Articles by Grist staff

Ignoble Chernobyl

It’s been 17 years since the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe — but a new disaster could be around the bend if the concrete shield encasing the old power station isn’t rapidly reinforced, according to Russia’s energy minister. “We can see a situation where the roof could fall in, or rather the supports that hold up the […]

Daewoozy

An automobile company lobbying for stricter emissions standards? It might sound like an unlikely tale, but not when the bottom line is at stake. General Motors is pressuring the South Korean government to impose tougher standards for diesel emissions than it is currently considering. Here’s why: The automaker is trying to increase the competitiveness of […]

War in the Time of Cholera

Iraq’s water, sewage, and waste systems need immediate attention to prevent drastic environmental and human health problems in the wake of war, the United Nation’s Environment Programme announced today. Earlier this week, doctors in Baghdad reported the first suspected incidents of cholera and typhoid, two potentially fatal diseases spread by poor water sanitation. Hundreds of […]

Monoxy, Oxy, Oxycuted

Lest you think environmental news is all gloom, all the time, here’s a little pick-me-up: Thanks to the Clean Air Act, the U.S. has all but eradicated carbon monoxide pollution, one of the most hazardous air emissions, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences reported yesterday. In 1971, when the act set federal standards for carbon […]