Articles by Grist staff

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have accused the Bush administration of stacking a government advisory panel on childhood lead poisoning with members sympathetic to lead-related industries. The 12-member panel advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on averting such poisoning, and in the past, the CDC has appointed the panel’s members. Now, […]

Clubbed Med

Ah, the Mediterranean: brilliant sun, snow-white sand, a smattering of paradisiacal islands in a glittering sea. That’s the reputation that makes the region the most popular tourist destination in the world — but sadly, the flood of tourists is rapidly unmaking the reputation. Every year, the region hosts 200 million visitors — nearly one-third of […]

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

You don’t need rock-hard calves, shaved legs, or a dresser full of unitards to love cycling: According to the U.S. bicycle industry, bikes designed for commuters rather than racers are the next big thing. Of the estimated 17 million bikes sold in the nation last year, over 20 percent were “comfort bikes” — up from […]

Just Deserts

A controversial plan to transform a tract of the Mojave Desert into a giant water-storage facility was killed yesterday by California’s Metropolitan Water District. First presented in 1997 by Keith Brackpool, an advisor and leading financial backer to Gov. Gray Davis (D), the $150 million project would have entailed the construction of a 35-mile pipeline […]