Climate Culture
All Stories
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Umbra on environmental busybodies
Dear Umbra, A friend recently said I should “walk the talk” by replacing my synthetic clothes (purchased before I saw the environmental light, as it were) with new things made entirely of organically grown fibers. I thought about this, and it seems wasteful to get rid of clothes that still fit and look nice, just […]
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Dirty Movies
Hollywood spews excess pollution along with its blockbusters Hollywood is facing an inconvenient truth: it’s a dirty industry. A UCLA report says TV and film productions pollute more than four other local industries, including aerospace and semiconductor manufacturing (but likely less than oil refineries, so that’s a comfort). Set construction, special effects, and other excesses […]
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Dropping Pounds From Their Waste
U.K. shoppers encouraged to bully manufacturers that create excess waste Offering hope to scofflaws everywhere, U.K. Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw says British shoppers should leave “unnecessary and excessive” packaging at store checkouts and tattle on package-happy manufacturers. The government-sanctioned shop and skedaddle plan sounds delightfully naughty — particularly since manufacturers found guilty of overpackaging single […]
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We Left Our Hearts in San Francisco
Grist’s reader party was fabulous, left us hungry for more Huge thanks to the more than 300 smart, savvy Gristians who came to our San Francisco reader party last week. Connections were made. Ideas were sparked. We even saw some shameless flirting going on. We had so much fun, we might come to your ‘hood […]
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The Appliance of Their Aye
U.S. DOE will phase in energy-efficiency standards for household appliances After years of thumb-twiddling, the U.S. Department of Energy will phase in more stringent energy-efficiency requirements for 22 household appliances and other pieces of equipment over the next five years. Congress requires ramped-up efficiency standards according to periodic deadlines; this update is only a dozen […]
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Umbra on travel mugs
Dear Umbra, I am putting together a fundraiser for the Environmental Law Association at the George Washington University Law School, whereby I intend to sell coffee mugs. If you saw all the paper cups that get thrown away at my school you would be in tears (at least two trips to Starbucks a day: double […]
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A green-carpet report from the Environmental Media Awards
I adore pop culture. I live for the environment. But I rarely have a chance to indulge my two obsessions at the same time. So when I was invited to cover the Environmental Media Awards, I did an Ashlee Simpson-esque jig. Fashion! Hybrids! Great hair! Really, could a gossip-rag-reading, E!-network-loving enviro ask for anything more? […]
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From Blanchett to Bon Jovi
The fellowship of the warming Of the thousands upon thousands who acted on International Day of Action on Global Warming, Galadriel Ms. Blanchett may have been the hottest elf protester of them all. But when it comes to convincing Aussie PM John Howard, Cate isn’t enough. Though if she’d taken that ring from Frodo … […]
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Umbra on inefficient windows
Dear Umbra, I am lucky enough to have a home I really love and food to feed my family and my pets. However, the home has one major energy flaw: it is older and has huge, single-pane window/walls with aluminum frames, in two adjoining rooms. We currently are not able to replace them, and they […]
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An artist invokes the spirit of courageous Americans, past and present
Editor’s note: We asked painter Robert Shetterly to share part of a portrait collection and book he’s created called “Americans Who Tell the Truth.” In addition to eco-legends such as Henry David Thoreau, Rachel Carson, Edward Abbey, and even Grist friend Bill McKibben, the artist profiles lesser-known activists who have shown us how to fight […]
