Articles by Grist staff

The Brown Lagoon

Lagoons of animal waste from large factory farms are threatening drinking water and recreational waters across the country, according to a report released Tuesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Clean Water Network. The groups want new lagoons to be banned and existing ones to be phased out within the next five years. […]

Backstroke to the Future

Christopher Swain of Eugene, Ore., plans to swim all 1,243 miles of the Columbia River to call attention to what he describes as “a contaminated beauty.” The feds are now investigating the river for sources of mercury and other nasties. Swain, who works for Columbia Riverkeeper, will embark on the 160-day swim next summer; in […]

Get Your Solar Kicks on Route 66

The longest solar-powered car race came to end yesterday in Claremont, Calif., with a University of Michigan team in the lead. The victorious single-passenger car took 56 hours and 10 minutes to cover 2,247 miles in a 10-day race along Route 66. Twenty-eight teams finished the race, the sixth since the first U.S. competition in […]

Caffeine Fix

With the support of environmentalists and other activists, some eco-friendly coffees are hitting the big time. Borders Books, Hyatt hotels, Safeway, and Starbucks are all selling sustainable blends. Bird-lovers point consumers to “shade-grown” coffee that protects the trees used by migratory songbirds; other greenies talk up “organic” coffees; and still others tout “fair-trade” coffees that […]