Articles by Grist staff

Bush admin removes independent scientific reviews from Endangered Species Act

The Bush administration this week made a major change to the Endangered Species Act by axing a requirement that federal agencies seek independent scientific reviews of planned projects to determine if they would mess with imperiled plants or animals. “These changes are going to result in more species being put in jeopardy,” said Jamie Rappaport […]

California to slash greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020

California officials this week committed to a comprehensive plan to cut the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 through regulating GHG emissions from vehicles, investing in energy efficiency, and sourcing one-third of the state’s electricity from renewables, among other initiatives.

Origins of cereal linked to religion, vegetarianism

The mental_floss blog has an interesting piece on the origins of cereal. Only a short bit of it is eco-related, so I’ll post that here (emphasis mine): Meat Is Murder (on the Colon) During the early 19th century, most Americans subsisted on a diet of pork, whiskey, and coffee. It was hell on the bowels, […]

Notes from Stone Barns’ ‘Young Farmer Conference’

There’s a social movement cropping up in fields and markets across the country — America’s next generation of farmers are stepping up to the pitchfork. Young, excited and energized, they’re facing many challenges, but also reaping many rewards. To celebrate this burgeoning interest in farming, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Tarrytown, New […]