Articles by Grist staff

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Wilderness

Before July 4, the Clinton administration plans to ask Congress to set aside as wilderness 5 million acres of land that now lie within 17 national parks, prohibiting new development and roads. The biggest single change under the plan would give wilderness protection to more than 90 percent Yellowstone National Park’s 2.2 million acres, as […]

Clean Up Your Womb

Pesticides and industrial chemicals have been detected for the first time in the amniotic fluids of pregnant women, raising fears about how chemical exposure affects human development both before and after birth. A team of American and Canadian researchers, who presented their preliminary findings at a conference in San Diego yesterday, said about 30 percent […]

Another Species of Smuggler

Some 7 million animals are smuggled out of Colombia each year, stripping the nation of its rich biodiversity, according to a new report by Colombia’s Environment Ministry and state security police. About 80 percent of the smuggled animals die en route to Asia, Europe, or the U.S. because of mistreatment and bad conditions. The black […]

Giving Sprawl the Business

A number of business leaders are joining the fight against sprawl, worried that traffic jams, air pollution, and a lack of open space will drive away the best workers. A study released today by the National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals highlights 19 “smart growth” initiatives undertaken by businesses. For example, DaimlerChrysler is building […]