Articles by Grist staff

Metals Gone Wild

Mercury seriously mucking with wildlife, study finds Mercury contamination of wildlife may be more prevalent than previously thought and influencing ecosystems in unexpected ways, suggests a study released yesterday. Researchers in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada found higher-than-expected levels of mercury in the region’s birds and other animals, supporting the hypothesis that mercury from […]

We’ll Drink to That

Americans prefer their water clean, poll shows “An overwhelming majority” — some 86 percent — of Americans believe clean, safe water is a national issue worthy of government spending, a new poll concludes. The two polling firms (one from each side of the partisan divide) conducting the opinion survey asked 900 adults a variety of […]

Elevate Good Times, Come on!

Last chance to enter the Gristmill Environmental Elevator-Pitch Contest The time has come to close out the Gristmill Environmental Elevator-Pitch Contest. We’ll accept entries until Friday, March 11. On Monday, the finalists will be announced, and readers will be able to vote on their favorite (creator of said favorite will — get this — win […]

It’s Girl Scout cookie season …

And along with $400 million worth of cookie orders, the national office of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. has received a number of concerns about the cookies saying, among other things, that child labor is used to produce the chocolate that covers Thin Mints -- an allegation Girl Scout officials deny. Critics also charge that Girl Scout cookies are contributing to the American obesity epidemic with high levels of unhealthy trans fats, particularly in their newest cookie, Animal Treasures, a shortbread treat featuring endangered animal imprints. Says Jennifer Romback of the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, "I'd like to think that Girl Scout cookies are the least of our worries." Indeed.