Latest Articles

Climate activists blitz media in Copenhagen

Ricken Patel, executive director of the international activist group Avaaz.org.Photo: Jonathan HiskesCOPENHAGEN — If I’m delayed in the Copenhagen Bella Center by one more crowd of earnest chanters, or a dude in a funny costume, or the 800 people who feel compelled to stop in the middle of busy hallways to snap pictures of each […]

Chipotle Challenge: time to back up ‘food with integrity’

Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Editor’s note: Trace the history of the food on your plate, and you’re likely to find worker abuse. Creating a truly fair food system will be a massive challenge–and not without conflicts. In the spirit of airing those conflicts with the hope of moving forward, we present a […]

This year, have a Slow Christmas

This post originally appeared on SlowChristmas.org. Recently I have begun to wonder. Just when did Christmas go from this:         to this? USB Warmer Seat Cushion           The world is a fast place, filled with stuff, so I guess it makes sense that Christmas would reflect that. The […]

A chat with Earl Blumenauer about his ‘carbon audit’ of the U.S. tax code

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.)Tucked away in the frantically assembled and hastily passed bailout bill of Sept. 2008 was a little-noticed provision that would empower the National Academy of Sciences to do a “carbon audit” of the U.S. tax code, scoring tax provisions according to their impact on the national carbon footprint. But the audit — […]

Myth vs. reality on the Copenhagen climate summit

Co-written by Rebecca Lefton, a Researcher for Progressive Media, and Daniel J. Weiss, a Senior Fellow and Director Climate Strategy at the Center for American Progress. Myth #1: Copenhagen is already a failure. Instead of a binding agreement we’ll end up with a political deal that gets us nowhere. Reality: We are on schedule at […]

The Climate Post: Throngs enter Copenhagen’s climate gates

First Things First: President Obama last week shifted the date he will visit the Copenhagen climate talks from Dec. 9 to Dec. 18, the last and most consequential day. Three days into the 15th U.N.-sponsored Conference of Parties, this otherwise mundane fact carries the most symbolism. Whatever happens, whatever has already been settled or is […]

How to make healthy, safe food-bank donations 

In Checkout Line, Lou Bendrick cooks up answers to reader questions about how to green their food choices and other diet-related quandaries. Lettuce know what food worries keep you up at night. ————— Time to green the canned-food drive.From the Grist Twitter feed: Looking for healthy safe nonperishable foods to donate to food banks. Ideas?  — […]

Youth and Indigenous activists rally for vulnerable nations at climate talks

COPENHAGEN — Echoing the words of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed (We will not die quietly!) and the African negotiator Ambassador Lumumba, (No to climate colonialism!) hundreds of youth created a loud and energetic “climate storm” today inside the Copenhagen climate talks at the Bella Center. It was the largest demonstration at COP15 yet — and […]

Gore vs. Palin on Climategate

Super-blogger Andrew Sullivan has an intriguing feature on his site called The Odd Lies of Sarah Palin in which he catalogues the way the most popular so-called “conservative” in the country today lies seemingly reflexively, even about topics which are not the least bit controversial. (For instance, whether or not she consulted her daughters about […]

Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman release framework for Senate climate/energy bill

Sens. Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman held a press conference today to discuss the framework they’re developing for a clean energy bill that can get to 60 votes in the Senate early next year. (Audio here.) Obviously the event was timed to have an impact in Copenhagen. Both Kerry and Lieberman said explicitly that their intent […]