Freegan

[gladtobeamommy]

Did anyone catch the Oprah epidsode yesterday. About the people who rumage through grocery stores and bakery garbage and pull out the stuff that is still good and eat it. It was very interesting to see how much good stuff gets dumped each day.

[JBinKC]

No, but I know of them. I agree there is plenty of waste everywhere in the USA from government on all the way down and it is pathetic the food is not being donated or acceptable to use to feed the hungry in a local soup kitchen.

[Broken Arrow]

I don't watch Oprah, but Freeganism is too extreme for me....

Part of frugality isn't just saving money, but also living a healthy life... and frankly, I just don't know where that discarded food has been.

[disneysteve]

I listened to some of the show (we can hear it on the radio in Philly area). It is so sad that tons of perfectly good food gets thrown out like that. It is primarily, I think, due to our litiginous society. Years ago, there used to be stores that sold stuff like that at a sharp discount, but they've all disappeared. I suspect that is due to liability risk. Probably the same reason why the stores have to throw the stuff out rather than give it away. It can't be a cost issue because local charities would happily come pick the stuff up so the store incurred no expense from their donation.

Picking it out of the trash seems extreme, but what's the big deal about taking a sealed, undamaged can out of the trash? As long as it hasn't been out baking in the sun, it should be perfectly fine. I was a little concerned about the frozen foods they retrieved. If they had thawed, that could pose a health risk.

[tifnglen]

No, but I know of them. I agree there is plenty of waste everywhere in the USA from government on all the way down and it is pathetic the food is not being donated or acceptable to use to feed the hungry in a local soup kitchen.

I used to work at a gas station that sold pizzas and this happened. We closed at 11 and someone ordered 5 pizzas at 10 but never showed. I asked the owner could we donate it to the childrens shelter. He said no he doesnt want any liability in case the kids get sick. My question is: Would he have been liable??

[disneysteve]

I used to work at a gas station that sold pizzas and this happened. We closed at 11 and someone ordered 5 pizzas at 10 but never showed. I asked the owner could we donate it to the childrens shelter. He said no he doesnt want any liability in case the kids get sick. My question is: Would he have been liable??

No more liability than he would have if the people who originally ordered them got sick.

The legal system ruins the charitable nature of individuals.

[JBinKC]

Our society is very pathetic when someone is more concerned about being sued than to help curb what is likely to eventually happen especially in an age where there is competition for the use of the food (feedstock for fuel vs caloric consumption).


Since 1 in 100 of the adult population now sits in prison, it sure makes economic sense to let them eventually steal and throw them in prison at a cost of 24K per annum plus 65K per cell to build the prison.

[simpleyme]

the freegans on the Oprah show pulled packaged fish out of the dumpster, I would have to pass on that ;-) I am suspicious of the freshness of meat when it is still in the meat case inside the store

[disneysteve]

Our society is very pathetic when someone is more concerned about being sued than to help curb what is likely to eventually happen

Unfortunately, the legal system has allowed that to happen. People want to be charitable and do the right thing, but the liability risk is very real and very scary. Donate an unneeded pizza and have one kid get sick and that could be the end of your business and your livelihood.

[tifnglen]

No more liability than he would have if the people who originally ordered them got sick.

The legal system ruins the charitable nature of individuals.

Oh ok. He wasnt a very nice charitable man anyway lol. Once I was fixing up the deli and there was a dead fly on the outside of the salad container and I was about to throw it away. He said no leave it there. It didnt get inside the box. He said if I was a business owner I would understand. So I think he was looking at the almighty dollar when he wouldnt donate. (kind of like, I didnt make any money off of it so throw it away. He also wouldnt let us take anything home,which was ok)

[simpleyme]

I asked a manager why we could not take anything home and was told allowing employees to take home extra product encourages employees to overcook

if you think about it it makes a lot of sense that if you want free dinner every night just overcook at work and take it home

[tifnglen]

^^^ Yes but why couldnt he donate it? A PP pointed out that he would be under no more obligation than if someone purchased the food.

[simpleyme]

okay so what charity are you supposed to give random ordered and not picked up pizza to?

I am not being sarcastic I would really like to know;-)

[tifnglen]

^^ There was a childrens shelter down the road that everyone knew about (Town was of about 6000 people) I guess youd have to know the guy for this to make since.

[disneysteve]

okay so what charity are you supposed to give random ordered and not picked up pizza to?

I am not being sarcastic I would really like to know;-)

At our synagogue, we have a relationship with a local shelter for abused women. Anytime we have an event where food is served, at the end of the event, we load up the leftovers and drop them off at the shelter.