Articles by Grist staff

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!

Jeepers Creepers

Hordes of four-wheel-drive enthusiasts, and their respective four-wheel-driving monsters, have descended -- or rather off-roaded -- into the red rocks of Moab, Colo., for the 39th annual Jeep Safari.

The event began with a few Jeep drivers looking for a good time and has become an event complete with vendors, parades, and, of course, a whole lot of four-wheelin' fun. Some 20,000 to 30,000 off-roadies were in Moab this weekend, part of the week-long festivities that now overshadow mountain-biking and marathon-running weekends in terms of financial boons for the red rock area. No word yet on how the rocks feel about it.

Praying attention to herbicides

A group of ruralites near Eugene, Ore., have begun a five-week series of prayer circles in front of timber company offices.

Organizer Lynn Bowers said the group resorted to prayer circles after calls and letters to the timber companies got no response.

"No one willingly does harm," Bowers said, clasping hands in a circle of eight friends in front of Transition Management Inc.'s offices near Valley River Center in Eugene. "I pray that these timber guys' hearts are open so they understand the harm they are doing."

Although the timber companies say the herbicides are necessary to keep invasive species -- like scotch broom and blackberry -- from overgrowing, Bowers argues that the chemicals are too risky for forest and human health. She says their group will pick a different company to pray by each Friday until Earth Day, because "we need a miracle to change this situation." Amen?

Girl, You Trippin’!

Cameron, Arnold lead brigade of celeb eco-spokesfolk What formative experiences led to movie star and galactic hottie Cameron Diaz’s commitment to the environment? “Nothing, dude. Life! Life!” We couldn’t have said it better. Or hotter. Diaz will be bringing her commitment to a new MTV series called Trippin’, debuting tonight, in which she travels around […]