vegan dumpstering?

[nelsolidarida]

My curiosity has been sparked by other posts here - is dumpster-diving (as a main source of food) compatible with being a strict vegan? My impression was always that it wasn't, but people here have said things that suggest otherwise. Just curious. (don't like the idea anyway of eating dairy and stuff that's been binned anyway, but bruised veg and

Comments

[pluvka]

why wouldn't it be? one can find vegan food in dumpsters. and i think freeganism is totally fine. living off the waste of society means reducing the amount of good food that ends up in landfills, and any environmentalist should agree that that's far from a bad thing.

[nammu]

I would like to poke my nose in here and let you know that I've been catching up on a lot of posts after being away over the weekend and I've really enjoyed what you have to say and the way you say it.

And I love your icon/s.

[pluvka]

oh, thank you!

[turnyourback]

if you find a good enough dumpster it's easy to dumpster all vegan food. there really doesn't seem to be a need to eat dairy even when dumpstered.

[rinalia]

There are people who consider themselves "freegans" and, if the food they find was not purchased by them, some feel it is okay to eat leftover animal products.

Our sanctuary receives all the leftover produce a local supermarket dumps out every day - most of it is quite edible (don't tell the animals, but sometimes we steal some of for ourselves!)

I suppose if you got enough dark leafy greens for protein, calcium, and other important minerals/vitamins along with good veggies and half-decent fruits, you might be able to put together a balanced diet. Anyway, that isn't what you asked, heh.

My opinion is if you don't eat or use animal products to the best of your capabilities, you're vegan. If you dumpster-dive and eat animal products, you are not a vegan. So, sure dumpster diving can be compatible with veganism if a person doesn't dumpster dive for animal products. :)

[xcupcakex]

panera bread throws out TONS of bagels and bread every night. and a lot of it is vegan.

[cysteine]

the panera here donates garbage bags full of bread to our food not bombs.. theyre nice.

[inheadlights]

and they will also donate to different places if you come pick it up.
sometimes (i used to work there) if people came in after close we'd give things away. but that was on the off chance that the registers were closed and they were still inside.

but yes, panera bread does throw the "old" bread.

[dagda_ollathir]

From what I've come to understand, freegans who eat animal products that were thrown away consider themselves vegan- since they're not buying the product and supporting the industry, and it would otherwise go to waste.

Personally, I don't really think that's vegan... 'sides, buying vegan food is a way of showing people want them!