Wednesday, 12 Apr 2006

Could Wal-Mart do for sustainable business practices what it's done for cheap plastic geegaws? CEO H. Lee Scott thinks so. Though the world's largest retailer has been slammed for a range of eco-sins -- from promoting sprawl to polluting streams to undermining local economies -- it has within the last year set ambitious sustainability goals, and last week called for mandatory caps on greenhouse-gas emissions. Amanda Griscom Little talks to Scott about his company's plans to green operations, sell more affordable organic goods, and "democratize sustainability." You may begin composing your angry letters now.

Oh No He Didn't

Chrysler official takes public potshot at oil companies

What's more fun than a quiet, simmering feud between Big Auto and Big Oil? A public catfight! Chief Chrysler spokesflack Jason Vines minced no words on a company blog Monday: "Despite a documented history of ... hoarding their bounty by avoiding technologies, policies, and legislation that would protect the population and environment and lower fuel costs, Big Oil insists on transferring all of that responsibility on the auto companies." The tirade was in part a reaction to a recent ExxonMobil print ad that called attention to the auto industry's conspicuous failure to keep up with energy-efficiency gains in the broader economy. "Each industry is right that the other is to blame for a big part of the problem," said the Sierra Club's Dan Becker, who added of the smackdown: "I'm happy to watch."

Machu, Machu Man

Enter Grist's sweepstakes to win a fantabulous South American eco-trip

Grist's Great Peru Giveaway is testing our editorial chops by demanding repeated spellings of Machu Picchu. In terms of double-consonant dizziness, the legendary Peruvian site is right up there with "accommodations." Oh hey, did we say accommodations? That reminds us, if you win our eco-trip for two to Peru, you'll stay at lodges beyond your wildest dreams, with access to the Amazon, the Inca Trail, and, yes, the citadel-that-dare-not-spell-its-name. All you have to do is get a friend to sign up for a Grist email list, or sign yourself up for a list you're not on yet, and you'll be entered! Don't delay -- this opporttunnity ends May 5.

Hell Bent for Leather

Chinese villagers attack polluting leather factories and sewage plant

Environmental protests are increasingly common in China, where environmental protection often takes a backseat to cronyism and profit-making. But a group of 200 Chinese villagers in the eastern province of Fujian, fed up with drinking polluted water, took things a step further. Armed with iron bars, they attacked two leather factories, a plastics factory, and a sewage-treatment plant. "They rushed into the office building, kitchen, dormitory, and grocery store, smashed all the glass, air conditioners, and other breakable things, and took anything valuable, including kitchen items," said the owner of one of the leather factories. Villagers had complained that the sewage plant, about a half-mile from their homes, polluted water, damaged crops, and smelled like, well, sewage. Ew.


You've heard it before: sure, the planet's getting warmer, but that's what the planet does. It heats up, cools down, heats up, cools down. Why should we believe it's different this time? Well, for one thing, because climate scientists -- men and women who have devoted their lives to crunching numbers that would make the rest of us go cross-eyed -- say it's different. So uttereth Umbra Fisk in today's installment of her "climate change is real, dangit" series.

Governor, May I Take One Baby Step?

Schwarzenegger calls for slow and steady climate action

In line with his recent climate-action plan to reduce the state's greenhouse-gas emissions 25 percent by 2020, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) called yesterday for power plants, refineries, and factories to begin ... reporting their emissions. Ah, well: baby steps. In a speech, Schwarzenegger advocated a "sensible and deliberate" approach to greenhouse-gas reduction, stopping short of endorsing immediate carbon caps. "We don't want to go after business and make business leave the state," he said. "We want to give them time." The California EPA is currently conducting a study of cap-and-trade systems, which will be complete in 2010. At that point, said the Governator, the state could create "the world's best market-based system to limit and slash emissions." Enviros were disappointed that Schwarzenegger didn't get behind a recently introduced bill in the state legislature that would institute caps. "He punted," said Bill Magavern of the Sierra Club.

What a Tangled Webby We Weave

Grist nominated for Webby Award -- go vote for us!

You know how people say, "It's an honor just to be nominated"? Yeah, well, eff that! We wanna win! So please drop by the Webby Awards site, register (yeah, we know it's a pain), and vote for Grist in the magazine category. These kinds of popularity contests are the only way we can prop up our fragile self-worth. Don't take that from us.