Latest Articles

On eco-architecture and urban farming: Are you kidding me with your f-ing farm skyscraper?

Find a place, do some work, grow some stuff: it ain’t rocket science.Photo: Tracie LeeJust last summer, Broke-Ass was invited to speak on a panel at the New York Horticultural Society with such luminaries of the environmental architectural movement as Amale Andraos and Dan Wood of WORK Architecture Co.; Fritz Haeg, artist, Edible Estates; and […]

Why America’s Sputnik moment should include trees

Last week the President unveiled his “Strategy for American Innovation” which details his approach to jumpstarting the American economy by investing in important areas such as clean energy, health care technology, and education.  This week he hits to road in an effort to get folks excited about   modernizing our infrastructure. As a climate champ, this […]

Real-life Darth Vader/ Emperor Palpatine duo now in charge of U.S. energy policy

The best government money can buy.Photo: Official Star Wars BlogThe bad news is that we now have a political climate in Congress that could only be more lethal to action on clean energy and climate change if it were made out of mustard gas. The worse news is that the reason things have gotten to […]

Sorry, Eminem: Mass transit creates jobs, not Detroit

“Did you see what Mother Jones said about this ad? I’m about to cry.”Chrysler’s Super Bowl spot may feature Eminem looking all tough, but here’s one way he’s helping the terrorists win: Compared to mass transit, cars suck at creating jobs. A new report analyzing stimulus spending shows that spending on public transportation and road […]

TreeShagger: Do all green dating sites suck?

Computer love.Photo: Jeremy BrooksWelcome to TreeShagger, our new column on green dating. If you’ve got green dating questions, send ’em our way! The internet wants to help you find love. One in five newly committed couples met through a dating site, says Match.com [PDF] (and I’m sure they’re not biased). And Google ads recently volunteered […]

Pre-Valentine’s live chat with Ask Umbra and TreeShagger

Even in French, they still taste like chalk. Photo: KatLevPhotoIn a live chat today, Grist’s Ask Umbra and TreeShagger answered all of your Valentine’s Day questions about sustainable love, dating, and (oh yeah!) sex. Did you miss the chat? Have no fear, dear, a replay is available below: 

Wind power now competitive with coal in some regions

Photo: Vlasta JuricekMore good news on the renewable energy front Monday: The cost of onshore wind power has dropped to record lows, and in some regions is competitive with electricity generated by coal-fired plants, according to a survey by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a market research firm. “The latest edition of our Wind Turbine Price […]

Why enviros should have a more active voice about regulations

Speak up!Photo: theparadigmshifterBecause the political arena is often fraught with hyperbole, misinformation, and special interest pandering, facts and reason don’t count for as much as they should. Despite that, green advocates have smartly and effectively engaged in the political arena to help protect the environment and public health. But to augment that advocacy, it is […]

WH Gig for Mubarak

White House climate policy czar Carol Browner recently left her post “to spend more time with her family” (political-speak for “thanks for playing, but don’t let the door hit you in the backside on your way out”). Given his 2008 campaign pledge to get Congress to deal with US carbon pollution and thereby support a […]

Time to retire the USDA’s dietary guidelines?

Once every five years, the federal government goes to great lengths to update its recommendations for how Americans should eat. In fact, Congress mandates that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) be based on the most current science available. Yet over the years, the DGA process has been wrought with politics, which should come as […]