Latest Articles

Carbon sequestration is a GM solution; we need a Honda solution

Vaclav Smil is a historian of technical advances — particularly in the field of energy — and a Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Over the years, Smil has written more than 25 books and many dozens of articles. In recent years he has been examining human uses of energy over past […]

Homemade garbage barge about to make landfall in Hawaii

Three humans, 15,000 soda bottles, and a Cessna plane body are about to make landfall in Hawaii after an epic 2,000-mile, three-month journey from the west coast to raise awareness about the mind-numbing amount of plastic fouling the world’s oceans and wildlife alike. Aching for cold beer and something other than sushi for lunch, these […]

A choice of primary energies: nuclear power takes the silver

In light of concerns about climate change, some enviros as well as those within the nuclear industry have emphasized nuclear energy’s carbon neutrality. In light of concerns about climate change, the role of nuclear power in a future or transitional energy system has been re-evaluated. Worries about nuclear plant safety, nuclear weapons proliferation, and nuclear […]

Clean coal making the early rounds at DNC

8:28 a.m., residential Denver: First sighting of giant, roving “clean coal” van, sponsored by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. Photos to come.

Border-fence design exacerbated flooding along U.S.-Mexico border

The hastily built new fence along the U.S.-Mexico border has apparently exacerbated flooding in parts of Arizona and Mexico due to poor fence design. Environmentalists and others had warned the Department of Homeland Security that rushing border-fence construction could cause eco-troubles, but Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff nonetheless waived applicable environmental laws last year in […]

Beijing officials consider extending some clean-air measures beyond Olympics

Beijing’s emergency measures to clear its famously polluted air during the Olympic Games have been largely successful, with the city reportedly experiencing the cleanest summer air it’s had for over a decade. But now that the Olympics are over, full-time city residents have been pointing out how pleasant breathable air has been and how nice […]

Grist heads to the Democratic and Republican national conventions

David and I are bound for Denver this week, where we’ll be bringing you on-the-ground reporting from the Democratic National Convention. Immediately thereafter, we’ll be in St. Paul, Minn., for the Republican National Convention. Whose convention will be the greenest? Will I be able to track down one of those elusive organic-cotton fanny-packs? Will delegates […]

A choice of primary energies: clean coal takes the bronze

Usable electricity doesn’t just appear, but is generated from a pre-existing or primary energy; one of the great decisions of the 21st century will be how we choose to generate electricity. We have established that there are under consideration three main carbon-reduced or carbon neutral “clean” primary energies for electricity: renewable energy, nuclear energy, and […]

Enviros generally pleased with Biden’s record on environmental issues

Joe Biden. Photo: Michael Millhollin In a 3 a.m. blast of emails and text messages, Democrat Barack Obama announced that his selection for a vice presidential candidate is Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. And, for the most part, representatives from the environmental community were pleased with the news they awoke to Saturday morning. During his 35 […]

Reactions and info on Joe Biden’s selection to the Obama ticket

Biden, Biden, Biden. Everybody’s talking about Biden. I’ve rounded up some of the more interesting stuff below. Start, of course, with Grist’s fact sheet on Biden’s environmental record and our interview with Biden on environmental issues. Other green stuff: see a 2007 rundown on Biden from the League of Conservation Voters and this recent roundup […]