Articles by Grist staff

Lights, Climate, Action

Schwarzenegger declares war on global warming “I say the debate is over. We know the science, we see the threat, and the time for action is now.” With those words, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) yesterday defied Bush administration orthodoxy, announcing ambitious plans to reduce his state’s emissions of greenhouse gases. The Governator issued an […]

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Build

Brownfield redevelopment increasingly popular in U.S. cities Developers the U.S. over are lately enamored of “Cinderella” properties (aka brownfields). These formerly contaminated sites can transform into luxury real estate, thanks to the magic of fairy godmothers like, um, the federal government. Once upon a time, the abandoned toxic sites were shunned and only a brave […]

Salarymen of the World: Untie!

Japan adopts “no-tie” look for summer to save energy The paradigmatically propriety-conscious Japanese bureaucrat may be loosening up and dressing down, thanks to, well, orders from above. In an effort to conserve energy by reducing air-conditioner use, Japan’s Environment Ministry today launched a campaign urging government workers to leave suit coats and ties at home. […]

Bye Bye Nukie

Sweden starts shutting down nuke plants, despite some reservations At midnight last night, technicians at Sweden’s Barseback-2 nuclear reactor hit the off button (or something), shutting down the country’s oldest nuclear power plant for good. Vattenfall, the state-owned company that operated the facility, will now funnel $1 billion toward building northern Europe’s biggest wind farm. […]