Articles by Grist staff

States considering “toxic toy” bans

Lawmakers in nine states are working on legislation that would ban toys and child-care products that contain phthalates, toxic chemicals used as plastic softeners. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is talking about pushing a similar bill on a national level. They’re all following the lead of legislators in California, where Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed a […]

Severe drought in U.S. Southeast leaves Atlanta water supply in question

A nasty drought in the U.S. Southeast that began in early 2006 has local politicians sweating and meteorologists and climatologists predicting more of the same. The situation is particularly notable around Atlanta, Ga., where the water source for some 3 million people, Lake Lanier, could dry up completely in as little as 90 days if […]

Chinese prez Hu Jintao promises eco-reforms in big speech

Chinese President Hu Jintao, in a speech to the country’s Communist Party Congress yesterday, promised environmental as well as economic reforms in the next five years. Shying away from specifics in his 2.5-hour speech, Hu said that China’s “ecological and environmental quality will improve notably.” He acknowledged that “[China’s] economic growth is realized at an […]

Activists threaten to sue Apple over chemicals in iPhone

Greenpeace claimed recently that Apple’s much-hyped iPhone contains dangerous levels of phthalates, chlorine, and bromine, and now another environmental group, the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif., has sent the company a formal warning claiming that Apple violated California’s Proposition 65, which requires companies to warn consumers of the risk of toxic exposure. “There […]