Freegans

This article on AlterNet covers a part of the New York counter culture of freegans - primarily how they manage to eat completely out of the trash. It is a great idea and I am glad people are doing it. It is absolutely shameful the amount of food that is wasted. If you are not willing to dumpster dive for your food, then maybe you should focus on making sure there is less food in the dumpster.

One of the people interviewed in the article is on "rent strike" - I can't really get on board with that idea. It would be one thing if she had indicated specific reasons for the strike - such as the landlord not fixing things in the apartment or other grievances - but the impression is very much that she just doesn't feel like paying rent so she isn't. This does not seem to be an appropriate response to society. In fact, it just seems like trying to get free rent and naming a cause as the reason.