Articles by Grist staff

At the Head of the Class

Lawyers from top environmental groups in the U.S. are considering such new legal strategies as broad-based class-action lawsuits to force the U.S. and corporations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Whether in federal courts or international tribunals, the lawyers would sue on behalf of people or whole countries suffering from the effects of global warming. For […]

Slim Shady

Tree cover has diminished significantly in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas over the last 25 years, as roads, parking lots, and more buildings have taken root, according to a study released yesterday by American Forests. The enviro group says the loss is a shame — because trees not only look swell, but they also provide financial […]

Oregon Trailblazers

When it comes to sustainability, Oregon is No. 1, says the San Francisco-based Resource Renewal Institute. The group ranked states on transit spending, open-space protection, recycling, and pollution prevention, among other things. New Jersey (shocking!) and Minnesota came in second and third, respectively. The institute’s Randy Solomon said Oregon took top honors because the state […]

When It Rains, It Poors

Poor people in the U.K. are among those worst affected by environmental problems in the country, according to a recent study published in Britain. The researchers conducted a series of focus groups in four different areas — a poor neighborhood in Glasgow, another in London, a former mining village in North Wales, and a rural […]