Articles by Katharine Wroth

From Dems to Diva

It’s just a jump to the left Welcome to Grist List’s time-warp edition! This week, Al Gore and both Clintons made noise about global warming and energy policy. For a sec we thought we’d been transported to 1996, but then we realized: a decade ago, they weren’t saying a damn thing. Photo: AP/Denis Paquin. And […]

From Flush to Flesh

Mellowed yellow Politico-Brits are rushing to expose their eco-cred — allowing personal tidbits to trickle into the media. London mayor Ken Livingstone says he’s “let it mellow” for 15 months, while the Conservative Potty Party chair eschews the toilet entirely, suggesting that his fellow citizens pee on their compost instead. Talk about a government leak. […]

From Bo to ‘Boards

Bo, you do know diddly In honor of Global Love Day (serious!), we’re spreadin’ the love this week. And where better to start than with Bo Derek? The notorious “10” was just named U.S. special envoy on wildlife trafficking. Which we’re sure is unrelated to her wild times with Bush’s new chief of staff. Photo: […]

A look at some of the year’s other toxic anniversaries

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. As many a retrospective reminds us, that nuclear meltdown initially claimed 31 lives -- but has affected thousands more over the years (the actual number, of course, is a matter of some dispute).

Inspired by a note from university professor William Underwood, I decided to check out a few other 20th-century environmental disasters whose anniversaries fall this year, from mass mercury poisoning in Japan to a mining landslide in Wales.

If nothing else, these stories -- below the fold -- are a reminder that industrial pollution and injustice are nothing new. Oh, and that this kind of thing happens all around the world. Sigh.

As one scientist analyzing a dioxin spill in Italy put it, "I think this accident teaches us that it is better to take care of the environment before these things happen. Not after."