Freegan Travel: A Bad Idea

Marilyn:

Couchsurfing is an agreed upon social contract between the person with the home and the traveler and it comes with a implied obligation of social interaction. Also, the person with the couch has opened their home intentionally, they've said "I have this, I want to share it with you."

Indeed, some business owners do this with their "waste" food, they'll pile it in the alley next to the dumpster, in some cases with a sign on it that says "Day Old Goods" or some such thing.

These examples are a two way street. That's the difference, I think. I pulled the quote on "unethical" - I should have actually exposed more of it. The issue in that article was that the dinner guests were being fed dumpster food and not told about it. I don't actually think there's anything unethical in dumpster diving, the unethical bit is in the senseless waste.

Though I do think there's an ethical risk (that sounds dumb, but I think you get my meaning) of taking food from the desperately needy while you are involved in what's essentially a leisure pursuit. Hey, is that a round the world ticket you've got in your pocket while you're scavenging goods that could help people that are truly in need?

As to the "how you look" issue, Judith, I absolutely agree that we shouldn't be driven by that, but I'm not talking about how you appear physically.I'm talking about behavior. Given the instant diplomatic credentials you receive the minute you step in another country, I am always arguing for respectful, honest, behavior that at least acknowledges local norms.

I realize I may be alone in my "traveler as diplomat" stance, but as a patriotic American who's spent a lot of time abroad during this administration, it's become something of an axe to grind with me. And again, hey, is that a round the world ticket you've got in your pocket while you're scavenging goods that could help people that are truly in need? This troubles me, deeply.

Personally, I'm grossed out by dumpster diving for food. But I'd be naive to object to it merely on principal. What I object to is the idea that it's an acceptable method for travelers, who have the privilege and the resources to participate in local society in safer and more appropriate ways. It's impossible to know who you're depriving.

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

It applies to both sides of the agreement. Open your home to the homeless? In theory it's charity at its purist, but in practice how would you know why that person was homeless and to what risks you might be exposing your family? The couch sharing folks give you at least the organization to check up on.

The food safety thing is more problematic. Sick in a strange place is really hard, dead in a strange place is hard on your loved ones, and both are possible. It's terrible that there are people so poor that this is their necessity, but if you have the money to travel that isn't you. Rein your trip in to fit what you can pay for. Hostels, couch sharing, camping, fixing your own food from the various markets, and then going for the amount of time you can frugally manage are coping moves.

Like it or not, the key to open-handed hospitality as you travel depends on your mirroring in some way the respectable parts of the culture you are visiting. If you can't find that out, you aren't putting enough into your trip to get much out of it, anyway, IMO. I've had some wonderful experiences as I traveled, and it was because I designed myself to look respectable and safe to the people I encountered. It isn't money (I have none) it's making the right choices. The uber-individualist who rejects anyone who judges him on how he looks is too innocent for the travel world.

http://www.judithgreenwood.com/thinkonit/

I wouldn't personally dumpster dive, because I'm a bit queasy about food in general. Not a picky eater, just don't like OLD food. That said (and you know I rarely disagree with you) I'm confused how freeloading on someone's couch instead of the owner offering it to a homeless person is somehow better than partaking of free food that's been thrown out. What if someone can only finance travel by paying for either room OR board? I can understand being grossed out by dumpster diving, but I'm not getting how it's unethical--or less of an ambassador statement--when compared with couch surfing. Couldn't it also be argued that if someone is willing to offer a stranger the use of their home to sleep on their couch that that stranger could be someone truly in need of some warmth and shelter? (Don't get me wrong--I'm all for couch borrowing. Just trying to understand how you see them so differently.)

The Land of Moo ( http://marilynm.vox.com/ )

Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur ( http://bloggersfordarfur.blogspot.com )

You had me at "dumpster."

Diving for furniture? Yes. Diving for food? No.

Mary
Mom Writes ( http://marytsao.blogspot.com )

All I can say is...Yuk.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ ) and CatherineBlogs.com ( http://www.catherineblogs.com/ )