Starbucks gets pricey

My favorite item on the Starbucks food menu has always been the fruit and cheese plate. One evening, I even called ahead to make sure they had one before I got there. It's a great snack - healthy and delicious. Three pieces of berry and nut encrusted bread, one wedge of camembert, 5 individual grapes, 1 orange slice, 3 cubes of pesto jack cheese and a slice of chedder. Not much - But satisfying. I never used to think about buying it, but these days this small item costs $5.55. On a plane, I can get a sandwhich, chips and cookies for that amount (sure, price fluctuates based on the airline). And Yet I still like buying it. There's something dainty and polished about the fruit and cheese plate that seems to warrant paying the equivalent of a supersized meal at McDonalds. And they say Starbucks is seeing a drop in their earnings? Not if people like me keep paying for 5 individual red grapes!

San Francisco Ahead in Environmental Policy

Kudos to environmentalists in the city of San Francisco. Mayor Gavin Newsom just signed a proposition to ban plastic bag use in supermarkets. See the following link for more information: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8888798

This is a good lesson for cities such as Los Angeles which do not have the ban. Please know that:

In this country, an estimated 12,000,000 barrels of oil are required to produce the 100 billion plastic bags used annually
and in every square mile of ocean it is estimated that there are over 46,000 pieces of plastic.

This is what I do when I go to the supermarket:

- Do not use plastic baggies for your fruits and veggies. Just take them au natural and wash them well when you get home.

- Take canvas bags, or reuse paper bags when you go grocery shopping.

Also,

- Re-use pastic sandwich baggies and ziplock bags at home.

And, this is a BIG one.

-When you go to Starbucks, or any other coffee shop, do not ask for a to-go cup. If you are planning on enjoying your beverage in the store, then ask for a ceramic mug. They all have them available per request only. If you plan on taking your coffee to go, then bring your own reusable canister or coffee tumbler.

When it comes to protecting the Earth, don't let the lure of convenience haze your moral compass.