Grist Magazine

Grist Feature: How three Rust Belt cities are changing

Thu, 15 May 2008 05:05:30 PDT

It may not be intuitive to link an area historically associated with steel mills, coal mining, and automobile assembly lines to sustainable development. But green growth is catching on in the Rust Belt, long an economically unendowed area of the country -- and its manufacturing-heavy past is coming in handy in emerging fields like biotech, nanotech, and hydrogen cars. Here's what three cities are doing to green up their acts.

Grist Feature: Can Cleveland bring itself back from the brink?

Thu, 15 May 2008 05:05:31 PDT

Chef's Diary: Got weeds? Reach for the food processor, not the lawnmower

Thu, 15 May 2008 04:05:40 PDT

Some people see a field of weeds and think, "Time to mow." Not Iowa chef Kurt Michael Friese. He thinks, "Cool -- dinner." Under Kurt's direction, stinging and nettlesome nettles become delicious and nutritious. As for that ever-irksome weed known as garlic mustard, Kurt shows us how to turn a pest into pesto. You'll never look at weeds the same way again.

Grist Feature: Sprawling Atlanta seeks new routes to the future

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:05:15 PDT

Despite its reputation as a city of wall-to-wall subdivisions, office complexes, and shopping centers, Atlanta's not a complete stranger to matters of green. At the time of its mid-19th century founding, in the woods at the end of a railroad line, it was called the "City in the Forest." And in the early 20th century, the city created the 185-acre Piedmont Park in Midtown (currently ballooning to add another 50 acres). Since then, of course, the Atlanta of urban planning lore has descended: traffic-choked, overdeveloped, polluted, with a major water crisis and few public transportation options, in a state where 100 acres of open space are gobbled up every day. And while the city has certainly earned that reputation -- Atlanta was ranked the fourth-most-sprawling of 83 metro areas by Smart Growth America -- a greener Atlanta, one that jibes with its bucolic roots, is peeking from behind the veil of smog, giving the city both an environmental makeover and an economic boost.

Ask Umbra: On buying eco-products in bulk

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:05:56 PDT

Dear Umbra, Why can't I find environmentally friendly products (laundry soap, shampoo, etc.) in bulk packaging? It seems like there are many companies that make products that are not so hard on the planet, but they are only sold in little tiny containers, which of course increases packaging. I would love to find eco-friendly laundry soap in a five-gallon bucket ... after all, if I think clean clothes are important today, why wouldn't I think so next month? Sharon, Socorro, N.M.

Grist Feature: How three Southeast cities are changing

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:05:14 PDT

With rapid population growth and increased climate vulnerability, the Southeastern U.S. would seem a prime place for sustainability initiatives. But the area has been slow to cotton on to the greening trend. We chalk it up to the south's shade-shifting toward red in the last fifty years -- aligning with a party that was, until recently, less amenable to environmentalism -- and to its rural roots: conservation issues can seem less dire when you've got more cornfields than subdivisions. These days, though, Sun Belt cities are seeing a genteel explosion in green consciousness. Here are just a few examples.

From A to Green: How to green your yard -- even more

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:05:31 PDT

If it's spring, it must be time to inhale gasoline fumes and toxic chemicals. What, that doesn't sound appealing? Millions of Americans do it as part of their routine lawn and garden care. But if you want to buck the trend, we've got tips for greening your yard.

Grist Feature: How three Southwestern cities are changing

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:05:55 PDT

Scan any list of "green U.S. cities" for winners from the Southwest, and you'll find a geographical void. Sure, a liberal-leaning place like Austin or Santa Fe or Boulder might sneak onto the list, but in general, there's a dearth of entries from this sun-drenched region. And that's troubling, as Southwest cities tend to be among the country's fastest-growing -- and thus in direst need of careful future planning. While it's true that this hot corner of the country has traditionally been cool to sustainability -- due in part to a strong property-rights mentality -- some leaders are pushing for change. Here's a look at a few cities where green is on the rise.

Weekly Podcast: Prez candidates spar over green issues, U.S. uranium-mining bonanza in full swing, and more

Tue, 13 May 2008 12:05:10 PDT

Grist Feature: What Phoenix, the poster child for environmental ills, is doing right

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:05:19 PDT

Grist Feature: Fast facts about cities, climate change, and sustainability

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:05:33 PDT

Though cities cover less than 1 percent of the planet, they contribute 80 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions. Boggles the mind, don't it? Learn more cocktail-party-worthy stats about how cities affect climate change -- and what some leaders are doing to change that -- in today's urban index, part of our special series on unexpected urban progress.

Ask Umbra: On plastic bottles and BPA

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:05:41 PDT

Dear Umbra, I've been hearing a lot in the news lately about the dangers of certain kinds of plastic bottles. What's the lowdown? Thirstily, Ginger, Littleton, Colo.,

Grist Feature: An urban-dweller's pop quiz

Mon, 12 May 2008 12:05:42 PDT

Grist Feature: Green-city ranking group SustainLane explains its methodology

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:05:31 PDT

As Grist kicks off a special weeklong series on urban progress in unexpected places, we’re giving you a chance to find out just how smart your city is. Take our quiz to see whether Yourtown, USA, is at the head of the class or drooling on its desk. And while you're at it, read the explanation from SustainLane CEO James Elsen on what the heck makes a city sustainable in the first place.

Grist Feature: A Grist special series on unexpected urban progress

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:05:45 PDT

We all know about the honor students in the smart-city realm: places like Portland, Seattle, Boston, and Chicago that top every list and take every prize. But what about the C students? This week we dedicate a special series to them. We'll highlight unexpected progress in unexpected places -- from a town-and-gown partnership that's reenvisioning Phoenix, Ariz., to a new lease on life in Cleveland, Ohio. Find out where sustainability is on the rise -- and take our quiz to see how your city measures up.

The Grist List: What's on our radar this week

Fri, 09 May 2008 08:05:23 PDT

From Death to Life.

Grist Feature: Timothy LaSalle of Rodale on the surprising climate benefits of organic farming

Fri, 09 May 2008 09:05:10 PDT

You already know that organic agriculture yields pesticide-free products that are better for you and for the planet. But did you know it could play a key role in carbon sequestration and battling climate change? Anna Lappé talks with Timothy LaSalle of the Rodale Institute about why farmers could be climate-change heroes, which fungi could save the world, and how he surmounted his own chemical-saturated past.

Grist Feature: This Mother's Day, send a Grist e-card

Thu, 08 May 2008 07:05:28 PDT

Sincere sentiments straight to the inbox. Um, we mean straight to the heart.

'Tis the Season: How to use extra-virgin olive oils, from the extraordinary to the merely wonderful

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:05:25 PDT

Few things make a foodie's taste buds flutter like the thought of extra-virgin olive oil -- especially if it comes from unripe olives grown under that famous Tuscan sun. Mmmmm. [Pause for reverie.] But that stuff can cost a fortune -- how should it best be savored? And what's up with that recent extra-virgin olive scandal in Italy? With EVOO on the brain, Roz Cummins sought answers -- and came up with a picnic-perfect recipe for showing off good olive oil.