Chapter 2 in my recent book, Food Resistance Movements explores the freegan subculture in Australian cities—people who choose to consume food that would otherwise go to waste to protest overconsumption and hunger in the west.
Two freegan case studies are discussed: members of Food Not Bombs, an activist community kitchen and free meal programme; and the practice of dumpster diving, where people choose to eat garbage from rubbish bins to protest waste. Through their actions, freegans challenge traditional assumptions of consumption, health, justice and the use of space.
The chapter contextualises freegans’ actions in the global food waste movement. It analyses the ethics of alternative consumption through their preferred foraging sites and specific diets. It also discusses associated freegan subcultures and activities, and how freegans construct an oppositional, yet collective, identity.
My work on food waste is also published elsewhere:
Edwards, F. (2020) Overcoming social stigma by consuming food waste at the Open Table, Agriculture and Human Values. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-020-10176-9.
Edwards, F. & Mercer, D. (2013) Food waste in Australia: The freegan response, Waste Matters: New Perspective on Food and Society, The Sociological Review Monograph Series, 60(S2), December: 174–191. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.12044
Edwards, F. & Mercer, D. (2013) ‘Food waste in Australia: The freegan response’, in Evans, D., Campbell, H. & Murcott, A. (eds.), Putting Waste on the Food Studies Agenda: Production, Politics and Everyday Life. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Pp.174–191.
Edwards, F. & Mercer, D. (2011) ‘Gleaning from Gluttony: An Australian Youth Subculture Confront the Ethics of Waste’ (reprint), in Williams-Forson, P. & Counihan, C. (eds.) Taking Food Public: Redefining foodways in a changing world. London: Routledge. Pp. 195–210.
Edwards, F. & D. Mercer (2007) Gleaning from Gluttony: an Australian youth subculture confronts the ethics of waste, Australian Geographer, 38(3), November: 279–296. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00049180701639174
Edwards, F. (2006) Dumpster dining: Freegans consume waste food to protest consumer waste, Alternatives Journal, July, 32(3): 28–29.
Visit my page on Academia.com to download available articles.
Ferne Edwards 