Tuesday, 25 Nov 2003

Good Buy, Cruel World

Tips for Traipsing Through the Consumer Minefield, Guilt-Free

Need a little moral support to make it through the consumption-crazy days from Thanksgiving to New Year's? We've got what you're looking for -- words of wisdom from Umbra Fisk, Grist environmental advice columnist and voice of thoughtful restraint. In the grand tradition of revolutionaries everywhere, Fisk issues a Consumption Manifesto for the ages: 10 succinct principles to help you streamline your life and still enjoy the heck out of it -- on the Grist Magazine website.

I'm Just a Bill, and I'm Still Sitting Here on Capitol Hill

Energy Bill Is Doomed for This Year

Republican Senate leaders threw in the towel on the big energy bill last night, admitting that they couldn't muster the two additional votes needed to pass the controversial legislative package before Congress takes its holiday recess. The failure to pass the bill this year represents a stinging defeat for President Bush, and a big success for environmentalists and anyone else opposed to $14.5 billion in tax breaks for fossil-fuel industries and increased oil and gas drilling on public lands. GOP leaders will try again next year; to make the bill more palatable to opponents, they may drop a provision that would give makers of the fuel additive MTBE immunity from lawsuits related to water contamination.

Who's the Greenest of Them All?

New NRDC Building Embodies Eco-Chic

A tan and cheery crowd, mimosas on the terrace, the company of Robert Redford ... and the unveiling of what may be the greenest building in the United States. How much hipper could environmentalism get? Grist reporter Amanda Griscom heads to Santa Monica to take part in the opening ceremony for the Robert Redford Building, the new Southern California headquarters of the Natural Resources Defense Council and a showcase in sustainable design. From the outer swank to the inner wonk (occupancy sensors, waterless urinals), Griscom gives the grand tour -- only on the Grist Magazine website.

Going Steady

Methane Levels in Atmosphere Stabilize

Here's a rarity: a possible climate-change success story. Atmospheric levels of methane, the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, have stabilized following 200 years of growth caused primarily by human activities, according to new research by Dutch and American scientists published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Though the stabilization may be temporary, climate experts say it is evidence that steps to curb climate change could be effective. "This is a big deal," said well-known climate scientist James Hansen of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Actions that would further decrease emissions of methane -- including fixing pipeline leaks and capturing gas released during mining and oil drilling -- would have the side benefits of improving air quality and industrial efficiency.

Do Good

Tell Bush and Co. to Keep Their Hands Off the Clean Water Act

If you appreciate clean waterways and coastlines, you have the Clean Water Act to thank -- and President Bush to fear. Earlier this year, the Bush administration unveiled a proposal that would make it easier for polluters and developers to contaminate or destroy non-navigable wetlands, streams, and ponds, which would have deleterious effects on downstream rivers and lakes all around the U.S. Endangered and threatened species will suffer too, as 43 percent of them rely on wetlands for survival. Tell Bush to keep pollutants out of your water -- and keep his hands off the Clean Water Act.

Bloody Appalling

Britons' Bodies Contaminated with a Stew of Chemicals

A cocktail of toxic chemicals was found in the bodies of every person tested as part of a British study commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund. In one of the most comprehensive such surveys to date, 155 people from around the U.K. had their blood analyzed for 77 persistent chemicals known to accumulate in human bodies, including DDT, PCBs, flame retardants, and organophosphates. On average, the study participants had 30 different chemicals in their bodies, and 99 percent of participants had breakdown products of the pesticide DDT, even though it was banned in the U.K. decades ago. WWF is pushing for the European Union to pass proposed legislation that would require safety testing and registration of thousands of commonly used chemicals. "We are unwittingly playing Russian roulette with our health because of regulatory inaction," said WWF's Justin Woolford.

Eat Lots, Buy Little, and Try Not to Miss Us Too Much

Grist Takes Publishing Hiatus Until Dec. 1

In honor of Thanksgiving and Buy Nothing Day, Grist will be taking a three-day publishing break beginning tomorrow. But fret not -- we'll be back, wiser and wittier than ever, on Monday, Dec. 1. Happy holidays!