Latest Articles
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Is Chamber of Commerce prez biased on climate because of his ties to Union Pacific railroad?
Why is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on such a different page from its major members when it comes to climate change legislation?
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Everything you always wanted to know about EPA greenhouse gas regulations, but were afraid to ask
Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the EPA has the authority and the obligation to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. At a stroke, the politics of climate change were changed. The choice was no longer between legislation or no legislation — it was between legislation or regulation. One way […]
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An interview with Jason Burnett, who worked on EPA greenhouse gas regulations
The following is an interview with Jason Burnett, who worked in the EPA under President GW Bush. In it, we discuss efforts by the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. Burnett quit the EPA in protest in June 2008, alleging interference from the Office of the Vice President. The interview is meant as a supplement to […]
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Activists drape Niagara Falls with banner to protest tar-sands oil
Rainforest Action Network hangs a 70-foot banner in front of Niagara Falls, in protest of Canadian tar sands oil.Photo: Rainforest Action NetworkThere’s a 70-foot banner and activists dangling over the observation tower at Niagara Falls. Before dawn this morning, a small team of climate advocates with the Rainforest Action Network rappelled hundreds of feet above […]
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Wow: the Heinz Award (or, hands off my mic, Kanye!)
As a journalist, I feel like I should have some clever and creative lead for this piece. But I keep coming back to the tried and true: It is such an honor to receive the Heinz Award. It’s an honor to be recognized by Teresa Heinz and the Heinz Family Foundation. It’s an honor to […]
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Grist founder honored with 2009 Heinz Award
What do you get for the best eco-boss ever? A stainless steel water bottle? A bike repair kit? A share of a local farm CSA? The Grist staff was thinking those would all be great gifts for beloved founder Chip Giller. Then we found out that the Heinz Family Foundation is honoring him with one […]
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NY Times nails Clean Water Act crimes and (lack of) punishment
Many readers of the New York Times probably dropped their jaws in amazement at the lead story on Sunday: Seven-year-old Ryan Massey, of Prenter, West Virginia, smiled back with capped teeth, the enamel devoured by toxic tap water. His brother sported scabs and rashes, courtesy of the heavy metals–including lead, nickel–in their bath water. If […]
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Thoughts on the legacy of Norman Borlaug
Norman Borlaug (Photo courtesy FAO)In the early 1940s, Mexico was a fraught region for U.S. geopolitical strategists. Not so long before — 1939 — a revolutionary government had nationalized the Mexican oil supply, dealing a sharp blow to U.S. oil interests, especially the Rockefeller family’s dominant Standard Oil. Meanwhile, as war raged in Europe, there […]
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If JBS-Pilgrim’s deal goes through, four mega-firms will dominate the meat landscape
In Meat Wagon, we round up the latest outrages from the meat and livestock industries. —— Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Brazilian firm JBS–the globe’s largest beef processor–was on the verge of buying U.S. chicken giant Pilgrim’s Pride. Although the companies have since remained mum on the tie-up, rumors of […]
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A big breakthrough on green jobs
The New York State Senate and Assembly, too often a model of corruption and dysfunctionality, rose above petty politics last week to pass forward-thinking legislation on climate and energy, setting a precedent for bipartisanship and a sensible cap and trade system. The State Senate passed the groundbreaking Green Job/Green New York Act, with strong support […]
