Health | Grist

Feast Your Eyes

Ask Umbra on trash, toxics, and tots 7
Posted 6 days, 1 hour ago Is composting bad for landfills? Are eco-products sprayed with chemicals? And could melamine cabinets make a safe changing table? Umbra advises.
Forget Polar Bears and PPM

Top 25 reasons to give a damn about climate change 29
Posted 1 week, 2 days ago So you're not moved by melting glaciers? Here are a few other reasons to pay attention to climate change, from supermodels to super-hungry rats.
THE SOUND OF PROGRESS

One doctor’s quest to sound the alarm on ‘wind turbine syndrome’ 60
Posted 1 week, 5 days ago Nina Pierpont argues that wind turbines create inaudible but dangerous sound. Out of all the obstacles wind energy faces—the up-front costs, the competition from subsidized fossil fuels, the aesthetic objections--this shaky claim has become one of the least likely and most annoying problems for the industry.
Tress for Success

Ask Umbra on shower caps, computers, and junk mail 20
Posted 1 week, 6 days ago Does anyone make a non-vinyl shower cap? Is it better to turn computers off at night or leave them running? And how, how can you get rid of all that junk mail? Umbra advises.
Lawsuit accuses Virginia power company of poisoning Dominican community with toxic coal ash 0
Posted 2 weeks, 4 days ago A civil lawsuit in state court in Delaware charges AES Corp. -- one of the world's largest power companies -- with illegally dumping 160 million pounds of toxic coal ash waste onto beaches in the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic, leading to serious health problems for nearby residents.
Oh Rats

While scientists fight over BPA studies, Congress could just act 1
Posted 2 weeks, 5 days ago A great part of the scientific debate over BPA becomes "quibbles over individual rat studies" -- and over the rats themselves. The best explanation of the Great Rat Debate comes from an article about the shadowy network of so-called "product defense firms" that are used by industry to sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt over any research that questions the safety of commercial products.
A Crawl to Arms

Seventh Generation launches anti-toxics campaign with wee gimmick 7
Posted 3 weeks, 2 days ago Feel like making babies? Now you can do it with the push of a button, by joining the Million Baby Crawl to support chemical policy reform.
Bring It On

Ask Umbra on her hotness, corporate gift baskets, and more 7
Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago One question at a time wasn't enough for our dear Umbra Fisk, who debuts a multi-question column this week with advice on taking climate action, greening corporate gift baskets, and recycling receipts.
Just Boo-Cause

Ask Umbra on Halloween treats and costumes 6
Posted 1 month ago Looking for good eco-handouts for the holiday, or perhaps an inspired climate-themed costume? Umbra has a few tricks (and treats) up her sleeve.
Jonesin' for a Ho-Ho

Scientists claim junk food is as addictive as heroin 18
Posted 1 month ago With the rumors swirling that Michelle Obama is a big fan of former FDA Commissioner David Kessler's new book The End of Overeating, it seems reasonable to check in on the science behind an "addiction model" for salty, sweet, and fatty processed food. As it happens, a group of researchers has just released a new study on the subject. The conclusion: the brain responds to junk food the same way it does to heroin.
Flash in the Pan

Ask Umbra on canned and frozen foods 23
Posted 1 month ago With winter making the selection of fresh produce dwindle, a reader wonders which is the better eco-option: frozen foods, or canned? Umbra digs into the question.
Yeah, we said billion

A $4 billion push to make affordable housing green 0
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago Today brings news of a major investment in making affordable housing greener, and an ambitious call for an even bigger national conversion. Find out who's behind it.
Can't you Hear me noggin

Ask Umbra on bike helmets 12
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago When a cyclist wonders about the impact of her discarded helmets on the planet, Umbra suggests that she shift gears.
USDA FAIL

Can the USDA really keep our food safe? 10
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago Having read and listened to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's attempts at ground beef-related damage control in the wake of the recent food safety revelations, I'm left to wonder if the USDA simply needs to get out of the food safety business entirely.
Great, Danes

Big Pork and Sen. Grassley: the Danes want you to know your hogs don’t need endless antibiotics 4
Posted 1 month, 4 weeks ago According to Sen. Chuck Grassley, it's necessary to dose livestock daily with antibiotics--or we'll end up sorry, just like the poor Danes. Trouble is, the Danes say they're doing just fine after banning sub-therapeutic antibiotic use on farms.
A Non-Starter?

Ask Umbra on anti-idling campaigns 15
Posted 2 months ago A Girl Scout troop wants to start an anti-idling campaign, but they're not sure how to combat nervous grown-ups who think turning a car on and off will cause damage. Umbra, floored, gives them fuel for their cause.
TRAY CHIC

Ask Umbra’s video advice on making lunch matter 0
Posted 2 months ago Common wisdom tells us there’s no free lunch. But you can have a guilt-free lunch, thanks to Umbra Fisk’s recipe for midday munchers everywhere. You won’t have to swallow your pride -- you can eat well, save money, and help this juicy planet we call home.
Ask Umbra’s video advice on making lunch matter 8
Posted 2 months ago
Head to Toe

Highs and lows from the world of green fashion 2
Posted 2 months ago Runway models get a new organic 'do, and the EPA gives North Face a tongue-lashing over antimicrobial shoes.
Interior Monologue

Ask Umbra on that new-car smell 3
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago An SUV owner wants to get a new ride, but can't stand the fumes in cars fresh off the lot. Umbra sniffs around for tips on quick routes to odor-free driving.