Latest Articles

Giuliani joins law firm renowned for defending energy interests

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — whose name is often bandied about as a possible 2008 GOP presidential contender — added a splash of deep red to his moderate-Republican profile when he announced last week his decision to join a Texas-based law firm known for representing heavy-hitting energy companies. Rudy Giuliani. Photo: NYC.gov. […]

Readers talk back about Lakoff, immature humor, homeschoolers, and more

  Re: Don’t Think of the Environment Dear Editor: First, full disclosure: I am a former grad student of George Lakoff’s and was a research associate at the Rockridge Institute for several months. That should make my biases obvious. Amanda Griscom Little’s March 29 piece about Lakoff’s work with the Green Group provides some interesting […]

The cultural profile of environmentalism has drifted free of reality

John and Jamais make a great point. Media reaction to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment focused, almost without exception, on gloom and doom -- the grim catalogue of what is currently wrong and the most apocalyptic scenario of where things could go from here. But the MEA contained much more than that, including several scenarios in which things change and improve in various ways. Read their posts for specifics on those scenarios.

I meant to address this way back when I was bitching at Nicholas Kristof, who complained about the "alarmism and extremism" of the green movement.

The cultural profile of environmentalism seems to have taken on a life of its own. "Environmentalism" means shouting about how the world's going to hell and condemning everyone who doesn't agree to live like a monk. When an environmental issue is covered in the media, that's how it gets covered -- if it doesn't fit that template, it's either forced in or ignored. When the public sees that kind of story, its eyes glaze. It all becomes -- for the green groups, those who consider them enemies, the groups' individual members, and the public at large -- incredibly predictable, and like anything predictable, it becomes background noise.

For a look at a particularly undiluted, flat-footed presentation of that stereotype ...

The Kids on the Bus Go Cough, Cough, Cough

Kids on school buses breathe more dangerous air than pedestrians Kids who ride the bus to school may be exposed to higher levels of pollutants than those outside on the street, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of California at Berkeley measured the air inside six school buses on a route through Los […]

We can’t make this stuff up

Funny thing: We thought about writing something like this and slipping it in as one of our April Fool's stories. But we knew no one would buy it.

The Full Altamonty

Pombo questioned on wind-power conflict of interest Ah, they grow up so fast! You can tell that wind energy has joined the ranks of mature industries — it’s now got its very own scandal over accusations of improper influence peddling. Aides to Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), it seems, sent a letter to Interior Department officials […]

Spare the Rod, Foil the Riled

Spent nuclear fuel vulnerable to terrorist attacks, experts warn Despite its renewed popularity (even Umbra’s giving it a second look!), nuclear power makes the eggheads at the National Academy of Sciences nervous. Specifically, a new NAS report raises red flags about the dangers posed by possible terrorist attacks on the pools of spent fuel rods […]

Johnson Blocking

Democratic Senators stall confirmation of new EPA head When President Bush chose 24-year U.S. EPA veteran, scientist, and all-around mild-mannered dude Stephen Johnson to head the agency, observers expected no controversy. But Johnson’s ongoing confirmation hearings are proving them wrong. It seems those pesky Democrats can always find something to complain about — like, um, […]

Umbra on nuclear energy

Dear Umbra, What are your thoughts on the reconsidering of nuclear power as a viable solution for helping with energy shortages and improving environmental conditions? I was shocked to hear a “scientist” say (in a “no duh,” matter-of-fact type of way) that nuclear power is far cheaper and cleaner than our current coal- and oil-based […]

Comment on the new Grist ads

You may notice that Gristmill has just now joined Grist proper in being graced with advertisements.

If you have any thoughts on the matter -- umbrage, kudos, thumbs up or down -- this is the place to express them.