Original Air Date:
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Lisa Ling Spends the Day with Freegan Madeline:
Three years ago, Madeline was working as an executive making 6 figures, but walked away from it all to live a freegan lifestyle - people who live off of the things they find, many times in the garbage. Madeline described freegan as simple living, or opting out of the system in order to use less of the Earth's resources.
Because there is another person living with Madeline, she spends $10-$20 a week on things they can't find. While Lisa was at Madeline's home, she had vegetables, fruit, milk, eggs, coffee beans and even fresh flowers in her home.
Why Madeline Chose to Be Freegan:
Madeline shared that the decision to follow a freegan lifestyle took her about 6 months. She explained that it was a process for her to realize how much consumerism is driven my corporations push for people to constantly buy new things. In essence, Lisa described, people are slaves to buying things. Lisa went on to explain that the more people buy, the more we want - so we work extra hard to buy more and more things. Freegans are trying to turn their back on consumerism and live with less.
Lisa Goes on a Trash Tour of NYC with Madeline:
Madeline first experienced being freegan by going on a trash tour of NYC to see what it was like. The lifestyle forces people to ask the question "Do I need this?" and Madeline was amazed at how much is actually wasted. Lisa described how American's are conditioned to pick the best of everything, and stores will then throw out what will not be purchased instead of giving it away for fear of being sued.
Madeline and her NYC freegan group took Lisa with them on a trash tour. The amount of food that is thrown out in perfect condition is amazing. The group mostly targets grocery store and bakery garbage on tours.
Freegan Lifestyle More Than Just Food:
While on the show, Madeline shared with Oprah that she has not bought new clothes in 3 years. Madeline will at times shop at thrift stores, but mostly tries to keep her clothing in good repair so that they lasts.
The idea of being freegan is not about the money. Many freegans can afford to buy their needs but it's more about making a point and only using what you really need. Answering the question, "What are you working for?" leads to being able to consume less and in turn work less. Madeline was amazed after changing her lifestyle how little she actually needs to support herself.
Freegans Amanda and Daniel:
Newlywed couple Daniel and Amanda can afford finer things in life - Daniel is a doctor and Amanda an engineer - but the couple chooses to live a freegan lifestyle. Lisa followed the couple on a dumpster run in Nashville, Tennessee where Daniel was looking for food. On a tour of their home, the couple pointed out more food, linens, lotion, furniture and even an ab roller. The couple turned to the freegan lifestyle out of frustration with waste and have learned not to find their happiness in material things and not care about what others think of them.
Why Daniel and Amanda Chose to Be Freegan:
Daniel and Amanda first became freegan 2 years after they started dating. Daniel was familiar with the lifestyle through friends who were living freegan, and convinced Amanda to try.
The couple doesn't always need the things they find, so they typically give it to people who do want or need it, or donate it to get the goods back into the system and out of the landfill.
The couple lives very simply and say they spend very little money on themselves. They shared that as Christians, they feel strongly about generosity and give money to those who need it, and also are working to pay off their home.
Food Waste in America:
Lisa shared frightening statistics on the amount of food wasted in the United States each year. It is estimated that 30 billion dollars of food is thrown away each year in the US or 2-3% of what grocery stores bring in to sell - enough to feed another country on our waste. America is only 5% of the world's population, but consumes 30% of the earth's resources - facts freegans find very wrong and work against. The amount of waste in the US contributes to suffering in other countries.
A Suburban Mother Supporting Her Children By Stripping:
At 43, Marian from Atlanta is a single mother of 3 who looks like a typical suburban mom during the day, but plays the character "Charlie" at an upscale gentleman's club stripping at night. Marian dances 3 nights a week at the club and is able to have time to herself and plenty of time at home with her kids. After helping her children with homework, Marian cooks them dinner and leaves to work while her children sleep and she is up to get them off to school in the morning.
Marian holds a bachelors degree in tourism and management from Clemson University where she attended on a swimming scholarship - but it was not enough.
Marian's Story:
Marian married at 29 and had 3 children, but divorced at 38 and began raising her children alone with no child support or father in the picture. While working at a tourism bureau and insurance company, Marian struggled to stay ahead - at one point her checking account had only $.19. Marian had to make a decision quickly to continue to support her family when a friend suggested working at a strip club. At 41 and broke, Marian got the job that she calls a blessing - before she had nothing and now she has a savings and life insurance to support her children in an emergency.
Marian responds to criticism by explaining that her job is what she does, it isn't who she is. She feels that people deserve dignity and respect no matter what they do. Marian wants her children to see that she didn't give up on her responsibility and expect someone to take care of her.
Lisa Goes to Work with Marian:
Lisa attended the strip club with Marian while she worked and explained how the club operated. The main room charged $10 a dance while the executive room was $25 just to get in plus the dances with smaller rooms costing $200 an hour plus the cost of the dances. Lisa described that spending the day with Marian and then watching her work and get completely naked was a big different, but Marian says it's the best job she's ever had.
Lisa sat down with Marian's 13 year old daughter who explained that she is fine with her mother's job but in the beginning her mom didn't tell her what she did. While she was surprised at first because she didn't understand, she is now proud of her mom because of how brave she has to be to do that kind of work.
Marian Sits Down with Oprah:
Marian shared with Oprah that she is sometimes ashamed of what she does because some people thinks she's loose or a bad person, but she doesn't want to be put on pedestal, or condemned either. While Marian considered other jobs, none offered her the money or the freedom that stripping did. She knows she cannot do the job forever, so Marian is looking into other options for the future such as personal training. Marian just wants others to try to understand what she experienced that made her chose stripping and to not judge her for her job.
