Van from Thrift Core.
It’s time again for Link-O-Rama-Mama, where I lazily link to other people’s well written and thoroughly written articles.
Garbage Picking, It’s Not Just for Weirdos Anymore
Of the blogs I follow, Thrift Core is one of my favorites. Written by the artistically gifted Van, Thrift Core chronicles her thrifting adventures and current efforts to open a brick and mortar shop in Florida. She’s a clever duck, and it’s always fun to watch how she’s able to spin straw into gold.
Today’s Thrift Core post is about how curbside garbage picking is nothing to be ashamed about, and ends with the quote:
“You’re a revolutionary. You choose not to pay high prices for inferior products when you can get the real deal for free. Viva La Picker Revolucion, comrade! Remember, if they don’t want it, that’s more picking for us. And there’s more than enough to go around…”
Viva la Picker Revolucion?! Umm . . . count me in. ¡Por favor!
Click HERE to read today’s Thrift Core post.
Enough Food, But it’s Going to Waste
Jonathan Bloom of Wasted Food clued me into a great op-ed piece in The NY Times titled, “The Crooked Carrot is Also Food” which featured the information that:
“The fact is that the world could feed itself, both now and in 2050. The problem is not that the world grows too little food; there is plenty of food overall. The problem is that while there is too much food in some places and not enough in others, everywhere food is wasted. Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food is lost worldwide.”
The idea that so many live with food insecurity while viable food gets wasted is abhorrent to me. I know that my own almost-wastage of CSA tomatillos, (thank you Sara for taking them back!) doesn’t directly result in starvation across the globe. But I do know that when I stay within my own grocery budget, I’ll never have to question the feasibility of sending $29 per month to young Zambian Frida Sakala through Childfund International. (We have been sponsoring her for at least five years.)
Click HERE to read the article.
A Tight Budget Doesn’t Have to Exclude Eco-Choices
The issue of people having to give up pricey eco-friendly options has hit The NY Times in an article titled, “Eco Meets The Economy.” The story features interviews with consumers who have made the switch from expensive purchases to lesser price options without giving up their sustainable goals.
“Not long ago, Mr. Alter found himself in a grocery store, trying to decide between $10-a-pound organic bacon and a nonorganic brand that cost $5. In the end, he didn’t buy either one. ‘More and more people are doing that,’ he said. ‘It’s like ‘Buy Nothing Day’ all year.’ “
From people replacing Seventh Generation brand cleaners with vinegar/water solutions to people making do with stuff they already have, this is a great article for the Times to put out there.
Click HERE to read the article in its entirety.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for all the links, I’m popping over to read them right now…
Thank you for the mention and the kind words! I’m going to check out the other two articles. I love all this talk on thoughtfully using our resources.
Van, you are just so clever with how you pull everything together.
Katy
Oh, I was looking forward to some good ones, but I’ve already read these! (They were good, though!)
Did you see this one? I loved this, also about food waste:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/leave-no-leftover-behind-the-story-of-food-waste/
That was great. I never thought of peelings, etc as food waste. and I didn’t know you could eat melon rinds.
Oh, tomatillos are delicious! We roast them and then blend them to make yummy green salsa. Tasty on bean burritos. Yum.
Thank you linking the Eco Economy article. It featured Erin from The Green Phone Booth and the reporter interacted with a couple of other Green Phone Booth bloggers for the article. To read the Booth’s response to the article, check out this post, published today: http://www.greenphonebooth.com/2011/10/phone-booth-leaves-voicemail-for-nyt.html
Speaking of wasted food, I actually feel ill when I see/hear about food eating contests, where people shovel food into their mouths, and then throw it all up later, in the name of entertainment. And don’t even get me started on punkin chuckin, or any other activity that celebrates wasting food in large quantities.
People, there are hungry folks in your own community! How can you justify wasting food?
Elaine
@Elaine:
That really bugs me, too! Once I rescued a smashed pumpkin from the road. I picked up the biggest chunks, washed them well, and cooked it.
As always, totally inspiring.