Latest Articles

Fewer and fewer young people are driving — but why?

American teenagers simply don't drive as much as they used to. But should we really chalk it up to the internet and the digital revolution?

‘Skeptical environmentalist’ Bjørn Lomborg reverses his climate skepticism

Bjørn Lomborg knows how to play the media. Who else could get such attention for adopting a position on climate change already held by millions?

Statistics help a mom cut the car seat tether

I rode the Seattle streetcar today with my nearly two-year-old daughter. It was her first “school” field trip, and her classmates had been excited about it for weeks. There were lively debates in the Rainforest Room about whether the streetcar would be purple or orange. Edie, who wore her lavender shirt for “trolley day,” picked […]

Hearings begin on federal coal ash rules as evidence of damages mounts

The EPA is holding the first in a series of seven official public hearings today to collect comments on a proposal to federally regulate coal ash.

With drilling stalled in the Gulf, Big Oil sets its sights on the Arctic

Drilling is on hold in the Gulf of Mexico, but it's about to hit high gear in the Arctic. It's accessible because climate change is melting the polar ice

Attention Congress: China is shutting down its old coal plants

Certain members of the U.S. Congress believe that America shouldn't do anything about climate change until China does. Let's focus on something China is doing: shutting down old, dirty coal plants.

Smart cities are (un)paving the way for urban farmers and locavores

Across the U.S., cities are buckling up their green belts and introducing legislation to foster local-food production of everything from cucumbers to yellow limes, reports Kerry Trueman for Grist's Feeding the City series. Because nobody wants to get caught with their pantry down?

Ask Umbra on healthy soil for urban and suburban farmers and gardeners

A reader wants to know if urban dirt is safe for growing food. Is there lead in that urban farm salad? Umbra investigates and gives some savvy tips.

D.C.’s first-ever state fair a hit — and so are my zucchini

Can a state that's not a state have a state fair? For too long, the nation's capital has been denied deep-fried Twinkies, Ferris wheels, and pie-eating contests.

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins: Five Years After Katrina, the Gulf Is Showing All of Us the Way Forward

As August draws to a close, we face a somber, sobering anniversary. Five years ago, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The storm — and the horrifying ineptitude of the relief efforts before, during, and after — left the region devastated. Most of those who died or […]