Articles by Grist staff

I Spy a Great Big Rainforest

The Brazilian government is launching a five-year high-tech project that will use satellites, surveillance aircraft, and radar systems to keep tabs on activities in the Amazon rainforest, which stretches across some 3.1 million square miles of the country. Officials estimate that 5 million acres of Amazon forest are illegally logged each year, and unlicensed gold […]

One Big Ol' Whale of a Victory

Enviros are rejoicing after winning a tough five-year battle against a proposal to build a giant salt plant on the pristine shores of a gray-whale breeding ground on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Mitsubishi Corp. and the Mexican government announced yesterday that they are scrapping their joint plan for the $100 million facility. The salt plant, which […]

Didn't Inhale, but Still Pro-Reefer

The Clinton administration yesterday proposed new protections for one-fifth of America’s coral reefs, including bans on fishing and other activities. Less than 3 percent of the 8,600 square miles of reefs in the nation’s waters are currently protected, though environmentalists say that two-thirds of them are at risk from pollution, overfishing, and other commercial activities. […]

A Bad Case of Gas

Drivers of sport utility vehicles in the U.S. are being hit hard in their wallets with the average price for a gallon of gas at $1.42 per gallon, a 56 percent increase from one year ago. With some of the biggest SUVs getting as little as 10 miles to the gallon in the city, the […]