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Now is the time to transform our energy system

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is an unmitigated disaster. Its full consequences will not be known for decades. What we do know, however, is that BP President Tony Hayward was incredibly wrong when he stated that the spill will have “a very, very modest environmental impact.” Quite the contrary! In fact, […]

Success of oil capping bid won’t be clear for 48 hours

A mobile offshore drilling unit (front) drills a relief well in case this week’s top kill/junk shot attempt fails.U.S. Coast GuardBP’s latest one-two punch–pumping “heavy drilling fluid” with a junk-shot chaser–seems to be slowing the leaking Gulf oil well. But don’t uncross those fingers yet. “It’s going pretty well, according to plan,” BP chief Tony […]

Ask Umbra’s pearls of wisdom on Memorial Day

Dearest readers, Ah, Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff of summer—even though we’re still rocking scarves and raincoats here at Grist HQ. To prep you for this glorious three-day weekend, I’ve sifted through the archives and found these handy holiday-appropriate tidbits, from flying the flag to drinking beer (both arguably patriotic acts). What’s going on […]

When cyclists go uncensored

dustDesign Co.Now, we at Grist don’t like to encourage contests of “who art the greenest of them all,” but we think this tote bag (made of recycled cotton and soda bottles, natch) for the hardcore bike lover really makes a(n uncensored) statement about the iconic Prius and its pious following. On the other handlebar, it […]

The Climate Post: BP oil spill washes up on Potomac shores

First things first: Oil-spill updates continue to gush out of the Gulf and Washington at volumes difficult to estimate. BP initiated its risky “top kill” maneuver Wednesday and the Coast Guard reported cautiously this morning that the oil stream has abated. If the effort works, BP will begin to plug the well with concrete in […]

Michigan: Where U.S. clean energy, emissions, efficiency policy really counts

On Friday, May 21, President Obama gathered in the Rose Garden the chiefs of his transportation and environmental departments to take the next big step to leverage federal climate policy and clean energy investment to spur new job growth. The president directed Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to […]

Couple buried alive under the weight of their own junk

Sure, most people living in the Western world could probably definitely do with consuming much, much less stuff. But this Chicago couple demonstrates the extreme: what can happen when a throwaway society like ours throws you away. Turns out you actually can be consumed by your own consumption. (Lucky for them, this pair survived.) [vodpod […]

A chat with energy analyst Trevor Houser about how to assess climate legislation

Trevor HouserPhoto: Peterson Institute for International EconomicsTrevor Houser is a green energy wonk’s green energy wonk. In the last few years, he has produced, among other things, congressional testimony on greening the stimulus bill, an astute take on the market failures around energy efficiency in buildings (PDF), and a comprehensive assessment (PDF) of the Copenhagen […]

Obama preaches green tech gospel to California choir

Silicon Valley in the Internet age has not made for great presidential photo ops. The Valley’s computer-chip factories were off-shored decades ago and (Google excepted) the software giants that supplanted hardware companies just didn’t have the same pizzazz — T-shirted geeks writing code can’t compete with guys and gals in bunny suits tending big futuristic […]

Finally: Obama halts new offshore leases and stumps for climate bill

See, I have a Decider pose tooCourtesy White HouseNow we’re getting somewhere on the offshore drilling problem. Some progress from the top: Mr. Obama ordered a further six-month moratorium on new permits for new deepwater oil and gas wells; suspended the planned exploration in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas off the coast of Alaska; canceled […]