Articles by Grist staff

Noble Prize

At a ceremony in Stockholm on Friday, scientists and activists from Ethiopia, Indonesia, Turkey, and the U.S. received Right Livelihood awards, commonly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prizes,” for their work on environmental and human rights initiatives. Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, the chief environmental official in Ethiopia, was honored for leading an international effort to […]

Burning Japanese, I Really Think So

Even though Japanese citizens tend to throw out only half as much trash as U.S. citizens, Tokyo will be out of space for its garbage in 30 years, according to its sanitation department. Because of a general lack of space for trash in the country, Japan burns about 75 percent of its garbage, compared to […]

Why, I Ottawa …

After two days of talks in Ottawa, a U.S.-led bloc of nations and the European Union yesterday failed to iron out disagreements over how to implement a climate change treaty. Negotiators had hoped to reach an agreement that could be more formally approved by their countries next week in Oslo, but the Ottawa meeting produced […]

Harry Potter and the Ozone Layer

As the holiday gift-buying frenzy picks up, no one really knows whether online shopping hurts or helps the environment. The nonprofit Center for Energy and Climate Solutions says such shopping may be an environmental plus, citing the benefits of delivery trucks and warehouses over the multiple car trips and energy-intensive retail space necessary for traditional […]