It seemed like a good idea at the time: As part of the University of Vermont's greening effort, the university decided to stop selling bottled water in its vending machines. Instead, it would be installing more filtered water fountains and selling re-usable water bottles. Everyone drinks water, no more plastic bottles, everybody wins. Right?

No, someone loses: The International Bottled Water Association. They're claiming the "water bottle ban" (because BAN always sounds MEAN! and NEGATIVE!) is "failing" college students. But I think the university is just giving students what they want.

Paying full-price for my dinner, but only being allowed to eat half may -- at first -- seem like a huge rip-off when I go out to eat. After all, I'm already paying for a babysitter, maybe valet parking (hey, it's L.A.! I can't escape it), and a huge mark-up on my glass of wine. Yet, as an avid restaurant-goer, it hasn't escaped my notice that most of the time I'm shoveling in a heck of a lot of food. Unless I'm going for sushi or dining at an ultra modern joint, it's usually too much for me to finish. Mind you, I have been known to finish, especially when what I'm eating is so delicious I don't want to stop myself. And that, my friends, is not a great idea.

You know what else isn't a great idea? Me just leaving the leftovers on the plate for someone to throw in the garbage. Which is how this whole idea of Halfsies came about, and I'm all for it. Yes, please! Take half of my food, even though I've paid for all of it. It's actually a win-win. Here's why:

If you haven't been to a restaurant that brags about its organic, local, or sustainable menu yet -- you will. It's one of the biggest food trends of the past few years, and with more and more people growing concerned about pesticides in their food, the environmental impact on faraway imports, and GMO foods, it will only get bigger.

As a big fan of this movement, I'm willing to pay a little bit extra for healthier food options (although in some cases, local can be less expensive), and I'm also willing to dine out more frequently at restaurants that serve up organic food as part of their philosophy. Which is why I'm more than a little miffed about an article that highlights the deception by some chefs and restaurants when it comes to organics.

Some of your organic food you're dining on is actually good old-fashioned factory farmed, sprayed with pesticides, yuck.

If you're just trying your hand at going meatless on Monday, or if you've been with this meat-free movement for awhile, you may be wondering what the heck to serve up every Monday if you're used to the protein and side meal combination. The idea behind Meatless Mondays is that you are eating in a more sustainable fashion, as well as being healthier. Even one day out of the week that you don't eat meat lowers production and environmental costs in the world.

Sure this idea is big, but the execution can be quite simple. That is, if you plan ahead and go the grocery store over the weekend and load up on delicious options.

There are actually a few different ways you can tackle your Meatless Monday menu and keep everyone satisfied. Here are four that do the trick in eating more responsibly for one day of the week.

We all have our bad foods that we shove down our gullets. Mine is nachos. Anytime, or anyplace. However, nachos are not so great if your goal is to eat healthier and feel better in the new year. The fact is, I'm not going to give up nachos in 2012, even though I should drastically cut down on the consumption of those crispy, cheesy delights. But there are some foods that I could give up without as much pain.

In fact, there are 5 foods that might be easier to ditch than your Achilles' heel of culinary delight. And you'd be much healthier as a result.

It's not mashed potatoes, but . . . Holy moley, am I swollen. Between the ham, the cookies, the cocktails, the fudge, the cheese . . .it's amazing I can even fit into my Forever Lazy. Even though there are more goodies on deck for New Year's celebrations, it's time to pull together a list of those other foods. You know the ones that actually do something good for you other than that sugar high.

Whether you decide to make eating healthier a 2012 resolution or not, you might want to spend at least a day or two focusing on these fantastic foods, to at least allow your body to recover. It's your business what you eat come Valentine's Day.

Here are 5 foods that will help your body detox from all the revelry.

Whether you're decking the halls, lighting the menorah, or having super fantastic dinner parties just because, you're going to need some wine on that table to get that party started. Sure you could shop by pretty label (I mean, who hasn't?), or grab the same brand you heard somebody liked once and so you'll never waver from a "sure thing," but why not put a little extra thought into your alcoholic beverage of choice?

Wine is evolving and changing with the times, and wine makers understand that some of us are looking for a little bit more than a tipsy evening. Here are 5 wines that go above and beyond the job of quenching our thirst and actually do some real good.

I HATE those thingsIt has come to my attention that someone is working hard to solve the age-old problem of too many tiny stickers on the fruit you would like to eat with minimal hassle. Or am I the only one who finds stickers on the lip under the kitchen cabinets all the time? Well, me and Scott Amron apparently, as this inventor is just as annoyed with the fruit trash and decided to do something radical about it: Dissolving stickers.

Love it! But it gets better. Dissolving into soap, fruit stickers. So you can wash your apple with the sticker, you guys. Whole Foods produce department, are you listening? Even though some naysayers point out that washing with this organic material doesn't clean any more than washing and scrubbing with water, it does solve the annoying sticker problem. And for that, I'm giving this the Best Food Invention of the Year Award. That I just made up.

I've also made up 5 more food inventions that this Scott guy should totally get on, right now.