Articles by Grist staff

Over 1,000 gallons of oil spilled off California coast

Over 1,100 gallons of oil spilled off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif., Sunday when a pump line on an offshore oil rig sprung a leak, causing a mile-and-a-half-long oil slick that state regulators said was mostly cleaned up by Monday morning. In 1969, the same rig was the site of a massive, 200,000 gallon […]

Scientists call for cleanup of Chesapeake Bay

Marking the 25th anniversary of a pact between local, state, and federal agencies to clean up Chesapeake Bay near Washington, D.C., a group of scientists on Monday called for a brand new plan to save the fragile area, arguing that the largely voluntary $6 billion plan now in place has done little to solve the […]

Canadian oil sands projects polluting aquifers, report says

The massive, energy-intensive oil sands projects in Alberta, Canada, are leaking some 2.9 million gallons of contaminated water each day into the region’s aquifers, according to a new report by Environmental Defense and Pembina Consulting based on the industry’s own estimates. “Virtually everyone close to the tar sands industry knows that all tar sands tailings […]

‘Eco-flation’ could hurt sales of consumer goods

The rising cost of doing business in a climate-changed world — aka, “eco-flation” — could hit some companies quite hard in the next decade if they don’t change their business practices to become more sustainable, according to an analysis by green group World Resources Institute. Companies that make consumer goods could see their earnings plummet […]