Articles by Grist staff

Going South

The search for Antarctic organisms that can be used for pharmaceutical and other commercial purposes — called “extremophiles” for their ability to thrive in harshly cold, dry, and salty conditions — is pushing international patent law to the breaking point and threatening the fragile Antarctic environment, concludes a United Nations study released on Sunday. The […]

Fake Is the New Real

In an effort to conserve water (and perhaps bolster Southern California’s reputation as a showcase for all things fake), the city of Anaheim, Calif., and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California are pilot-testing faux lawns. If water savings meet expectations, residents who replace real grass with fake greenery could soon be eligible for rebates […]

Meghan Houlihan, Greenpeace

Meghan Houlihan is the renewable energy program director for the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, based in Greenfield, Mass. She periodically abandons her desk job to work as a web editor aboard Greenpeace vessels. Monday, 2 Feb 2004 PUERTO AISEN, Chile Back in bucolic little Vermont — my homeland — I wouldn’t need an alarm clock […]

Transportation guru Hank Dittmar answers questions

What environmental organization are you affiliated with? What does it do? I work at Reconnecting America, a national organization focused on connecting transportation and communities to improve environmental and economic performance and create economic security for families and communities. We promote an interconnected national transport system, relying more on rail and bus for intercity travel; […]