Innovation | Grist

How a simple renovation turned into the "Big Dig" of rehabs

Home Economics of the JP Green House, Part 1 0
Posted 1 day ago From an initial budget of $25,000 to a revised estimate of $200,000, the JP Green House has taken on Big Dig proportions -- but the new reality will mean a smarter eco-model in the end.
Forget Polar Bears and PPM

Top 25 reasons to give a damn about climate change 15
Posted 1 day, 13 hours 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.
It Ain't Leviticus, but it is deuteronomy

Gore on the Daily Show: extended dance remix 0
Posted 2 weeks, 2 days ago The ex-veep turned in a stunning performance on The Daily Show last night, revolutionizing his own image and the -- oh, who are we kidding. He was solid, smart, and painfully right, as always. Take a look.
Pretty words

Obama energy speech contained few policy specifics, but shaped forward-looking narrative 1
Posted 4 weeks ago Obama delivered a speech on energy at MIT on Friday, marking the kick-off for what is likely to be a protracted effort by the administration and Democrats in the Senate to pass the Kerry-Boxer clean energy bill.
Mountain climbing for CEOs

Green-biz pioneer Ray Anderson says sustainability literally pays for itself 7
Posted 1 month ago Ray Anderson set out to make his business sustainable long before green was the flavor of the month. Reading Paul Hawken's The Ecology of Commerce in 1994 literally changed his life, inspiring him to overhaul his carpet company, Interface, and aim for zero environmental impact. Now, with his new book Confessions of a Radical Industrialist, he wants to spur other business leaders to "climb Mount Sustainability."
Amanda Little talks energy on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ 0
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago
Downright Paltry Private Spending

National Institutes of Energy needed to fill energy research and development gap 0
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago The U.S. biomedical and pharmaceutical industry invests between 10-20 percent of revenues in research and development (R&D) and new product development, spending $58.8 billion on R&D in 2007. The U.S. government adds an additional $30 billion per year investment in biomedical R&D through the National Institutes of Health. In contrast, the U.S. energy sector invests well below $3 billion annually in R&D in an industry with well over a trillion dollars in annual revenue.
Open for Business

Cleantech Open has $100,000 for a green startup idea 0
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago The Cleantech Open has helped more than 100 startup companies find their footing since it launched in California three years ago. Now it's expanding in some interesting ways. Competitors in Cleantech's new "ideas competition" stand to win $100,000 in support and advice from business experts.
Loo and Behold

As Philadelphia goes, so goes the nation 1
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago The City of Brotherly Love has sent the EPA a $1.6 billion proposal for using green roofs, rain barrels, and other eco-tools to prevent the sewage overflow that results from big storms. Will the feds let Philly go with the flow?
Head to Toe

Highs and lows from the world of green fashion 2
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago Runway models get a new organic 'do, and the EPA gives North Face a tongue-lashing over antimicrobial shoes.
Jumpstarting Clean Energy

Report Pushes for More Research Investment and New National Institutes of Energy 0
Posted 2 months ago
Will Skyscrape for Wind

Portland’s newest high-rise has wind turbines on the roof 1
Posted 2 months, 4 weeks ago
It's so brilliant we wish we'd thought of it: wind turbines on skyscraper roofs. Will a new building in Portland pave the way?
General Musings

GM: Innovators or crackheads? 5
Posted 3 months ago
Hot on the heels of last week's news about the 230-mile-per-gallon Chevy Volt comes word that GM will build a $4,000 compact. Brilliance or desperation?
Silk Ilk

Ask Umbra on corn plastic 19
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
You've probably seen corn plastic sprouting up as an alternative to regular plastic -- but do you know which eeeevil company makes it? Umbra puts her ear to the ground to dig up the truth.
Exhibit G

Slideshow: A tour of green-leaning museums 0
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Whether their specialty is Monet or municipal planning, museums across the country are helping visitors see the green light. Take our tour -- admission is free!
Ask Umbra’s video advice on growing food in small urban spaces 0
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Two Prongs Make a Right

Ask Umbra on smarter outlets 9
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago
New Zealand has outlets with on-off switches, as do several other countries. Do these power-saving devices exist in the U.S.? And if not, are there similar alternatives? Umbra plugs in to the smart-outlet scene.
Sun in the Fun

Ask Umbra on solar pool heaters 9
Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago
A homeowner wonders if it's possible to devise a passive-heating system for her pool, so Umbra dons her water wings and wades in with an answer.
Radiant Cities: Drive Through This

Can we really make the drive-thru a source of power? 3
Posted 4 months ago
Drivers drooling as they wait for Big Macs and Whoppers could be a promising energy source, if one company has its way. Find out whether the latest scheme will work -- and who's trying to stand in its path.
After Life

Ask Umbra on green burial 13
Posted 4 months ago
When it comes to end-of-life arrangements, what are the options with the least eco-impact? Umbra gravely reviews the current landscape.