Latest Articles

Arctic ringed by navigable water; rush to exploit it may spur new int’l law

For the first time in recorded history, the world’s cap of Arctic sea ice is surrounded by a ring of theoretically navigable water. It’s a phenomenon sure to pique the interest of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the U.S., which all have Arctic territories and are maneuvering to claim as much of […]

Charlie Rose chats with pre-VP-candidate Sarah Palin

Since everyone seems obsessively interested in Sarah Palin these days, here she is in Charlie Rose’s “Green Room,” saying, among other things, that Alaska’s oil can revitalize our economy and give us energy independence, which is of course, um, false: And here’s a full hour of Charlie Rose with Ariz. governor Janet Nepolitano and Palin: […]

U.N. climate chief urges eating less meat to combat climate change

Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said this weekend that eating less meat may be the best way for people to reduce their personal carbon emissions. “In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is […]

Federal Highway Trust Fund nearly depleted due to driving cutback

High gasoline prices have spurred Americans to sharply curtail their driving in recent months and the resulting sustained dip in fuel sales has helped bankrupt a federal fund for major transportation projects across the country. The Highway Trust Fund, which is paid for almost entirely through money generated by the federal gasoline and diesel taxes, […]

Grist and Arizona State University team up on newsletter for students

As Newsweek reports in its latest issue, Grist is launching a newsletter designed specifically for Arizona State University, which has built up an impressive rep on sustainability by doing everything from installing significant solar capacity to opening the nation’s first School of Sustainability. Every two weeks the newsletter will go out to 60,000 students and […]

Grist talks to Republican convention-goers about McCain’s climate and energy plans

While at the Republican National Convention, I caught up with some of the delegates and others milling around downtown St. Paul to talk about John McCain’s climate and energy policies. Most supporters were enthusiastic about his support for expanded oil drilling (especially the Texas oilmen I ran into), but they think he’s been deluded by […]

Grist talks to Jim DiPeso of Republicans for Environmental Protection

David and I talked to Jim DiPeso, policy director of Republicans for Environmental Protection, while we were covering the Republican National Convention this week. The group endorsed John McCain way back in October, and despite the addition of the less-than-green Sarah Palin to the GOP ticket, DiPeso said his group stands by McCain. We caught […]

Stuffed and Starved author on the myth of consumer choice

Raj Patel, author of the searing book Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System, is one of the most trenchant critics of industrial food. According to Patel, one billion people in the world don’t have enough to eat, while another billion suffer from the consequences of too many low-quality calories. The […]

Energy politics take a weird turn

Kate Sheppard mentioned it in her tireless coverage of the Republican convention, but it bears highlighting again: The official GOP presidential platform calls for an end to the biofuel mandate. Now, politics makes strange bedfellows, and sudden Republican opposition to biofuels stems largely from meat-industry shrieks about high grain prices. For example, Texas Gov. Rick […]

Snippets from the news

• Highway repair fund, paid for with gas-tax revenue, is nearly depleted. • Want to put stinkweed in your tank? • Climate change could harm giant sequoias. • Engineers unveil new generation of tidal turbines. • Power outages from hurricanes hamper gasoline production. • Iraqi marshes thought to be site of Garden of Eden will […]