Articles by Grist staff

Climb Every Mountain. Then Remove It.

Activists plan summer of mountaintop-removal protests Environmental activists are planning a summer of focused protest against mountaintop-removal coal mining in West Virginia and surrounding coal states. “Mountain Justice Summer” will call for nonviolent protests against this highly destructive mining technique, whereby entire mountaintops are bulldozed into surrounding valleys to uncover large coal seams. Activists will […]

Eh, Just Throw It Out Back in the Shed

Nuke industry says cheapest waste-disposal plan is plenty safe With the Yucca Mountain nuclear-waste disposal facility mired in technical, legal, and political difficulties, nuke boosters have decided, hey, who needs it anyway? “People are no longer saying Yucca Mountain has to be finished in order for the nuclear industry to have a revival in this […]

Goin’ batty

In the interest of home-state pride, I'd like to take a moment to recognize the new state bat of Virginia. Signed into law yesterday by Gov. Mark Warner (D), the Virginia big-eared bat will henceforth be put on stamps and bumper stickers along with the Chesapeake Bay deadrise (official state boat) and milk (official state beverage). Apparently the big-eared bat had to beat out a rival contender for the title: the Louisville Slugger. Yuck, yuck.

As if that isn't funny enough, Warner apparently likes to release his news in the form of limericks for the press. And no, they don't begin with: "There once was a man from Nantucket ..."

Below the fold, an excerpt:

See food, make smart choices

A new seafood-labeling scheme went into effect yesterday across the U.S. The regulations require that retailers label fish and shellfish with the country of origin and whether they were raised on a farm or caught in the wild. The labels may be put directly on packaging or on signs in the display cases.

Proponents say the labels satisfy a consumer's basic "right to know" about products before purchasing them. Greens should be pleased because the labels will make it easier for consumers to choose seafood from the safest (read: low mercury and POPs) and most sustainable sources. The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch resources can help with those delicious decisions as well. Browse their regional lists of seafood broken down into three categories: best choices, good alternatives, and those to avoid. You can also print your own pocket-size guide. Bon appetit!