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  • The lawn goodbye: A desperate nation paints its yards green

    The grass is always greener.Photo: ClaudiaAh, the American lawn! Symbol of prestige! Source of unending drudgery! Environmental nightmare! Why do we have this thing, anyway? The lawn originated in Europe, perhaps first as an area cleared near castles to allow for the easy sighting of potential attackers, then later maintained as a sign of social […]

  • Can genetic engineering save the redwoods?

    A group of tree-lovers wants to save giant redwoods by cloning existing trees, reports The New York Times. There are a couple of problems with this plan: Giant redwoods are three things: red, wood, and GIANT. Where are you going to put them? (The group says they have plans for slightly more travel-sized trees as […]

  • Buy green sex toys, help support Grist

    You can’t get pregnant, or get anyone else pregnant, by playing with yourself — good to note in this year of 7 billion. That’s why Grist loves vibrators. We recommend you pick up a green one — or three. If you like to combine your sex toys with potentially pregnancy-inducing activities, we recommend you pick […]

  • Walk this way: How to get a crosswalk on your street

    Too many American streets and roads are missing something.Photo: Nicholas_TCreating an environment where people can get across the street without being killed by a driver should be a top priority for the people who design our streets and roads, don’t you think? Sad to say, it isn’t always so. You only have to take a […]

  • Smart planning for the global family

    Spreading the message in Malawi.When it comes to population growth, the United Nations has three primary projections. The medium projection, the one most commonly used, has world population reaching 9.2 billion by 2050. The high one reaches 10.5 billion. The low projection, which assumes that the world will quickly move below replacement-level fertility, has population […]

  • The rallying anthem for the new green movement: Let’s all unf*ck it up!

    Okay, maybe we're a little late on this one, but seriously: If you saw it already and you don't want to see it again, GET OUT because it is amazing. Everyone else, take a listen — NOT AT WORK, it is chock-full of swears. Clap your hands! Sing along! Help unf*ck it up! I'm going […]

  • Hundreds ride to support Brooklyn bike lane [VIDEO]

    Well, if supporters of the Prospect Park West bike lane in Brooklyn are a bunch of terrorists (as some bike-lane opponents might have it), they are very effectively disguised as cute little kids and their parents. Streetfilms has the evidence. Yesterday, hundreds of bike lane supporters showed up to ride the controversial lane, which has […]

  • Ball o’ confusion: Ask Umbra on non-toxic exercise balls

    Send your question to Umbra! Q. Dear Umbra, I want to buy a stability ball and some purport to be PVC-free and made of non-toxic vinyl. Is there such a thing? RoseNew York City If that ball is vinyl, this scene isn’t as healthy as it looks.Photo: Adria RichardsA. Dearest Rose, I give you snaps […]

  • ‘Let’s talk about sex’ — and what American teenagers don’t know about it [VIDEO]

    “Every day in America, 10,000 teenagers catch an STD, 2,400 young girls become pregnant, and 55 young people are infected with HIV.” Those sobering stats are from a documentary airing on TLC tonight, April 9, at 10 p.m. / 9 central. Let’s Talk About Sex is directed by James Houston, a fashion photographer who came […]

  • Ten radical posters to rally green patriots [SLIDESHOW]

    My fellow Americans — my fellow humans! Our planet is in deep, deep trouble. And it needs you to do your patriotic duty fighting climate change. Green Patriot Posters is a project dedicated to getting out that message — by inspiring the modern equivalent of the iconic “Rosie the Riveter” poster from World War II. […]