Articles by Grist staff

Energy efficiency a tough sell to small businesses in India

India’s 4.5 million small or medium businesses produce 70 percent of the country’s industrial pollution, according to a World Bank study. But most of those small-scale entrepreneurs can’t afford the upfront cost of energy-efficient equipment — or aren’t persuaded of its usefulness — creating a barrier to India’s attempts to curb emissions from its fast-growing […]

Consumers shopped less this holiday season, testing brand loyalty

Holiday retail sales took a hit this year, even at stores like Starbucks, Coach, and Target that enjoy strong customer loyalty. Expensive gas, dropping home prices, and an uncertain economy — or a society-wide trend toward reduced consumerism? Hey, we can dream.

Portland, Ore., green-building plan will be delayed

Portland, Ore., proposed an ambitious green-building plan last month that was to go before voters in January. But the building and real-estate industries were taken aback by the announcement and have expressed concerns; City Commissioner Dan Saltzman now hopes to have a draft before the city council in three to six months.

Chicago will levy bottled-water tax, Big Bottle plans to sue

Beginning Jan. 1, Chicago will levy a 5-cent tax on bottled water; shortly after it goes into effect, an alliance of food and beverage retailer associations plans to sue.