Free riding occurs when individuals benefit from resources, goods, or services without contributing to their cost or effort. This often happens in situations where public goods are involved, such as clean air or public parks, where it is difficult to exclude anyone from using them. As a result, some people may choose not to pay for these benefits, relying on others to shoulder the burden. This behavior can lead to underfunding and depletion of resources, as those who do contribute may feel discouraged. In economics, free riding is a challenge for maintaining public goods and can result in a lack of investment in essential services, ultimately affecting the community as a whole.