Articles by Grist staff

The Lung and Short of It

For the first time, fine particles emitted by coal-fired power plants, factories, and diesel trucks have been linked to an increased risk of death from lung cancer. According to a study published in today’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, people living in heavily polluted U.S. metropolitan areas have a 12 percent […]

It’s Not Easy Making Green

Green products won’t necessarily keep a company out of the red: Many businesses are concluding that eco-friendly marketing campaigns simply don’t work. Forty-one percent of U.S. consumers say they don’t buy green products because they fear inferior performance, according to a Roper poll, and most say they prioritize convenience over ideology when making purchasing decisions. […]

Sticker Shocker

But never fear, there’s still some hope: Eco-friendly products might not be raking in the dough, but 60 percent of new-car buyers say they would purchase a more fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle, even if it raised the sticker price of the car. That was the conclusion of a study released today by auto industry research firm […]

G-ratifying

In a legally binding decision, the 15 nations of the European Union agreed yesterday to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change by June. In doing so, the countries committed to an 8 percent total reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels — although they have not yet agreed on emissions targets for each […]