Articles by Grist staff

Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Science

U.S. EPA shifts pollutant-review process, mixing policy with science The U.S. EPA continues to suck Big Oil’s dipstick: Yesterday, the agency announced that its air-pollutant reviews, formerly conducted solely by staff scientists, will now incorporate recommendations from its political appointees. Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock insisted the shift will bring “air rule-making into the 21st century,” […]

Bra-vo

Victoria’s Secret pledges to end use of endangered-forest paper in catalogs The parent company of sexed-up retailer Victoria’s Secret announced yesterday that it will nip a bad trend in the bud: sourcing its catalog paper from endangered forests. Succumbing to two years of pestering from ForestEthics and other green groups, U.S.-based Limited Brands agreed to […]

The Good Phyto

Global warming affects ocean’s tiny plants, which could affect global warming Proving that big things do come in small packages, researchers say global warming could hobble the teeniest marine organisms, phytoplankton — which could, in turn, lead to more warming. Whuh-huh? Well, these wee plants not only make a tasty sea snack, they provide a […]

Plumb Crazy

U.S. EPA considers delisting lead as an air pollutant That sound you hear? It’s jaws dropping everywhere in response to the U.S. EPA’s announcement that it might stop regulating lead as an air pollutant. Citing the fact that concentrations of the toxic heavy metal in the air have dropped 90 percent since 1980, and using […]