Articles by Grist staff

Companies liable for annoying pollution even if it’s legal, says Canadian court

Polluters in Canada can be sued for spewing excessively annoying smells, noise, or dust — even if their pollution is within legal limits, Canada’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The ruling, specific to a class-action lawsuit brought by 2,000 Quebec City citizens fed up with a nearby cement plant, may have far-reaching implications. (We personally find […]

Competing offer for U.S. Sugar complicates Everglades restoration plan

Florida’s intent buy out a giant sugar operation in a move to restore the Everglades is being complicated by a competing offer from the Lawrence Group, a Tennessee farming company. sources:

Mom’s exposure to hairspray linked to genital defects in baby boys

Women exposed to lots of hairspray in the workplace — hairdressers, beauticians, and the like — are more likely to give birth to boys with genital defects, says a British study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. Surprise: Hairspray contains phthalates.

Big drop in U.S. electricity consumption confounds utilities

Big drops in electricity consumption across a range of U.S. markets have utilities sweating, scratching their heads, and rethinking their business plans. U.S. electricity consumption, especially household consumption, has typically grown by some 1 to 2 percent a year, but in markets from Colorado to Minnesota, household energy use has dropped anywhere from 3 to […]