Freegans in Detroit

[stinkbug]

I don't understand why people keep saying the food in the dumpster is "wasted." There are many laws regarding food safety and what must be removed from store shelves so that people will not get sick.

The food being thrown out is removed for a reason, and there is really no way to prevent that from happening.

FYI, when I worked a job at a convenience store during college, I used to take home items immediately after they expired, despite that we weren't supposed to. I recall getting extremely sick from eating packaged food just a couple days after the maximum sell date. Same happened from time to time to other employees who removed expired food and beverages from the store as well.

I thought it was great how much money I saved in college until I got sick during exam week.......and to think that food never even reached the trash.

I worked at Farmer Jack[[remember them?) as a young man for many years busting my ass.
They would throw out the doughnuts at the end of the day, fucking piles of them into the dumpster, and I had asked if I could have any. Fifty cents a piece, I was told[[the daily going rate), despite the fact that they were being thrown en masse into the dumpster.
Capitalism at its fucking finest.
Food safety is an afterthought to profit in this country.

[reddog289]

I myself see alot of stuff thrown out Before the expiration date.And that is paid for with YOUR tax dollars.

[Pam]

I would love it if some Freegans visited or lived in my complex. The amount of useable stuff my neighbors throw out is astounding. Things I routinely see in or around the dumpsters include: furniture, electronics, books, dishes, clothes, toys etc. I sometimes salvage things and take them to the Salvation Army, but it would be a full time job keeping up with these idiots.

[Gannon]

Correction Red, not TAX dollars, but FOOD dollars!

It is written off as 'shrinkage', same accounting column total as theft.


And yes, I guess, that DOES reduce their taxable income...heh.

But it doesn't cost US our tax dollars paid...

[dfunkycity]

I worked at Farmer Jack[[remember them?) as a young man for many years busting my ass.
They would throw out the doughnuts at the end of the day, fucking piles of them into the dumpster, and I had asked if I could have any. Fifty cents a piece, I was told[[the daily going rate), despite the fact that they were being thrown en masse into the dumpster.
Capitalism at its fucking finest.
Food safety is an afterthought to profit in this country.

It is a shame isn't it? Greedy bastards.

[jmcguire39]

"Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed."

Ah I'm sorry...............but..........ahh.....ok....sou nds like a Bum to me....and kinda gross, unhealthy, and lazy.

Wow, "Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed." These values sound gross,unhealthy, and lazy." The sad thing is the substantial group of [[stupid) Americans would agree w/ you. Don't worry I'm sure there is a future for you on Wall st. or the GOP.

[jackie5275]

About 2 yrs ago, I saw a story on Channel 7 news where they featured a lady who "even in these tough economic times pays only $100 year for groceries". They went on to show her as a dumpster diver who got mostly all of her food out of the dumpsters at Westborn Fruit Mkt & Hollywood Mkt in the Royal Oak/Berekly areas. She was showing all the "lovely & still somewhat fresh" high end food she retrieved. The reporter went on to finish the story with a "You can do this too" summary. I was kind of appalled because I generally think "eeww, yuck" too. I was taken aback that a mainstream TV station would promote doing this to the general public. I also thought are we here in metro Detroit that cheap and/or desparate to get our food from dumpsters?

[dfunkycity]

About 2 yrs ago, I saw a story on Channel 7 news where they featured a lady who "even in these tough economic times pays only $100 year for groceries". They went on to show her as a dumpster diver who got mostly all of her food out of the dumpsters at Westborn Fruit Mkt & Hollywood Mkt in the Royal Oak/Berekly areas. She was showing all the "lovely & still somewhat fresh" high end food she retrieved. The reporter went on to finish the story with a "You can do this too" summary. I was kind of appalled because I generally think "eeww, yuck" too. I was taken aback that a mainstream TV station would promote doing this to the general public. I also thought are we here in metro Detroit that cheap and/or desparate to get our food from dumpsters?

Cheap? Have you seen the price of groceries and the cost of living lately?

Why not save where you can if you can? In the interim you are helping to reduce the carbon footprint and from what I see a lot of these Freegan people use most of the food retrieved to feed others and some even go out and feed the homeless when they can.

I might go out tonight to try this for the first time. I'll update tomorrow to let you guys know if I got up the nerve.
The diving is not the problem. Its the actual eating.

[jcole]

Have any of you ever seen the inside of a used dumpster? They are crawling with maggots, have pools of liquid I don't even want to imagine where it came from, rust, dead animals and God knows what else. I wouldn't even feed a stray cat let alone a homeless person with produce that came out of one of those.
Produce, hell, any kind of food.

[Pam]

Have any of you ever seen the inside of a used dumpster? They are crawling with maggots, have pools of liquid I don't even want to imagine where it came from, rust, dead animals and God knows what else. I wouldn't even feed a stray cat let alone a homeless person with produce that came out of one of those.
Produce, hell, any kind of food.

I've seen some videos of the dumpster diving and it seems like a lot of the food is wrapped or boxed or very recently thrown out so it is cleaner than you might imagine.

[dfunkycity]

I've seen some videos of the dumpster diving and it seems like a lot of the food is wrapped or boxed or very recently thrown out so it is cleaner than you might imagine.

Right on, and if you learn the time they throw the stuff out you can rescue these items before they even come in contact with any trash at all.

[Sludgedaddy]

Somewhere, in an Asian Metropolis, where today the skyscrapers look like a 1950's sci-fi writer's vision, someone is reading this blog and laughing his ass off as American citizens ponder the possibility of living dumpster to mouth in third world splendor.

Granted reaping the bounty of America's discards sure beats living in a South American landfill. If one was to live off the urban frontier of Detroit, give me some reliable fishing tackle, a good wrist-rocket slingshot and the discarded deposit bottles and cans from a Detroit sporting event in lieu of the dumpster foray for produce.

[Russix]

...
If one was to live off the urban frontier of Detroit, give me some reliable fishing tackle, a good wrist-rocket slingshot and the discarded deposit bottles and cans from a Detroit sporting event in lieu of the dumpster foray for produce.

A bridge card will supply you monthly with $150 in food stamps. The only reason anyone picks up bottles, begs, or digs through the dumpster is to support some other habit.

[dfunkycity]

A bridge card is for those that "need" states assistance. Not for those barely eeking out a living looking to save money.

Not for those with a political agenda to fight capitalism by living off of it as freely as possible.

Not everyone that scavenges has a drug/alcohol problem.

Read the link and it will further inform you on why people become freegans .

As a matter of fact, the worse this economy gets the more you will see people from all walks of life reclaiming trash.

[Russix]

So eating out of the dumpster is some form of poltical statement?

[dfunkycity]

For most freegans it is. For others it is a unavoidable need.

[reddog289]

Thanks for the correction Gannon. But as a janitor I do see quite a few school lunches just pitched in the barrel. Used to make me mad because alot of kids at my schools get free lunch.They all now get free breakfast which is another story.
While I can't say that I have picked an eclair outta the trash like George on Seinfeld, I used to know the metal yards around here. Now I save stuff for future projects. BTW can I write off my bad Tomatos as SHRINKAGE?

[Gannon]

ONLY if you're selling them for taxable gain, as far as I know.

Agriculture is a whole new set of fine print in the tax laws.

[reddog289]

knew there was more to it. better hit the gardening thread.

[SWMAP]

Once I saw a guy come out of the Avalon Bakery and at least a dozen loaves of bread in the dumpster in the alley. I seriously thought about getting a loaf out - but I thought they'd easily see.

[Lowell]

When I was by Eastern Market on a late Saturday PM recently, I noticed that [what appeared to be] dated produce was assembled at a point on Russell approximate between the newly refurbished sheds 2 & 3. A number of people were gleaning from a sizable mound of boxes. I wonder if that is a formal or informal policy by the market authorities.

BTW, I like the word gleaners as opposed to dumpster divers or other less enchanting terms. Yeah, it's the same but it gives them a little more respect. I am sure most of them would prefer filling their carts in the aisles of Nino Salvaggios's or Hillers, but, hey, they are doing a service as well as feeding themselves by reducing the waste stream.

[alsodave]

So eating out of the dumpster is some form of poltical statement?

Only if they're wearing Che Guevara shirts.

[cman710]

I think there are two groups of people we are talking about, and I would not call them all "freegans."

There are, and always have been, poor people who seek out alternative ways to get food, whether it is through charity, begging, or looking through dumpsters or other food thrown out from businesses.

While I would never fault someone who was poor for seeking out alternative ways to get food, I do find the supposed political point of the "freegan" movemement to be perplexing. How are they making a point by protesting the excesses of capitalism by behaving in such a way that makes their subsistence depend on those excesses? It would seem a more valuable use of time to start a movement to curb waste [[both to encourage good personal habits, and possibly to promote ways to collect food that is still good so that it can be distributed to those who need it), and to help those most in need.

[jackie5275]

I've seen some videos of the dumpster diving and it seems like a lot of the food is wrapped or boxed or very recently thrown out so it is cleaner than you might imagine.

I think it depends on which dumpster you are looking at & when the stuff gets tossed. To get something "cleaner", you have to get it right after it hits the dumpster before the bugs, etc get to it.

[Gannon]

Although semantically precise, I'm sure the Gleaners Food Bank might take pause at us using that term to describe the general population's actions, Lowell!


From my casual studies of the Market during the time I lived there...on Saturdays each two-hour period from dawn onward has a distinct trend.

Six to eight? Restaurant Chefs and Service/Delivery Companies who demand the best [[they are actually down every day at the wholesalers, but don't shy from the public booths in their quest for perfection...I know, I saw them when I was buying for that deli downtown for half a year!), and suburbanites and those who probably suffer a bit from agoraphobia that don't mind paying the highest prices for the best produce before the crowds show. [[waking up with the Rooster's first breath before he crows!) Many vendors are not even really ready then...early bird and the proverbial worm notwithstanding.

Eight to ten? City people and suburbanites who pay retail, with little haggling, and the prices still make the farmers enough cash to smile a lot. Still high quality produce available from everyone. All the booths open, and it seems the caffeine starts to work. This is the busiest time in the market, tough to find parking, lotsa people in the way of progress...but hey, it's the market! You can spot the agoraphobics easily, they want OUT and soon.

This is when the line forms outside the Russell Street Deli, and we take glee in knowing that Zeff's once again filled out bellies with decent enough food and wonderful service without any sort of wait. But, then again, I'd always get to Zeff's before seven...sometimes still awake from the night before...thanks to the tradition started by my Livonia Friend and continued slightly later after his lovely bride began joining us! He'd rather squeeze his well-fed butt into a snug booth than share a bench seat, anyways. Plus, tradition is tough to alter!

Ten to noon? More concentration of city-folk, who seem interested in getting a deal. This is when the market really gets interesting, in a good way. Haggling abounds, and it is really fun to watch. Plus, this is when my friends with serious hangovers can finally get down to join in!

Noon until two? Many vendors have sold out of their best stuff, and some of them are packing to leave as soon as they can. There is an undercurrent of subtle, unspoken fear, not unlike after sports games and concerts...some vendors want to hit the highway and get the hell out of Dodge as soon as they possibly can. Did I say they want to leave soon?! Not a one of 'em will admit to it, though, but actions speak louder than words.

They will leave their boxes behind. Nothing gets put on the trucks as they leave, usually. Not a box. Not a crumb.

After two...then the true bargain burrowers arrive. It is a sight. This is the most egalitarian effort I've ever witnessed, and usually VERY peaceful and polite to the extreme. I've seen all races, genders, ages, and religious orientations picking through the stuff left behind. Everyone has their own standards, and nearly everything gets looked at more than once. Everything.

I DO so wish I had my camera at the ready the one morning I saw two large families picking through one pile...one African-American, the other Muslim. Having FUN in other's refuse. If it weren't the Sabbath, my guess is that World Peace could be sparked even between the most devoutly rabid Israeli Jew and angrily equally-rabid Palestinian Muslim. But I digress.

By then, we'd be well into our second or third beers when Heather held forth upstairs at Vivios, but that portion of the tradition had to end with the owner's myopia...I haven't been back since they let her go. Good for Slow's, bad for Vivio's.


THEN the most marvelous cleanup engineering effort known in the city [[and perhaps the STATE) swoops in...with front-loaders and dump trucks and garbage trucks and pickemup trucks and little golf carts [[those only arrived with Dan Carmody, one of my absolute personal heroes in this town, probably in the top FIVE of honorable people I've met, if not ten)...and they go as long as it takes...polishing up everything to the bone...so not a rodent or pigeon or stray dog has a chance to find a home.


I love Eastern Market, and even moreso witnessing firsthand the wonderful improvements done under the visionary leadership of Dan Carmody. I cannot say enough good about him and the entire team he leads.

If only people like him could be put over all the city services, this town would see the greatest turn-around ever...the rest of the WORLD would get whiplash from witnessing it all.



As far as anyone who misunderstands the freegans, don't take too long trying to figure them out. It is not really a protest...they are ENJOYING the excesses of capitalism. I have had some of the best meals of my LIFE at Jean Wilson's house over in Woodbridge. If the freegans have one point person as a 'leader', she is it. I am honored to know her. She is a hub of our community. A true saint in so many ways, and I'm sure I'm going to catch holy hell from her for calling her out here...but she's been on the radio and telly, so I see no harm from giving her props again and again. She deserves it, she is one of the busiest people I've ever met.



I love this town, and I love the people within it that DO things to make it livable...survivable...because God only knows the forces that have momentum making it have the reputation and outward appearance that it has...we will see more of these Up From The Ashes stories...and the nay-sayers will continue to harp...I'm SURE my comments have gotten some of my best fans excited over on the dark side. I simply can no longer care about the negativity.


Much love,
John