Grist List
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The $200 backyard barbecue
This is what's going to convince Americans to invest in local food and alternative energy: the demise of the backyard barbecue. High gas prices are finally trickling down into U.S. food markets, and the red-meat-loving New York Post has calculated that an outlay of burgers, hot dogs, trimmings, potato salad, and ice cream will cost […]
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How green is this car? New fuel economy stickers give a few hints
The federal government is making it easier for consumers to buy an eco-friendly vehicle. New fuel economy window stickers released today detail annual fuel costs and fuel-costs savings and give greenhouse-gas ratings. The stickers will start appearing on 2013 models. It's a little busy with information, and the environmental community was pushing for a different […]
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Critical List: U.S. imported less than 50 percent of its oil in 2010
We're off foreign oil! More or less. One price we'll pay for that: ads with blue skies and green fields and a man with a reassuring voice saying that natural gas is totally, totally safe. The price of renewable energy will go down. So naturally, you should bet against its success. Unless you're a venture […]
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Norway plans billion-dollar clean energy fund for world’s poor
What is it about those hoar-frosted Scandinavians that makes them crazy ambitious when it comes to clean energy? First it was Denmark's promise to go 100 percent renewable; now their buddies in Norway want to launch a billion-dollar fund for building renewable energy in the developing world. Norway has already pledged more than $500 million […]
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Oil traders illegally inflated oil prices in 2008, commodity watchdog says
In 2008, two commodities traders conspired to drive up the price of oil, says the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The two traders, one of whom is named Nicholas Wildgoose, the other of whom is Australian, bought up two-thirds—4.6 million barrels—of the crude oil available in Cushing, Okla., the delivery hub that sets prices for American […]
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Texas erases $4 billion from education budget, spends it on a giant highway expansion
What does the world need most, in this age of high gas prices and rampant carbon emissions? A 28-mile expansion of highway between Dallas and Denton, Texas! At least, that’s what Texas thinks. Thankfully, the state has freed up just enough money for this crucial project by gutting its education budget. Hey, whatever — Texas' […]
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Mushrooms make short work of dirty diapers
As a sustainability solution, cloth diapers were never fun. Even the most eco-minded have been known to quail in front of a pail of soiled nappies. But a team of researchers has come up with an excuse for switching back to disposable diapers. They found that within 2 months, oyster mushrooms will consume 90 percent […]
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The Yike Bike could make bike commuters of us all
You undoubtedly know someone who would totally commute by bike if it weren't for a whole raft of concerns: It's too dangerous! They're too cumbersome! I don't want to get sweaty on the way to the office! It is now time for those people to shut it. The YikeBike folds to the size of a […]
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Turn your car into a car-share
So you’ve successfully reduced your car usage, and now you have this hunk of metal sitting around outside your house, like a garden gnome that needs annual emissions inspections. Why not share it, and maybe make some money? Car-sharing service Getaround has unveiled a kit that will allow people to offer their cars for short-term […]
