Wes Weber, a UMBC senior, entered college three years ago and gradually began to challenge many of his previously held conceptions.
From stumbling upon string theory message boards to Web logs espousing different opinions about human existence, Weber quickly became engaged with the alternative sustainable living theory known as freeganism.
"It wasn't until college that I started to think about how my eating habits had an impact on the environment and society," Weber, an Informations Sciences major, said.
"When I was in high school, I didn't care about the contents of my food or the way it was processed or handled. But those are the things that I realize and now try to change."
According to Adam Weissman, a representative for the grassroots organization www.Freegan.info, freeganism seeks to identify strategies for a minimized participation in the "ecologically destructive" consumer society.
"Many researchers have predicted that the 21st century will be the last human century because of our economically-destructive behaviors over the last 100 years," Weissman said.
"The earth is not a disposable commodity and we may not have the resources available to continue to run an industrial society for much longer."
As a freegan, Weber said that he chooses not to purchase conventionally produced commodities, such as food, due to the extraordinary amount of waste produced by the majority of grocery stores and restaurants in our country.
"Yeah, its true. I eat out of a dumpster. Believe it people. Believe it," Weber said. "If the food looks disgusting and moldy and slimy, then I just don't eat it. It's funny, but a lot of people assume that food taken from a dumpster or trash can is automatically disease-ridden and rotten."
He said that he typically browses through the contents of dumpsters outside fast food restaurants and grocery stores.
"You'd be surprised how long some types of food can stay preserved," he said. "One time, we found 23 pizzas in a dumpster behind Domino's. Take it to the bank. We ate like kings for a week. But that's an extreme example. If you don't think you need 23 pizzas, then leave some for another person."
According to Weber, mainstream society's perception to dumpster diving and freeganism, in general, has led to a degree of hostility from police and others.
"Well, first right off the bat, you will get hassled by the cops at least once. It's a promise," he said.
"Most of the time you will get off with a warning, but even in some cases, they won't be able to prove it in court. Even so, I usually don't try to make my views known to others, but it's funny how many people think you can get sick or even die from eating food from the garbage."
Weissman said that the beliefs of freeganism extend beyond dumpster diving, which has been a caricature painted by the media.
"The biggest misconception about freeganism is that it offers an entire range of lifestyle choices, beyond just dumpster diving," Weissman said.
"As freegans, we are really committed to deconstructing the myths of value. An apple may be conventionally cheaper than a cigarette, but what is the actual value of an apple with respect to meeting our basic needs?"
He added that the artificial nature of prices created by the marketplace instills within the populace a false sense of scarcity, which prompts consumers to buy.
"It is important to challenge the myth of scarcity, in that there is only a finite amount of resources available to consumers," Weissman said. "Why would we be willing to pay a price for commodities, when there is a free alternative available in the dumpster?"
According to Blake Hough, chairman for the Students for Environmental Action, embracing capitalism and consumer purchasing power is a more effective way to promote sustainable living and renewable resources.
"Using capitalism is the best way to change the way resources are managed and conserved," Hough said.
"For example, I only shop at the Waverly Farmers' Market and Whole Foods, which affords me the opportunity to support sustainable living solutions. I can purchase locally and organically produced items. So basically, I'm using my purchasing power to influence how I want the market to function," he added.
