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The Ties That Blind

The scientists who advise the U.S. EPA on regulatory decisions often have ties to the very industries that would be affected by the regulations being assessed, according to a study scheduled to be released today by the General Accounting Office, a congressional watchdog agency. In one case, seven of 17 members of a Science Advisory […]

Succor Fish

The U.S. Interior Department has rejected a request to convene the cabinet-level Endangered Species Committee — known as the “God Squad” — to consider whether allocating water to farmers in the Klamath River Basin on the Oregon-California border should rank above saving several species of fish. Farmers in the region have protested a move by […]

It Drives Them Crazy

  Dear Editor: Oooooh it makes my blood boil. I’d like to email Stan Meager a piece of my mind. I hope that every automaker takes a cue from Ford, and they all start upping their donations to environmental causes. Eventually folks like Stan Meager will be seen “thumbing it” down the rural highways and […]

Take It Off. Take It All Off.

Writing about the undoing of Mutha Earth is a barrel of laughs, but even Grist staffers sometimes need a break. We’ll be taking a vacation during the first two weeks of July. We know you’ll miss your daily fix of green news, but fret not — we’ll be back at work in mid-July, in better […]

Catching Air

Passengers flying out of Lutin Airport in London are being asked to pay a voluntary fee of up to four bucks to offset the environmental impact of their flights. Mark McClennan, the airport’s top environmental official, said money from the passengers would be used to plant trees to absorb carbon dioxide emissions. But Jeff Gazzard […]

A Real Turn-off

A month after he said “conservation does not mean doing without,” U.S. President Bush said he would cut electricity use at the White House, ordering employees to turn off lights when leaving their offices and switch off computers when they would be gone for two days or more. With these and other steps, the complex […]

On the Waterfront

In a win for property-rights advocates, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 yesterday that governments can be required to compensate property owners for interfering with their ability to develop their land. The court said that new owners can sue for compensation if their development plans are denied, even if long-standing rules forbid development. However, the […]

Flood, Sweat, and Tears

Climate change and globalization are increasing the threat of flood and famine to the world’s poor, according to a report released today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. From the annual World Disasters Report: “Recurrent disasters from floods in Asia to drought in the Horn of Africa to windstorms in […]

Smells Like Pew Spirit

Unlike many philanthropies that fund already-existing green groups, the Pew Charitable Trusts, one of the country’s largest environmental grant makers, has launched major new campaigns and even begun its own organizations, like the National Environmental Trust and the Heritage Forest Campaign. Pew focuses on three issues — global warming, marine conservation, and forest protection. It […]

Rio Not So Grande

Thanks to drought, fast-growing weeds, and overuse of water by agriculture and cities, the Rio Grande River is running so low that it doesn’t even reach the Gulf of Mexico anymore. Enviros are concerned about the loss of the estuary, where saltwater mixes with freshwater to create ideal conditions for young shrimp and other marine […]