Articles by Grist staff

Beijing officials consider extending some clean-air measures beyond Olympics

Beijing’s emergency measures to clear its famously polluted air during the Olympic Games have been largely successful, with the city reportedly experiencing the cleanest summer air it’s had for over a decade. But now that the Olympics are over, full-time city residents have been pointing out how pleasant breathable air has been and how nice […]

A choice of primary energies: clean coal takes the bronze

Usable electricity doesn’t just appear, but is generated from a pre-existing or primary energy; one of the great decisions of the 21st century will be how we choose to generate electricity. We have established that there are under consideration three main carbon-reduced or carbon neutral “clean” primary energies for electricity: renewable energy, nuclear energy, and […]

Snippets from the news

• Fracture in Greenland glacier concerns scientists. • U.S. Open talks up greenness. • Can veggie oil clean up toxic groundwater? • Ethanol losing its golden reputation. • Is plastic sickening lobsters?

Report identifies areas where natural disasters could hit hardest

Natural disasters made more severe by climate change will hit especially hard in regions with shaky political, economic, and security situations, says a new report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and relief agency CARE International. Vulnerable areas include central Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel; Afghanistan, the […]