Articles by Grist staff

Soil Ain’t Green

British soil is losing carbon — and may be contributing to global warming Dirt may be one of the world’s biggest greenhouse-gas emitters — and that could throw a very heavy wrench into efforts to fight climate change. In the journal Nature, researchers report that as the soil in England and Wales has warmed over […]

Stuck in the Middle With Fruit

New “sustainable” label may compete with pricey organic label Tired of paying a premium for organic fruits and veggies? A coalition of farmers, environmentalists, and public officials is promoting an alternative that they say will be less costly: a “sustainable” certification system and label. The system sets standards for water quality, soil management, and wildlife […]

Romancing the Stove

States sue DOE, press for energy-saving standards for appliances New York City and 15 states have filed suit against the U.S. Department of Energy, saying the agency has failed to update energy-saving standards for nearly two dozen household appliances — changes that would save gobs of energy. According to the suit, the DOE has violated […]

Net Loss

Katrina has wiped out Louisiana’s fishing industry This should be the height of Louisiana’s shrimp and oyster season, but the state’s $2.7 billion-a-year commercial fishing industry may be another casualty of Hurricane Katrina. The region’s fishers, shrimpers, and oyster harvesters typically supply the U.S. with about 30 percent of its seafood, and the industry employs […]