Articles by Grist staff

Bad Vibrations

Seismic movement could assist in oil production Like so much else in this crazy world, earthquakes are bad for you but potentially good for oil companies. Seismic shaking appears to increase permeability of underground rocks, leading to easier oil flow. “[T]his has practical implications for oil extraction,” says University of California scientist Emily Brodsky, who […]

With Our Tailpipe Between Our Legs

U.S. cars are tops in CO2 emissions The U.S. boasts 30 percent of the world’s cars and is responsible for almost half of global car-caused greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a new report by Environmental Defense. American-driven cars emit 15 percent more carbon dioxide per mile than the global average (meaning, in essence, they get worse […]

Club Afoot

Sierra Club sues Pentagon for holding up new wind farms The Sierra Club is suing the Defense Department for effectively halting new development of wind farms in the name of homeland security. The suit charges that the department failed to complete a congressionally mandated study on how wind turbines affect military radar by a May […]

Port Reform

Two busiest California ports propose pollution regulations The peerlessly polluting ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., will propose far-reaching environmental policies today. “What we’re doing right now is a no-growth, job-losing, cancer-causing plan, and we’re just not going to do that anymore,” said David Freeman, chair of the L.A. Harbor Commission. What they […]