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Energy lobbyists throwing money at new best buddies in Congress

Big Oil lobbyists aren't waiting until next week's midterm elections to court the House's new power brokers.

Pooping out plastic not a painful process

Crap -- it's so versatile! It can heat your house, fertilize your garden, and power the grid. And now creative types have squeezed another use out of this universal human product -- turning it into a nontoxic plastic. We sh*t you not.

U.S. solar boom requires policy and money (not sunshine), says report

Germany became the world's solar stronghold by rewarding homeowners, businesses, and farmers for generating their own electricity. The U.S. could grow at a similar clip -- with the right policy.

Getting down to business on climate change

There is evidence the cutting edge of economic transformation will come not from Washington, but from the business sector.

Grist needs a T-shirt slogan

Dearest readers, help us come up with a slogan for our 2011 T-shirt! Comment on this post with your wittiest suggestions. The Grist staff will select our two favorite slogans and then, you, our beloved audience, will vote on the winner. The author of the winning slogan will receive eternal fame and glory as well as a free T-shirt!

Obama's riding the (cellulosic) ethanol pony — here's why he should buck the trend

Like countless politicians before him, Obama is striving to shore up his political support in the Midwest by dangling goodies for the ethanol industry. This time, though, it's cellulosic ethanol -- which, I argue, isn't nearly as ecologically benign as advertised.

What a 'sweet surprise'! HFCS contains more fructose than believed

A new study shows that assumptions about fructose/glucose ratios in high-fructose corn syrup have been way off. And since fructose is demonstrably worse for us than glucose, this could explain a lot.

Art Pope's millions fund climate change denial

An investigation by Facing South finds that the Koch brothers, have a valuable ally in North Carolina: conservative benefactor Art Pope.

Birth Control will not stop climate change

Cross posted from Biodiversivist …but it sure could help. From a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  …reducing peak population to roughly 8 billion, for example, could save 29 percent of expected greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, if people are allowed to retire at a reasonable age (there is […]

With school-lunch reform on the rocks, it may be time to invest in 'smart cafeterias'

With Congress unable to pass meaningful school lunch reform, researchers are suggesting that simple changes to the lunchroom -- as easy as placing apples in a basket -- could have big effects.