Articles by Grist staff

Wait, Who's Got the Ax to Grind, Mr. President?

In a speech touting the virtues of global trade, Pres. Clinton last night tried to mollify environmentalists and other critics of the World Trade Organization. Laying out his agenda for the WTO meeting to begin in Seattle next month, Clinton said he wants to reduce barriers to U.S. exports while still emphasizing environmental protection and […]

Deep-Sea Doodle

Enviros are attacking a plan by the U.S. Navy to use an advanced sonar system to detect submarines from potentially hostile developing nations, arguing that the use of low-frequency, high-decibel sound waves over large undersea areas could harm whales and other sea life. The Natural Resources Defense Council is threatening to sue to stop use […]

Houston, You Have a Problem

Houston has earned the title of smoggiest city in the U.S. this year, a distinction gladly abdicated by Los Angeles. In 1999, Houston has had 44 days when ozone levels exceeded national health standards, one more than the L.A. region, and for the first year in more than five decades, the L.A. area has not […]

Crock in Trade

The World Trade Organization has decided against every environmental, public health, and safety regulation it has ever considered, according to a book-length report released today by Ralph Nader’s consumer watchdog group Public Citizen. The report, the most comprehensive of its type to date, argues that the WTO has usurped the right of nations to determine […]