Human Lifestyle: 'Freeganism'

Showing posts with label 'Freeganism'. Show all posts

Friday 18th February 11

An interesting day.... our youngest wasn't well so he didn't go to school, but Gill was volunteering in the shop so she went in, and then went to town afterwards to visit charity shops.

Our eldest wasn't feeling great either so he didn't go to Maria's, so we all had a very quiet morning. I did a pile of washing up and assorted online stuff.

I then spent quite a bit of time down the garden.... I emptied a pallet heap into a builder's bag (over a cubic metre) and then dismantled the pallets and sorted out the rodent home underneath. Much though I like nature and animals, I intend to make life as difficult as possible for unwanted beasties under my compost heaps. I've found that if they are raised up on top of other pallets, they are less of a comfortable place to live. So I bagged up a load of finished compost and moved stuff around so I can reconstruct a rat-proof compost bin. I had a constant companion with a robin, and I enjoyed listening to all the other birds.

I came in as it got dark and had tea. Gill took our eldest down to see Simon for his computer graphics lesson. I had a phone chat with a student called Daniel, who's doing a dissertation about greening festivals. We chatted for an hour, I answered his questions and I was very pleased to have helped him. He said I was the most enthusiastic person he'd interviewed, and knew most about the issues!

I got a phone call from a woman involved with a special school in East Yorkshire, wanting to book me for next Tuesday.... which is great, apart from I'll miss a workshop on the same day called Climate For Change. How annoying.

I sent off a bunch of emails and facebook messages to London-based friends asking them if they'd like to host me at the end of March, as I've been invited to talk at UK Aware about urban composting.

At midnight, I went to wait outside the house as two of my student friends had invited me to go 'skipping' with them. There's a supermarket which deliberately leaves it's gates open so that the bins are accessible; I think the stuff which is taken means they pay less for their landfill charges, or maybe they have a conscience. It was just amazing what had been thrown out; bread, cakes, sandwiches, wrapped biscuits and cakes, a luxury curry in protective atmosphere packaging, in date, loads of potatoes, Cauldron veggie sausages and curries, cranberry juice, onions, plums, raspberries, little oranges, apples, cashew nuts, a tub of hommous, a tub of mango chunks, a bunch of lovely fresh carrots, a shrink-wrapped cabbage, lots of ready to eat salads, bunches of roses, and vast numbers of bananas, about 3 bin bags full. The students planned to cook up a big meal and share it with their friends. We cycled home to their place to share it out... and I was home before 1am and then had a lot of sortig to do! Freeganism is fun, but I have mixed feelings. I'm saddened, no - disgusted - by the amount of waste just on this one night. This is multiplied by 365 every year, and by I don't know how much by the number of supermarkets and shops that have this kind of waste.

Monday 14th February 11

A good day, despite most of it being inside and doing assorted paperwork and admin stuff.

At 10, Will came to meet our eldest and to see if they could work together... Will is a maths enthusiast and we've asked him to help us home educate our eldest. He's coached two GCSE students already, so we discussed that too. They just had various discussions and tried out various number games, but next week I'll start paying Will 10 Yorkys for the hour's tuition.

Just before lunch I had a good telephone conversation with Nathan from Promessa UK, sorting out a few facts to help me write clearly about it on Novaterium.com.

I also had some conversations with Keith, whom I know from Freecycle. He responded to my 'wanted' post, where I asked if anyone had a spare electric chainsaw as mine had ceased to be able to be used. I explained what had happened, and he said he'd have a go at fixing it. However he was having a busy day himself, so we arranged to meet later.

I got a message from a teacher in France asking if I'd be willing to talk to her students about being a 'freegan'. I replied immediately and said yes, she was delighted and found me on skype, and at about 3pm we connected and I answered questions about my green lifestyle. They were a group of 20 year olds, not sure what lesson it was, but that didn't matter. I had their questions relayed to me by the teacher and they listened to my answers. One student later found me on facebook, saying he'd lived as a freegan for a couple of years.

I did a couple of hours work in the garden, and sorted out some Mediterranean-grown new potatoes which had been thrown out as they had blemishes and damage from the harvesting. Later, I washed them and trimmed them, and cut them into cubes and made a potato salad on the stove.

Gill made a celery soup (just 2 potatoes, an onion and a whole head of celery) and an apple crumble with stewed apple from the freezer. This was a delicious tea.

Justin called to pick up his cheque from the two days work he did, and to leave us the certificates and circuit diagrams of the house wiring, so that anybody doing any further work knows what is what, as this house has really weird wiring. I told Justin that the lights he said wouldn't work after he removed some crappy flex were actually still working, so he'll need to come tomorrow and check the status of that wire, to check there isn't some problem there....

Then I cycled round to Keith's house in Tang Hall/Heworth, to see if he could fix the chainsaw. The problem was that I could not undo the nut securing the blade, to tension the chain, as the bolt was turning with the nut as I tried to undo it. Somehow the bolt had come loose. He had a good poke around, trying to see if he could get to the base of the bolt to hold that still, but no. So he undid the screw/bolt things holding the plastic casing together, which then showed that the base of the bolt was encased in the plastic casing. After some thought, he reckoned that putting a blow torch on the bolt would enable him to pull it out of the casing as the plastic would soften. This worked, once he'd found the blow torch! The hole that was left was the right size for a bolt he had in his extensive collection. He decided to anchor this two ways... by drilling a hole across the head and also into the casing of the saw, and sliding a pin through both case and bolt. He also had some glue called Sticks Like Sh*t which he used to fix the bolt head into the hole and the pin in place. We then had a bit of bother getting the case back in place as there were a couple of springs which needed easing into place, and the on-switch was difficult too. BUT we got everything back in place AND the machine worked! Whether the chain stays taut when I'm cutting is another matter, but we shall see!

Keith didn't want anything in return... as he'd offered to help me. I said that if I ever asked him for help, I'd expect to give him something. I asked again if there was anything I could do by way of thanking him, and he said, well, he was looking for a rhubarb crown. I said I'd be able to help him with that!

Keith is an example of a person I would like more of in the community around me. If more people were like him, the world would definitely be a better place.

I got home and did more washing up, cooked potato salad, helped Gill open a PayPal account as she wants to buy something tomorrow, and I found out I won't be in York tomorrow as Ali has two ill PAs and wants me to go over and work... hence Gill needing to open the PayPal thing, as I was going to do that transaction for her, but won't be around.

Saturday 15th January 11

I got up early as I wanted to attend the York in Transition Christmas Presents Swap at St Nicks, which started at 10am. On the way I found a bunch of bright yellow 'Winter Mushroom' or Enokitake, Flammulina velupites. I picked about a dozen, all quite small.

I was pleased to go as I met some good people and did two 'mini-tours' for people new to St Nicks, and I explained about the old landfill site, the beginnings of the nature reserve, the John Lally Wood, passive solar design, the two types of solar panel, green roof, rainwater harvesting, compost toilets and more. I really love showing people round!

I took a bottle of red wine with mulling spices, a Christmas present which we won't use as we don't drink red wine, and my usual bag of dried pea beans which I'm always happy to give out. I met my friend Linda, who really likes red wine, and gave her the bottle. She didn't want mulling spices, so those went on the swap table and were snapped up! I came away with a jigsaw, a wok stand for the stove and a pair of gloves. I gave two people some pea beans.

I came home at 12.30, Gill had gone to Scarborough on the train with our eldest and a friend, leaving the youngest at home in York. I had lunch and spent a bit of time on the computer but then suggested to our lad that he come off his Roblox thingy and do something active. Amazingly, he agreed and came outside and helped me move a lot of recently split logs from the front to a safe store at the rear of the house. He kept going whilst I did some chainsawing and splitting.

Later, he asked if he could have the stove lit in the front room... and I talked him through how to do it, provided the raw materials and he did an excellent job, got it laid and lit really well.

I cooked tea... a 100% freegan tea, apart from a tablespoon full of EV olive oil. I fried 2 onions (ones which had manky outside bits but the majority of the bulb was firm and lovely) and chopped up a small butternut squash which had a bit of damage at the stalk end, easy to chop out, a courgette which had one end going soft, a red pepper and most of 5 tomatoes. All this got fried up on the front room stove. I marinaded some out of date tofu (but hermetically sealed and absolutely fine) with garlic, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, and then slow fried them in some free pumpkin oil which dates back to Out Of This World years ago, I think! I put the mushrooms in with the tofu right at the end, and they just about disappeared. Enokitake is a very small mushroom! Then Gill came in and there was a request for pasta, so I boiled that on the stove. Actually, this pasta was bought too, so not a 100% freegan meal... shame! But a nice tea, much enjoyed.

I also really enjoyed... to the point of tears, the lovely BBC2 tribute to my favourite and now deceased actor, Pete Postlethwaite. Click here to see this on iPlayer, for the next few days only!

More fruit wrangling this evening, putting pineapple and apple into jars. And washing up, as per bally usual!

Saturday 20th March 10 York in Transition Seed Swap

I woke at 9 and it didn't take me long to get things together to get everything ready as I'd prepared things a day or two ago. I took the seeds from the Lottie Shop, some of my own pea beans, the 10 bags of seed compost, the rotasieve and the three carrier bags of unriddled leafmould, clods of mature compost and some loam fresh from a pile of well rotted turves.

I got there on the dot of 10am and already there were loads of seeds available, mostly vegetables, but a few wild flowers and others. I added my bought seeds and took my compost-related stuff to a covered area at one side of the building, outside as the riddling process would be slightly messy, despite being on a sheet to catch bits. Within half an hour quite a few people turned up, mostly bearing seeds, all eager to see what was on offer. We had a collecting tin out for a £1 donation per person.

I busied around, chatting to people, answering questions and giving people a bean pod if they liked the sound of my climbing pea bean, and introducing people whom I thought might be potential collaborators. What a lot of enthusiasm, knowledge, experience... and enquiring minds, questions, learning.

I did my seed compost demo and talk twice. All the bags of compost went, and children enjoyed using the rotasieve to riddle the assorted materials. At about 11,30, Assif the trainee journalist arrived and I was able to introduce him to various people and show him around. At midday Chris Chidlow gave his whistle-stop tour of Permaculture, with photos, in under 45 minutes.

There were over 25 people in the room, and some had already gone home so I reckon there were more than 30 attendees.

I reloaded the bike trailer with stuff I needed to take home and Assif and I walked along to Country Fresh where Richard seemed very happy to give an interview about the shop's green credentials, and I loaded up one large sack of compostables and half a box worth. We then walked back to Freshways where Assif talked to one of the guys there, who also sang my praises as a recycler... and gave me a litre of out of date long-life cranberry and blueberry juice... much appreciated! They also had a sack of compostables for me, so we walked up to the house pretty well laden.

When we got home I lit the stove and made a sandwich for lunch, and chatted to Assif about various aspects of 'freeganism', from bin-raiding, skip diving, recycling metals and turf, logs and free heating, growing my own food, giving freely to the community, sharing resources and other related subjects. He'd bought a sandwich for his lunch, and he had some of a cup of tea I made off the stove, after which he had a wander down the garden to see the composting and fruit trees etc. He also talked to Gill a bit who was very honest about what it's like living with an obsessive recycler like me.

He left at about 3pm, and I didn't do much more after that as I was exhausted, but happy.

Salads for tea, and later, as the TV was ridiculously football and rugby-dominated, I watched the 'In Transition' DVD, which I found very moving and inspirational. I'll do a review of it for the York in Transition newsletter to see if we can attract people to the April 17th event with Ceilidh and film.

Saturday 13th February 10

A really good day, a nice late start, waking slowly and gradually becoming aware of things... I love waking like this! I made up my muesli before having breakfast and it is good to have my home-made cereals again. I use Suma Organic Muesli Base and a wide range of chopped-up home-made dried fruit.. today, apple, pear, banana, pineapple, pumpkin seeds, some out-of-date cranberry and white chocolate muffin topper stuff and some broken walnuts. Delicious! Each time I make up my big jar of muesli I do a different mix... sometimes with sesame seeds, sometimes some leftover chocolate flapjack. Sometimes I have some fresh fruit on top too, and I have a layer of shreddies or shredded wheat, then bran flakes, then my muesli, and often some crunchy cereal on top. I like unsweetened soya milk on this. For me, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

So, I had breakfast and did emails, and was reminded that today at midday there was a commemorative tree planting at St Nicks in memory of a York Rotter called Carol Skelton, who died last year. So I got there on time but was waylaid by a local policeman who was keen to mark my bike with a UV pen with a serial number, so that if it gets stolen, and I report it, anybody caught with a similar looking bike might have it scanned, and there is more chance that I would get it back.

The family arrived, Carol's sister from Harrogate, and quite a handful of nieces and nephews, and others I didn't know their relationship. We all walked over to the Stone Circle and a hole had been dug, and a wheelbarrow of rich soil was ready to put in the Birch tree which had been chosen. The children held the tree and shovelled the soil into the hole over the roots, and some photos were taken. Then we walked back to the centre where there was a lunch... baked potatoes and salads, it was nice to be able to chat to some of them, and show a few around the centre.

On the way back I found some really good Oyster mushrooms, the same log which Simon's been harvesting. I've never seen so many on one log, there were literally hundreds. I picked three small clumps.

Home for about 1.30, and after a coffee I went outside to try to finish off the packing case wood, as it's looking very untidy.

At 3.30, Faith, a media student from Leeds arrived... she had been set a project to find out about 'freeganism' and had found the UK Freegans website, and JD the site supervisor had put her in touch with me. I'd talked to her by email yesterday and this morning she said could she visit this weekend, so I said yes to this afternoon if she wanted.

She recorded her questions and my answers, and then we went round the garden which I think was an eye-opener for her. She recorded some of our conversations round the garden too, so she got plenty of material.

After Faith went to get the bus back to the station, I continued with the firewood situation and got a lot done.

I harvested a bunch of Velvet Shank mushrooms from the garden and added these to the Oyster, and had these with the stir fry which Gill made.

A very nice evening chatting with friends on facebook. And washing up.

Wednesday 9th December 09

Up early, not sure why, but felt the need to get moving and busy.

So I did a load of work in the garden and washed up and then at midday, my visitor Hannah arrived. She found me through a freegan website and is doing her dissertation on reducing consumption as part of her Geography degree in Leeds. She hasn't actually got a title for her dissertation yet, but that will probably crystallise soon, after talking to lots of people about their opinions.

She recorded our conversation and then we had lunch, and a walk down the garden to see the fruit trees and composting.

Then we cycled down to St Nicks... she'd brought her bike over on the train, and we spent a bit of time there and then on to town along the cycle path. I stopped at Oxfam and bought a big can of Fair Trade coffee, and then popped into my GP as I had decided to have the Swine Flu jab I was offered a few weeks ago. I only had to wait about 15 minutes and I had it.

And home, along the cycle track again, picked up some good sized willow logs and came home.

I checked the temperature on the gauge on the solar panel tank, and it was 16.1 degrees Celsius. This is quite a bit warmer than the outside temperature and the incoming water, although I don't actually know the external temperature; I'll have to sort that out. So, with limited winter sunshine, the water in the tank was warmer, and would take less gas to warm it up to a useful temperature coming out of the tap.

Gill used the last of the tomato soup to make a stew thing and it was good. I went out to Green Drinks at the Black Swan at about 7.45 and met up with Neil, then Guy, then Dave, and just as I was leaving, Ivana.

A quiet evening back at home... I took off one of the wheels of my trailer and fixed a puncture.

Thursday 25th June 09

Gill did the early morning stint and after taking our youngest to school she went to town. I spent some time on the computer and some time in the garden removing a shrub from quite near the house using the wrecking bar. Gill wants to make a raised bed there so the area needs clearing.

At 1pm, a researcher called Triona came round who's looking at the phenomenon of 'Freeganism', and as I am not averse to skip diving, I volunteered to answer her questions. So I spent a couple of hours chatting and responding to some photos she'd sent to me by email. She is also going to talk to some 'ordinary' people, non freegans, about their views of the activity.

Sometime after the boys had come home, I decided to break up 3 chairs which have been sitting in the back garden, broken, for a while, and to allow my eldest son to utilise some of his energy I asked him to do most of the destruction. I took off the upholstery, binned the synthetic fabric, collected the ?natural fibre filler, hessian and other material for composting, removed nails, tacks and springs for recycling, and he smashed the wooden bits up with gusto. Nice to get some help!

Then spent quite a bit of time down the garden, pulling up ground elder and nettles, chopping back brambles and spotting a wasps nest in one of my mature compost heaps. Oh dear. What to do?

Came in at 10ish and went on the computer, played Scrabble on Facebook and was saddened to hear of the death of Michael Jackson. I grew up listening to songs off Thriller, and still think that it is a brilliant album. Every song a hit.

Friday 27th February 09

Woken up at 7 by screaming kids... came down thinking it was 8... but Gill told me to go back to bed, and I came back down nearer 8 when things were quieter. Gill walked into school with our youngest and I got ready to meet a 'Masters' student, Triona, who is doing some research about Freeganism, why people are attracted to those choices, and the public's response to it. I went with her to Country Fresh to see the arrangement I have there, and then on to St Nicks to see the 'free energy' being harvested there, and the other activities and educational material.

Then back home to see the fruit-drying operation, stoves, compost toilet, other composting and food-plant cultivation. I had found a bike in a skip a few days ago, and the person who put it in there said I could recycle it... I had intended to take it to Bike Rescue (also this article) but hadn't had time yesterday when it was open.. and just as well, as Triona hadn't got a bike and liked the look of this one... small wheels, folding, basket, so I gave it to her. She said she'd get a bike lock first, and have it serviced, which it needs. I am thrilled! How cool is it that a student comes trying to find out about Freegan living and leaves with a bike which was found in a skip! (She didn't actually leave with it, but will come and collect it, or I'll deliver it to the shop she chooses to get it sorted out at...)

Anyway, lunch, and then both Gill and I did some work in the garden. Gill continued sorting out the raised beds which I had started clearing a day or two back, and found quite a good lot of potatoes which she planted last year, and didn't harvest properly! And, amazingly, most of them were still in good nick... one or two had green ends, a couple were slug-damaged, but over a dozen were perfect. I cleaned them up and boiled them on the woodstove... what a treat! Home grown spuds in February!

I finished doing the huge pile of sawdust... I now have six sacks of riddled fine sawdust which can be used as compost toilet cover or in other composting operations. I also have two sacks of larger material... bits of bark, twig, wood chip type material, which again will help with the composting, and 3 paper potato-sacks of big chunks of stove-bound material, once it has dried out. Satisfying.

I then took the riddle to the bottom of the garden to start a large amount of compost riddling. Richard at Country Fresh has had several enquiries from customers asking for my carrier bags of mature riddled compost (which they give a voluntary donation for) so I need to get some of that ready... hopeful I'll take some down tomorrow morning before I go to the St Nicks 5 year anniversary of being a nature reserve at midday.

Gill went down to school to pick up our youngest, and I washed up and did some food preparation.

Tea was potatoes, quiche, peas and some of the stew left over from yesterday. It happened too late for me to go to the York University Green Week Question Time, which I would have liked to attend... but had a nice evening in with the family instead.

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