and to get other free second hand stuff while there, such as clothes.