Sarah gilbert

A New York Times' blogger argues that wasting food is worse for the environment than a bit of plastic packaging that extends its shelf life. Why? Because of the methane food produces when it decays, he says. But his argument is rubbish, as composting and buying locally would better solve the problem.

The Lorax is mossy and bossy and speaks for the trees, but this week, his voice is a bit of a cacophony, caught up in a dispute between the estate of Theodor Geisel and LoraxAG, a startup project involved in coal gasification.

When it comes to ground coffee, blends of beans are the top sellers in America. Sadly, this means most buyers aren't getting a great cup of java, says Consumer Reports, which tested 37 varieties without finding a single one it could rate "excellent" or "very good."

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey's plan to give employees breaks on health insurance for lower blood pressure and body mass index is ruffling feathers. Has this notorious "right-wing hippie" gone too far?

Starbucks (SBUX) surprised both Wall Street analysts and skeptics like me Wednesday, by releasing first fiscal quarter 2010 results that were better than expected. Led by a 4% comparable-store sales growth, the company recorded 4% higher revenues of $2.72 billion. Earnings came it at $241.5 million, or 32 cents per share, topping expectations of 27 cents per share. Last year's first fiscal quarter earnings were only nine cents per share, before charges on store closings.

Perking for coffee giant Starbucks (SBUX) are its fiscal first quarter 2010 earnings, due to be reported Wednesday after the bell. All eyes are on the company's same-store sales, whose story over the past 12 months has been along the lines of "hey, we're not declining nearly as much as last year at this time!" The last quarter in which Starbucks experienced same-store sales growth was the first fiscal quarter of 2009, the three months ended Dec. 31, 2007.

Starbucks (SBUX) customers in New York this week could no longer pay for their venti mochas with a five-dollar bill after a 20-cent price hike brought the cost with tax to $5.06. In Seattle, the company's home, a grande mocha is now $3.91, up 10%. In Washington, D.C., an upgrade to new loose-leaf tea bags also meant an upgrade in prices: A 50-cent hike to more than $2.00 for a mug. What's more, the company ended its 10% discount for "Black Gold Card" rewards members on the day after Christmas, leading many loyal customers to complain that demand for Starbucks coffee "is not inelastic."

True to her roots as an ex sports anchor, Sarah Palin is back on TV. Her chat with Bill O'Reilly on FOX News on Tuesday was the former Alaska governor's debut as a correspondent with the network. She used the appearance to trash her recent "60 Minutes" profile she said she hadn't seen.

What will Sarah Palin do now? The question remained open since she quit as Alaska's governor in July, until Monday afternoon, when The New York Times uncovered one answer: She's becoming a contributor to Fox News.

Curtis Allina, the man whose fanciful packaging changed the face of Pez candy dispensers, leaves behind a creation so popular that it has its own category on eBay. There are more than 2,500 listings on the auction site for Pez dispensers.