OcTOBER 12, 2006

THE CADRE @ 7

&

US

The Secret World of Freeganomics

Andie Bulman Assignment Editor

Freegans are UPEI undergrads out to save the Earth by eating corporate leftovers. More specifically, they are students who, for a variety of reasons, routinely root through Sobey’s and the Atlantic Superstore’s trash for food and other goodies.

According to Freegan leader

Sarah Myers, Freegans are the newest silent activists. “Major grocery store chains throw out so much food each day, it’s so disgusting. Just think of all the hungry starving people that it could be fed by a month’s worth of Superstore’s thrown out bread.”

On a weekly basis, the Freegans dress in black and break into grocery store dumpsters taking everything from old bread to suspiciously browned cherries.

“Ok. I can see why people think this is gross but, the food is wrapped and we leave anything that is really unhealthy looking, If you think about it, what’s gross is that so much perfectly good food is thrown away.” —

The group of fifteen plus students take turns hosting weekly potlucks and clothing swaps(they break into Frenchie’s dumpsters too) which is

why I spent last Friday night chopping _

brown spots off apples and having serious doubts about a veggie platter. While I did help cook, I couldn’t bring myself to gorge on the free food. Longtime Freegan, Katie, whose name is changed, explained that Freeganism happens as a gradual process. “Originally I came out of curiosity and because I can pick a lock. At first, I thought it was so sick, now it’s a way of life. You meet new friends, get free groceries and Freegans really do make a difference.”

Other Freegans admit that there are other less noble motivations behind their dumpster diving habits. “School is so fucking expensive. My loan covets tuition, work covers rent. I’m a survival Freegan. Food banks are embarrassing, so I dive. Being a Freegan gives being poor a sense of community.” said ‘Ryan’, a six month Freegan.

~ DUMPSTER DIVING k J Dumpster Diving

People fighting againt wasteration (photo from google)

New Freegan, ‘Jane,’ said she has a few reasons for choosing Freeganism.

“To be honest, I mainly do it to stop

my roommates from eating my food, but I do think that grocery store chains need to find a better use for all the stuff they don’t sell”.

Most Freegans agree that it will be a long time before they ever purchase food from a major corporation, or as they call it, a wasteration. However, all Freegans support local farmers and

shop at the market on Saturdays. Myers doesn’t see it as hypocrisy. “Local farmers only produce what’s needed, they are an asset to the community, but grocery chains just waste. Ultimately Freegans are against waste, so we steal from grocery chains. Think of us as Robin Hood and the Merry Men, stealing from the rich to feed the poor.”

Freegan societies are forming throughout Canada. to find out more or to contact UPETs Freegans E-mail Earth day blues @botmail.com

Residence Life Presents the Atlantic Residence Conference

Courtney Schmidt

Contributor

St. FX, Dalhousie, and UNB are just three of the 14 schools that will on the Island next month.

UPEI Residence Life will be holding the annual Atlantic Residence Conference (ARC) from November 3 -5.

It is a conference designed to bring together Residence Life Staff from other Atlantic Universities to discuss their vision of residence life.

“ARC is an opportunity to discuss commonalities and differences between each university,” said Megan Callaghan, one of the co-chairs of the conference.

Callaghan, along with her partner Myanna Adams, are the co-chairs of ARC. Both work in the department of Residence Life. Callaghan is the Residence Academic Advisor and Adams is a Residence Life Advisor. The pair have been planning the

conference since April of this year. With over 100 delegates attending ARC, hours have gone into planning.

“We have the potential to make ARC

really great,” said Adams. “Were honoured to have the opportunity to plan and host ARC.”

They are also working closely with Donald MacLellan, Residence Life Coordinator, and the entire residence life team.

The theme of ARC is “With my Own Two Hands” based on the lyrics from the Ben Harper and Jack Johnson’s hit song,

“We are focusing on personal leadership within a team and taking cate of yourself.” said Callaghan. Callaghan and Adams oversee the entire planning process of the conference.

“We have an executive and a steering committee that consists of our whole

staff of RLA’s,” said Adams. “Each person of the executive committee is in charge of one area of the conference like planning the activities, communications, and registration and

they form a sub committee. People in

the steering committee choose which area they want to help out in and then are assigned tasks by the heads of those sub committees.”

The first night of the conference will consist of registration and ice breakers with a beach party at CARI that night. The next day there will be presentations made by UPEI residence life staff and other universities’s residence life staff as well. The keynote speaker will speak as well. Ending off the conference that night

will be a banquet held in MacMillian Hall.

“We're really hoping that people can have fun and learn a lot from this conference,” said Adams.

MacLellan hopes residence life staff from other universities will enjoy their experience at UPEI.

“We have an opportunity to show students from other universities what UPEI is all about,’ MacLellan said. “We can offer and take away different experiences of residence life when were talking with other universities.” With only three weeks away, ARC is approaching fast.

“We every excited,” said Callaghan. “The crunch is on, but we’re

prepared.”