Latest Articles
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Our second annual Earth Day list of the year’s goodies, oddities, and inanities
In honor of the 38th Earth Day, we hereby present the Second Ever List of Grist Superlatives — our take on the good, the bad, and the weird of the past year. What did we miss? Add your own superlatives in comments below. Most thoroughly debunked premise: “The Death of Environmentalism” Amusingest photo op: President […]
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Megadroughts projected for southwest: bears
To be "environmental," in simplest terms, is to be aware of the existence of "our fellow mortals," as John Muir liked to put it. In the Southwest, where a new study for Science -- based on the results of nineteen climate model runs -- projects "megadroughts" that will be at least as devastating as the Dust Bowl, some of these mortals, such as black bears and oak trees, have already noticed changes in the climate and begun to change their behavior.
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A bullet train, that is
According to this article, Brazil's transport ministry is considering whether to tender bids for a high-speed train linking São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Once (OK, if) the bullet train goes into operation, travel time would be just under an hour and a half, compared with the five hours it currently takes to drive between the two cities.
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Faint Christopher
Presidential contender Christopher Dodd endorses carbon tax The good news: Presidential contender Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) has unveiled a bold energy plan that includes a tax on corporate polluters. The bad news: Christopher who-now? Is running for what? Putting aside Dodd’s snowball-in-hell odds, let’s admire his goals: a per-ton fee on corporate carbon emissions that […]
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Well … A for Effort?
Reports say Chesapeake Bay is still hurting Two new reports show that, despite 22 years of clean-up efforts, the Chesapeake Bay is still in miserable shape. Pollution and population growth are on the rise, sullying the bay and its tributaries. A report issued by the Chesapeake Bay Program — a partnership between the U.S. EPA […]
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And 92 Percent Think Heather Mills Is a Real Trouper
New poll declares environmental movement still around Just in time for Earth Day, a USA Today/Gallup poll has hit the scene to tell Americans how they feel about the environment. To wit: 60 percent of us believe that global warming is happening now, and even more of us think it will, uh, continue to happen. […]
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Tunnels everywhere!
First a train tunnel between Africa and Europe, now the Russians want to build the long-dreamt-of tunnel between Russia and Alaska. The tunnel would theoretically carry natural gas, oil, electricity, and fiber-optic wires.
The more and better tunnels we have for rail, the more competitive rail will be with less efficient transport systems like air travel. This is better for energy efficiency and therefore the environment.
This project still has a lot of problems -- it's not like there's a lot of spare rail up above the Arctic Circle, necessitating lots of construction -- but I'm sure Ted Stevens is already salivating.
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It’s descended completely into ‘small steps’
When I read stuff like this … A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds that more Americans than ever — 60%, up from 48% a decade ago — believe that global warming has begun to affect the climate. A slightly larger percentage think it will cause major or extreme changes in climate and weather during the next […]
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Oy
A panel of retired generals thinks global warming is an urgent national security threat. The U.N. Security Council thinks global warming is an urgent national security threat. But wait! We forgot to ask Wisconsin Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R)! Sensenbrenner questioned "why global warming has suddenly become an issue of national defense" and afterward accused politicians […]
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