Latest Articles

Pavement is replacing the world's croplands

As the new century begins, the competition between cars and crops for cropland is intensifying. Until now, the paving over of cropland has occurred largely in industrial countries, home to four-fifths of the world’s 520 million automobiles. But now, more and more farmland is being sacrificed in developing countries with hungry populations, calling into question […]

A personal appreciation of Grist contributor Donella Meadows

I was once speaking with Donella Meadows in her Dartmouth College office a few years ago, back when I taught with her in the environmental studies program. She was responsible for my appointment in environmental literature and writing and had become a mentor I could call on for advice at any time, no matter how […]

Appalled By Sprawl

Three key Bush administration officials promised governors yesterday that they would work to discourage urban sprawl, renew urban communities, and invest in public transportation. Speaking at the National Governors Association, the heads of the U.S. EPA, Housing and Urban Development Department, and Transportation Department said that President Bush’s budget, to be unveiled tonight, will include […]

A Lott of B.S.

Saying the U.S. is facing an energy crisis, Republicans in the Senate yesterday proposed an overhaul of the country’s energy policy that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling and provide billions of dollars of tax incentives and spending to spur additional domestic oil exploration. Senate Majority Leader […]

Sherpas Attack

Nepali sherpa climbers will be paid to bring trash down from Mount Everest under a new program by the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Bhumi Lal Lama, an official with the group, says sherpas may earn up to $6 for each pound of garbage they carry from various upper camps to base camp. The worst site is […]

Smoggy Went a Courtin' and They Did Fail, Uh-huh

In one of its most significant environmental decisions in years, the U.S. Supreme Court today rejected industry arguments and unanimously upheld the way the federal government sets clean air standards. The trucking and manufacturing industries argued that the U.S. EPA should consider compliance costs and not just health benefits in setting the standards. But Justice […]

Believe It or Not, We're Walking on Air

Thanks to your votes, Grist was the winner of the Alternet New Media Hero Award contest. Shucks, we can hardly believe it. Thanks again for all your support — we sure do appreciate it (and maybe we can leverage the award into more funding for compact fluorescent bulbs in the office).

Taipei Personalities

About 10,000 Taiwanese who don’t want construction to resume on Taiwan’s fourth nuclear power plant marched in protest through Taipei this weekend, calling for a national referendum on the issue. The plant, already one-third complete, was initiated by the Nationalist Party, which still holds a significant majority in the legislature despite losing the presidency to […]

Second Class Citizen

Al Gore spent his second class as a professor at Columbia University’s journalism school focusing on how the media cover global warming. Before the class, students were given materials suggesting that the vast majority of the world’s climate scientists believe global warming is occurring, and they were asked questions like, “Is it your view that […]

In the Driver's Seat

With buddies of the auto industry now in charge of the White House, automakers said last week that they will no longer lobby to freeze federal fuel-efficiency standards. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards have remained unchanged since 1975, and the industry until last year had been successful in blocking the Clinton administration from even […]