Articles by Grist staff

Motor Voters

U.S. Senate Votes Against Increased Fuel Efficiency In a blow to advocates of stricter fuel-efficiency standards, the Senate yesterday voted 65 to 32 against a proposal by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) that would have required cars and SUVs to average 40 miles per gallon by 2015. Instead, the Senate backed an industry-supported proposal to let […]

Bark, but Little Bite?

Asserting that illegal logging causes a host of social and political problems, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday announced the launch of a new U.S. campaign to help developing countries fight unlawful deforestation. “Such blatant disregard for the law weakens governments, encourages corruption, [and] undermines democracy,” Powell said. He pointed to the example of […]

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Mock ‘Em

Instead of preaching about the evils of General Motors’ Hummer H2, with its hulking frame and 10-mile-per-gallon fuel economy, the Sierra Club has launched a new website to mock the mega-SUV: www.hummerdinger.com. “G.M. celebrates Hummer’s state-of-the-art 1950’s engine technology with some of today’s hottest stars,” reads a mock story on the site, which goes on […]

Land of the Rising Sun

Japan, weary of being dependent on imported fuel, has taken a shine to solar power. The nation now produces half of the world’s solar energy and has surpassed the U.S. as the world’s leading producer of solar panels. The Japanese government has thrown its weight behind what it sees as a potentially strong export industry, […]