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  • McDonald’s responds to April Fools’ story (via Twitter)

    It looks like McDonald’s has a Big Mac–sized sense of humor. The official McDonald’s Twitter account responded to readers’ questions about our April Fools’ Day report saying that McDonald’s is scrapping a composting plan because its food won’t decompose. While some people didn’t realize it was fake news, McDonald’s did, and responded to a tweet […]

    Grist staff Technology

  • Everything you need to know about Obama’s new fuel-economy rules

    The federal government rolled out new auto fuel-efficiency standards today, capping more than a year of planning and, as the New York Times notes, a 30-year battle between regulators and automakers. The new standards are a big deal—they’ll do more to cut the pollution of heat-trapping gasses than anything the Obama administration has done so […]

    Jonathan Hiskes Technology

  • What to make of the Pollan/Schlosser agreement with Wendy’s?

    UPDATE: Happy April Fools’ Day! As a food politics commenter, I get paid to have strong opinions on the issues of the day. This ass will be eating grass?racineur via FlickrBut this one’s got me flummoxed. First, fast-food giant Wendy’s rolls out its new “pasture on a bun” burger, made with “100% grass-fed beef.” That […]

    Tom Philpott Technology

  • McDonald’s scraps composting program because food won’t decompose [April Fools]

    A McDonald’s composting initiative is going to the dump.Photo: bhamsandwich via Flickr UPDATE: Happy April Fools’ Day! We’ve pulled your leg. Look who else is laughing: McDonald’s on Twitter. McDonald’s announced this morning that it would discontinue plans for a worldwide composting initiative after scientists confirmed that no item on the McDonald’s menu is compostable. […]

    Tyler Falk Technology

  • Senate climate bill to fund Utah tar sands development

    The Senate — when does it not leave widespread devastation in its path? UPDATE: Happy April Fools’ Day! The climate bill being developed by Sens. Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman will reportedly raise taxes on gasoline in lieu of putting oil refineries under a cap-and-trade system. This has led to a great deal of speculation about […]

    David Roberts Technology

  • New Jersey to put ex-strippers to work weatherizing homes

    The WeatherStrippers are good with caulk.Foxtongue via Creative Commons UPDATE: Happy April Fools’ Day! The Garden State’s new jobs program, cheekily dubbed “WeatherStrippers,” will utilize Recovery Act funds to create an estimated 450 jobs while also reducing low-income residents’ energy bills through electricity savings. The WeatherStrippers will seek to put caulking guns in the hands […]

    Grist staff Technology

  • Win A Million Dollars

    Seems like every week there’s another big-money prize awarded for low-carbon leadership. If these things actually stimulate innovation, let’s encourage the creation of a few more to spread the wealth and inspire even more low-carbon winners. For example, there’s a $10 million prize for cars that get 100 mpg sponsored by the same X Prize […]

    Terry Tamminen Technology

  • Greenpeace takes on iPads, cloud computing, other click-friendly subjects

    Greenpeace has a new report out highlighting the climate impact of cloud computing and devices like the Apple iPad that rely on it to stream video, download music, load Greenpeace.org, etc. The “Make IT Green” report calls on Apple and other tech leaders to tackle the problem, noting that carbon pollution from cloud computing is […]

    Jonathan Hiskes Technology

  • ‘Britain’s Appalachia’ engineers a brighter post-coal future

    Can renewable energy turn Wales as clean and shiny as the Cardiff waterfront?Courtesy ttfnrob via FlickrThe sparkling, sanitized waterfront of Cardiff, Wales, reveals barely a hint of the country’s grimy industrial past. Where one of the busiest ports anywhere once shipped Welsh coal out into the world, a complex of upscale shops, pubs, and restaurants […]

    Jonathan Hiskes Technology

  • ENERGY STAR ranked cities: Find your perfect match [slideshow]

    The Environmental Protection Agency just released a report ranking U.S. cities based on their number of ENERGY STAR–labeled buildings. These rankings make us, well, warm all over, so we decided to check out the sexiest top nine ENERGY STAR buildings of the bunch. Are you in search of the perfect match? Look no further than these sassy personal ads. Maybe […]

    Grist staff Technology