Green Options » Jillian Polaski

Food Waste Equals Water Waste

Jillian Polaski — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:25:38 +0000

I hate throwing anything away, especially food, and every time I do, I remind myself that there are starving people in the world and that I should be a little more conscientious. Apparently I should also be reminding myself that there are thirsty people in the world.

An article on the Environmental News Network recently pointed out that when you throw away that wilted, smelly broccoli or container of moldy, left over spaghetti you have sitting in the back of your fridge, you’re throwing away more than just food. You’re also tossing out water along with it. The article references a report by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and the International Water Management Institute. According to the report, the amount of food thrown away in the US alone is equivalent to turning on your faucet and dumping 40 trillion liters of water into your garbage can.

America Has a Spending Problem: A Review of “I.O.U.S.A.”

Jillian Polaski — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:40:36 +0000

America has money scorching a hole in her pocket. Like many a college student with a credit card, Lady Liberty is racking up charges she knows she can’t pay when the bill comes in at the end of the month. Her spending far exceeds her income and, by the end of 2009, the amount of money she owes will be well over 9 trillion dollars. Were she a person, she would have no hope for early retirement, or maybe even any retirement at all.

How did America, one of the richest countries on the planet, end up in this situation? The new documentary I.O.U.S.A. helps to answer that question. Directed by Patrick Creadon of Wordplay fame, the film follows former US Comptroller General and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation David Walker and the Concord Coalition’s Robert L. Bixby around the country on their “Fiscal Wake-Up Tour.” Bixby adds comic relief as they trace the history of the national debt, revealing startling facts like, the only year in US history that the federal government was ever one hundred percent debt free was 1835.

Why Clearance Carts at the Grocery Store are Super Cool

Jillian Polaski — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:09:02 +0000

I am a clearance shopper. I love a bargain, especially when I’m getting a really quality product at a super low price. The challenge of the hunt is a huge part of the fun and there’s nothing better than being rewarded with a new sweater or pair of shoes, or even, say, some eggplant. It used to be that I wouldn’t even think of shopping the clearance cart at the grocery store. I was afraid to buy old food, just this side of moldy.