1. Ay, there’s the scrub

    First came the ads and webisodes showing Dawn detergent cleaning itty-bitty oil-soaked critters. Now Ellen DeGeneres is barking about becoming a seal on Dawn’s world-saving website. Nemo has yet to comment on the development.

    Photo: Kevin Mazur / WireImage.com

  2. Remote controlled

    Channeling vintage Grist List, Connecticut has launched a “No Child Left Inside” campaign and kid-TV network Nickelodeon went dark for three hours in an effort to get “Generation In” to go outside and play. Or change the channel and grab the Cheetos. Whichever.

    Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

    Photo: iStockphoto

    Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

  3. One degree of preparation

    We heart Heidi Cullen. And we heart her even more now that she’s created a series of snappy film shorts for the Weather Channel’s new One Degree climate-change site. Go watch them. Now. Apocalypse never looked so good.

    Photo: The Weather Channel

  4. Trout to sea

    A high-school student’s science project has spawned the removal of a concrete dam in Oregon. Colby Davidson, now 17, trapped some 200 fish in a dammed creek, demonstrating that it still nursed a thriving native fish population. He’ll be taking that blue ribbon now, thanks.

    Photo: iStockphoto

  5. Smoggy night

    Drawing attention to the air pollution that’s making them sick, activists in Hong Kong snuck a painting of their smoggy skyline into an exhibit of European masterpieces on loan from Paris’ Pompidou Centre. Know what’s fun to say? Smoggy Pompidou.

    Photo: iStockphoto