Dumpster diving to a new level

I don't recall hearing about "Freegans" until reading this article. I find it interesting, if not inevitable, that eco-consciousness has hit this level. While I believe that just driving a Prius and buying eco-indulgences (carbon offsets) does minimal good, minimal is still better than none. Somewhere between these scavenging (I don't know if there is a preferred term for this sort of shopping by these 21st century hunter-gatherers) souls and rampant consumerism there is a ground where most can live, and live comfortably. Personally, I prefer to save time and buy my food at the grocery, though I don't drive there, preferring to walk. Dropping out of capitalism, while a fun-sounding idea, isn't really practical for most people if you want a balanced life. If you don't have to come up with rent money (because you own or live with relatives), then spending time scavenging your next meal and a dinette set is fine, but I have rent, and I have things I would rather spend my off hours doing, so I will buy. For some of us, it is easier to modify some habits rather than reject that which we were born into. Personally, I buy a mix of new and used stuff, whether clothing or furniture, walk many places, including work, and try to remember to turn lights off, not let faucets drip, and other small things (yes, I recycle as well). I do own a car, and even though it isn't currently running, don't drive it to work when it is, nor do I generally drive it to the store. It is the small things done by large numbers which will change things, rather than the large changes to one's personal life made by the few. Like it or not, this is a capitalist country, and in this country, money talks and business watches where dollars are spent. Only changing the habits of current and future generations will bring about responsible eco-awareness. Remembering that just because something new is out there (I think an iPhone would be great, but my current cell-phone still works), it doesn't need replacing until it is no longer functional--please don't confuse functional with stylish or newest or more feature-laden. Let me emphasize, that I don't believe these people are wrong, but I do think there is another way, not better, but different. One last thing, if everyone stopped buying things, there would be no grocery stores or restaurants to scavenge behind, nor dumpsters full of still good stuff.