TOP STORY
A Slow-Down Dirty Shame
On eve of U.N. climate conference, official warns against dirty energy
On the eve of the next round of United Nations climate-treaty talks, being held Dec. 1-12 in Poznan, Poland, U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer warned the world's nations against a "cheap and dirty" fix for the economy that could set back climate progress. "We must now focus on the opportunities for green growth that can put the global economy onto a stable and sustainable path," he said.
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sources: Reuters, Associated Press
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TODAY'S NEWS
Yes We Canyon
BLM backs off from plan to allow oil drilling near Utah national parks
The Bureau of Land Management last week partially backed off from unpopular plans to open land near Utah national parks to oil and gas drilling. BLM deferred leasing about one-third of the 93 tracts that the National Park Service had objected could contaminate parks with noise, water, and air pollution; the rest will still go on the auction block Dec. 19.
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sources: Associated Press, The Salt Lake Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Deseret News
see also, in Grist: Obama looks to reverse Bush's drilling efforts in Utah
One for the Rhode
Big Auto can't sue Rhode Island over car emissions standards, judge rules
Big Auto cannot sue to keep Rhode Island from enforcing tighter vehicle emissions standards, a federal judge ruled last week. U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said, essentially, that pending cases were pointless and a waste of time, seeing as automakers have already lost similar battles in California and Vermont.
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sources: The AM Law Daily, Associated Press
Winding Down
Busy, destructive Atlantic hurricane season blows over
The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended Sunday, marking the close of the second-most-costly season since 2005, and the fourth-busiest season overall since 1944. This year was "the only year on record in which a major hurricane existed in every month from July through November in the north Atlantic," according to the National Climatic Data Center.
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source: CNN
Green Gorilla in the Room
Enviro coalition delivers a whopping transition plan to Obamaland
Twenty-nine of the country's biggest green groups last week rolled out a comprehensive list of actions and policies they'd like President-elect Barack Obama to adopt after he takes office Jan. 20. Kate Sheppard read all 391 pages has the rundown.
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new in Grist: Green Gorilla in the Room
Trailer Hitch
Children living in FEMA trailers are alarmingly sick
Children who moved into FEMA trailers after losing their homes in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have alarming rates of sickness and mental health problems, according to an in-depth review of medical records. Forty-two percent of the children studied suffer from respiratory troubles that may be linked to formaldehyde in the trailers.
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Is the Pope Catholic Solar?
Vatican goes solar
The 2,400 solar panels covering the roof of a giant concert hall in the Vatican were activated on Wednesday. And seeing that now the pope is open to solar systems, Galileo shook his fist in his grave.
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sources: Reuters, Catholic News Service, Agence France-Presse
see also, in Grist:
• Pollution is on Vatican's updated list of moral sins
• Pope urges youth to care for the planet
• A Grist special series on God & the Environment
In Brief
Snippets from the news
• New annual quota for bluefin tuna does the fish no favors, say greens.
• L.A. will go big with solar power under mayor's plan.
• The Great White Way goes green.
Wanted: You and your hopes on Grist
Not to get your hopes up, but we're hoping 2009 is a better year for the planet. In that spirit, we're collecting photos documenting your green hopes for the new year. Whether it's your shining face, or some creative alternative, send 'em our way and we'll feature the best ones on Grist in January. Not sure what to send? Check out superstar examples of Grist staff hopes here.
GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES
Super Powers
On greening the office
Q. Dear Umbra,
The Powers That Be at my job have decided to start a Green Initiative. The project got put on the desk of the office manager, who doesn't know where to start. I signed up to be a part of the committee, and I was wondering if you had any advice about how to go about something like this.
Kelli S.
Bethesda, M.
A. Dearest Kelli,
All hail the Powers That Be. If the Powers weren't in favor, it would be harder to proceed. With Their blessing, your committee can choose between two main approaches to greening the office. The first is to put on Global Warming glasses, and the other is to make a list and check it twice ...
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Read the rest of Umbra's answer.
The Frill Is Gone
How to green your office holiday party
They say it's a "no-frills holiday season" this year -- with the economy hitting the skids, many companies are putting the brakes on lavish holiday-party spending, and some are nixing their parties altogether. If your company is celebrating this year, consider today's column a memo on how to plan a lean, green, and still-enough-fun-that-you-regret-it-the-next-day occasion.
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new in Grist: The Frill Is Gone
Coming Tuesday: Which vegetarian frozen dinners are yummiest?
Grist: Environmental News and Commentary
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