Question Consumption

I've been doing a lot of questioning lately...what do I want to get my Master's in, where do I want to work, do I want to join that, where will I be in 5 years (ahhhhhh), do I really need that??  The last question has been popping up a lot more often, especially when I visit big box stores like Target.  So on Sunday, while watching National Geographic's Taboo my ears perked up when they were talking about Freegans.  What is a freegan you ask..well:

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. -from freegan.info

These particular people dumpster dive for their food, clothing, and basic needs.  Now, before you jump to a judgement, please realize that as a nation, we purchase way more than we need, and in turn, throw away A LOT!!!  Actually, we throw away enough garbage to fill 63, 000 garbage trucks each day!!!  It made me start to think a lot more about what I am buying, why, and all of the things that I have and think I need. 

Let's clarify, I love to shop, and I am a huge supporter of local and handmade artisans, I've been on Etsy all morning actually!  I know that there are some things that I do need and will have to pay for, but what I am hoping to do is to start thinking harder before I buy.  Do I really need a new dress to a friends wedding, when I have at least a dozen in my closet?  And how many tank tops does one human need, probably far less than the 35 currently in my closet.  I am by no means a hoarder, but I am a US consumer...in debt with a lot of "stuff".

Freeganism is an extreme life style, but one that we all could learn from.  While I'm not going to go dumpster diving for my meals, I have decided to join my local freecycle group.  Freecycle is a forum for people to more or less get rid of the stuff they don't need, and/or find the stuff that they do...all for free.  As the old saying goes: one man's trash is another man's treasure.  There are of course rules to this...and they make it very clear that this is not a place to dump your broken, worthless, worn out rubbish.   

There are millions of reasons that people use freecycle, to help out others, to reuse instead of make new, to get free stuff, to get rid of stuff...the list goes on and on.  Figure out what your reason is, and then look into joining:)  And let's all start questioning our consumption!!

photo credit: benterz from deviantart.com