Articles by Grist staff

I Will Singh, Singh a New Song

To feed energy demand, India gets friendly with old adversaries India’s foreign policy, like that of most every major economic power, is increasingly driven by its need for oil. The globe’s fifth-largest consumer economy, India already imports 70 percent of its oil, and energy demand is expected to nearly double from 2002 levels by 2030. […]

Ask Not for Whom the Toll Jells

U.K. transport secretary wants new tax on motorists U.K. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling wants to prevent “L.A.-style gridlock” on England’s major motorways. (With the U.K.’s tough gun-control laws, that shouldn’t be a problem, right?) He’s trying to drum up public support for “road pricing,” a tax of up to $2 per mile on drivers who […]

There’s No Place Like Foam

“Coffee-cup home” showcases wood-free construction Nancy Hall was looking for a forest-neutral way to construct a house on her 20 already-logged-over acres in Quilcene, Wash. She considered other darlings of the alternative-materials scene, but in the end chose Rastra — blocks of insulated concrete foam. And how do you Rastra, mon? Take recycled polystyrene coffee […]

Cities on a Hill

Fifty mayors from around world sign environmental accord Marking the culmination of World Environment Day festivities in San Francisco, 50 mayors from cities the world over yesterday signed a set of environmental accords some are calling a “municipal Kyoto.” Among the 21 commitments therein are increasing clean-energy use, reducing waste sent to landfills, adding affordable […]