Latest Articles

The Young and the Restless

Groups See Environment as Key to Getting Youth Vote With the coming presidential election expected to be squeaky tight, a host of groups are looking for an advantage in the youth vote, and many think the environment is just the issue to stir up excitement. “[T]he amount of interest we’re seeing [on college campuses] is […]

Don’t Cry for Weeds, Argentina

Genetically Modified Soy Stirs Up Trouble in Argentina Argentina’s adoption of genetically modified soy was touted as a big GM success story, propping up struggling farmers and the country’s sinking economy, but seven years later it is causing an environmental disaster, say researchers. The crop, sold by GM giant Monsanto, raised yields so quickly that […]

Burned Biscuit

Siskiyou Forest Salvage-Logging Proposal Is Sign of Conflicts to Come With another oppressive drought settled over the Western U.S. and a rough wildfire season on the horizon, conflicts like the one over salvage logging in the Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon could be a sign of things to come. The Forest Service has proposed a […]

Announcing Umbra’s latest contest

Dearest Beloved Readers, Another turn of the seasons (still four, at last count) has brought us together again on the eve of Earth Day, the moment in the sun for the environmental movement, the fifth anniversary of Grist, and the second anniversary of my ability to freely pontificate into your inbox. It’s been a nice, […]

An interview with Bush’s point person on species and parks

Craig Manson. Craig Manson is the man President Bush selected to protect America’s critters. And like many top dogs in this administration, he’s not exactly considered a good friend of the environmental community. As assistant interior secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks, Manson implements the Endangered Species Act, determines the direction of the National Park […]

Downward-facing Smog

EPA Announces New Air-Quality Standards and Offenders Today the U.S. EPA made two long-awaited announcements, the first a list of U.S. counties in violation of new, stricter air-quality standards, the second a set of rules meant to improve air quality. Both were the result of legal wrangling stretching back for years, with enviro groups suing […]

You’re Fired!

Fire Panel Says California Must Make Tough Choices Californians must choose which to protect: the developments rapidly advancing into its once-wild hinterlands, or the hinterlands themselves. So said a report released yesterday by a commission formed to develop policy recommendations in the wake of last year’s devastating wildfires in the state. While the report recommended […]

I Smell a Rat

Rat Poison Industry Had Undue Influence on EPA Regs, Say Critics Makers of rat poison were allowed to influence, and in some cases rewrite, two U.S. EPA regulatory initiatives meant to make their products safer, according to environmental and consumer-safety organizations. The first initiative was proposed by the EPA under President Clinton in 1998, when […]

Jeffords’ bid to block EPA appointments could have welcome side effects

Jeffords speaking his mind. Photo: U.S. Senate. Asserting that he was confronting “truly life-and-death matters,” Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) announced last week that as ranking member of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works he would exercise his powers to put a hold on four high-level appointments to the U.S. EPA. “I’m sorry […]

May We Suggest the Bermuda Triangle?

U.K. Ponders How to Rid Itself of Nuclear Waste The U.K. is stuck with nearly 500,000 tons of nuclear waste, which will be dangerous for 250,000 years, and it is flummoxed about what to do with it. A government commission assigned to study the problem is considering a range of options including, we kid you […]