Articles by Grist staff

Here Squirty, Squirty, Squirty …

The population of killer whales between Canada and the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. continues to decline, and researchers aren’t sure why. They are particularly concerned about six of the orca whales (Oskar, Squirty, Orcan, Cetus, Luna, and an unnamed juvenile) that have not returned to their summer range in the San Juan Islands. Kelley […]

Cold Comfort

California, New York, and Connecticut sued the Bush administration yesterday for weakening the energy-efficiency standard for central air conditioners. The states say the difference between the standard set by the Clinton administration and the one adopted by the Bush administration could eventually be more than 1 percent of peak energy demand in the U.S, and […]

The Lights Are Off, but Everybody's Home

The word has spread on the Internet that those who oppose the energy plan developed by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney should turn off all their lights and electrical devices for the summer solstice tomorrow from 7 to 10 p.m., regardless of the time zone. Fans of the “Roll Your Own Blackout” campaign say they […]

The Magnificently Clean Mile?

Chicago officials say that within five years, at least 20 percent of electricity used by the city to power everything from public buildings to elevated trains will come from renewable sources like wind and solar power. City Environment Commissioner Bill Abolt said, “The competition Chicago is involved in is an international one to establish itself […]