Latest Articles

Find out who’s behind the ‘information attacks’ on climate scientists

This post originally appeared at Facing South. This week, in a courtroom in Prince William County, Va., a hearing will take place that could have implications for the privacy rights of scientists at colleges and universities across the country. It’s part of a lawsuit brought by the American Tradition Institute, a free-market think tank that […]

Will other states follow Nebraska’s lead in fighting Keystone XL?

Nebraskan protesters outside the state capitol.Photo: Mitch PaineThe Keystone XL pipeline will cross six states: Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Opposition has been fiercest in Nebraska, whether because of a desire to protect the Ogallala Aquifer and Sand Hills or because of tremendous organizing by Jane Kleeb and Bold Nebraska (or both). Gov. Dave […]

Why small cities are poised for success in an oil-starved future

Cross-posted from Urbanite. A couple of years ago, while I was reporting on a redevelopment plan in Buffalo, N.Y., I met up with Robert Shibley, an architecture professor who had long been interested in a renaissance for his once-great Rust Belt town. Buffalo, along with cities like Utica, Syracuse, and Rochester, had the sort of […]

Upcoming Lorax movie to insult all that is good, holy

Like millions of other parents, I’m fond of reading my kids books by Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. Many of them are just fun and silly, a lesson in the delights of language, but quite a few have serious moral content, from The Sneetches to Horton Hatches the Egg to How the Grinch Stole […]

Otto, Nacin at Grist

Last week we were lucky enough to play host to two members of the WordPress core team last week here in our offices in Seattle.  If you ever get the chance to work with/learn from Otto (@otto42) and Nacin (@nacin) … well just do it!  Grist would not be what it is without the contributions […]

Rep. Cliff Stearns doesn’t understand how government subsidies work

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.)Photo: Republican ConferenceCross-posted from Climate Progress. So far this week, four of the world’s top five oil companies have announced more than $24 billion in third quarter profits. And by the logic of Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), that should mean those oil companies deserve more subsidies, not less. Speaking at a town […]

Molson Coors explains why it decided to give a crap about the environment

The problem with corporations trying to do the right thing is that even if they were actually being socially and environmentally responsible, who would know? I mean, everyone knows that it's written into our country's laws that corporations must be sociopaths who care about nothing beyond enriching themselves. So it's refreshing to see Eric Roston, […]

Distributed solar power gets more affordable

Solar economies of scale seem to be improving as the U.S. market matures, opening the door for much more cost-competitive distributed solar power.

Hybrid power plant turns wind directly into automotive fuel

Enertrag is a new hybrid power plant whose parent company invites you to "drive to [your] local petrol station and fill up with 50 litres of wind … !!!" Three exclamation points! Renewable energy has made Germans so adorable. Their website even has a picture of German chancellor Angela Merkel showing off a tank of […]

Mexico City’s ‘earthscraper’ would be a 1,000-foot underground building

BNKR Arquitectura wants to build a pyramid that penetrates nearly 1000 feet into the earth below Mexico City's largest and most historic public square. Its upper floors will be illuminated through a glass ceiling that will replace the paving stones of the current square, and its deepest reaches will receive daylight piped in from fiber-optic […]