Skip to content
Grist home
Support nonprofit news

Climate Culture

All Stories

  • Umbra on soy vs. meat

    Dear Umbra, I finally went vegetarian several months ago, and one of my main reasons was the environmental impact of meat production. The other day, however, a friend pointed out that soy foods take a great deal of energy to produce too. So is there really that big of an environmental difference between TVP [textured […]

  • From Britney to BoKlok

    The booby/baby dilemma Celebs. How they confound us. One minute you hear that Britney is willing to leave her breasts bare for … well, anything, but in this case a hurricane recovery fund. Next minute you hear that TomKat is contributing to overpopulation. Do we love and mock them? Hate and mock them? Vexing. Earth […]

  • Umbra on preparing for winter

    Dear Umbra, With the coming winter, our local news did a story on how to save on heating. The tips included window treatments, lowering the water heater, etc. But those of us in apartments are limited in what we can do. I can feel the cold air seeping through the cracks, and laying towels on […]

  • The best thing greens can do is convince the public that eco-friendly lifestyles are healthier

    Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. and most European countries. In the latest issue of Newsweek there's a story about it called "Designing Heart-Healthy Communities." Here's how it starts:

    Forecasting heart disease is becoming an ever-finer art, as researchers learn more about the risk factors. But here's a predictor you may not have heard about: street address. In a study published last year, scientists at the RAND Corp. scored 38 metropolitan areas on the "sprawl index" -- basically a measure of their dependence on cars. When the researchers tallied disease rates for the same areas, an interesting pattern emerged. Other risk factors aside, people in densely populated places graced with sidewalks and shops had the lowest rates of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. ... Without even trying, the folks in those more-compact communities were apparently exercising enough to ward off chronic illness. As the RAND team deduced, "suburban design may be an important new avenue for health promotion."

    To their credit , Newsweek teases out the more general point:

  • From Booty to Biodiesel

    “Hey baby, recycle here often?” OK, we’ve heard enough about steamy flings starting at Green Drinks: It’s now officially a Trend. Middle America may think it’s all patchouli and Birkenstocks when enviros mingle, but what we see is brainy, committed hotties … leaving together. Alternative lifestyle Whole Foods, where eco-conscious gourmets flock to demonstrate their […]

  • Highs and lows of sweet, sweet wonkitude

    Enough about The Reapers. How's the rest of the American Prospect environment package?

    Much of it, sadly, is deathly, wonkily boring. In particular, Carl Pope ... dude. What is this pap? It's so bland, so politician-y, it takes genuine concentration even to get through it. You've written better stuff on your blog, for chrissake. This from Ross Gelbspan and this from John M. Meyer are similarly forgettable.

    But there are many bright moments. Bill McKibben could write about what he ate for dinner and make it engaging, but I found the conclusion of this piece on global warming particularly on-point:

  • Umbra on bicycle commuting

    Dear Umbra, My question regards my daily half-hour (each way) bicycle commute through fairly heavy city traffic. I’ve been wondering if the benefits (exercise, sunshine, free and fast transport) are outweighed by the negatives (primarily breathing in diesel and other exhaust, but I’d also throw in the risk of almost getting run over, despite the […]

  • Brower Youth Award winners share their stories and their hopes

    It was a decidedly sober Whitney Houston who told us that the children are our future. And in the case of this year’s Brower Youth Award winners, she couldn’t be closer to the truth. They are seven activists, aged 15 to 21, who represent varied backgrounds, communities, and missions. One young woman has battled environmental […]

  • Martin Melaver, eco-friendly real-estate entrepreneur, answers questions

    Martin Melaver. What work do you do? I’m CEO of Melaver, Inc., which is a third-generation, family-owned real-estate company based in Savannah, Ga. What does your organization do? We really do a bit of everything in real estate, which I guess is typical for a business with roots in a smallish town. We develop, acquire, […]

  • Pimp My Prius

    Customizations and hacks jazz up a hybrid Sure, your Prius saves gas and helps you reduce your personal carbon dioxide emissions … but does it have mad bling? We didn’t think so. Luckily, The New York Times commissioned George Barris, car customizer extraordinaire, to modify a Prius without altering the car’s mechanics or electronics for […]