Grist

Established in 1999, Grist stands out as an independent and bold news outlet, dedicated to fostering a sustainable planet and a brighter future for all. The most pressing issues today revolve around climate change, sustainability, and social justice—topics that impact our very existence. While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the negativity and inaction we often see in the news, there’s more to the narrative. At Grist, we actively seek stories that inspire hope and drive change, while holding accountable those who hinder progress. Our nonprofit newsroom focuses on important yet underreported issues like clean energy, sustainable agriculture, livable cities, environmental justice, and a fair economy. We bring attention to solutions, highlight inequalities, and equip our readers with the insights and tools to make a difference. Our latest initiative, The Fix, aims to further the cause of a just and sustainable future. Each year, we highlight notable green innovators and change-makers in our Grist 50 list. We then connect this diverse group to foster dialogue and collaboration among technologists, activists, artists, politicians, and storytellers—collectively, their skills and shared vision are crucial for the times we live in. Our guiding principle is simple: Don’t panic. Find solutions. You might wonder where we draw our endless energy and passion from. With a dedicated team and generous support from our readers, these resources are indeed renewable! Grist was one of the first online-only publications in the U.S. to tackle serious topics with a lighthearted touch. TIME magazine has likened Grist to “the Colbert Report of climate change … but with authentic reporting and analysis.” Today, we offer sharp weekly features and a daily roundup of must-read news, while providing a platform for environmental advocates, influencers, and diverse perspectives that deserve attention. Have you heard of our longstanding advice columnist, Ask Umbra? She has recently been revamped to emphasize civic engagement and community involvement—especially vital in today’s climate. We are proud to be a founding member of the Climate Desk, collaborating with leading American publications to share impactful stories. Additionally, we create award-winning explainer videos that explore significant topics with humor and insight.

National

English

Online/Digital

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Global

#99323

United States

#29875

Science and Education/Environmental Science

#18

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Articles

A year after Helene, river guides in Appalachia are navigating a new world

1 day ago | grist.org | Katie Myers

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and BPR, a public radio station serving western North Carolina. On a clear, sunny day in May, just a few weeks into the Smoky Mountain rafting season, Heather Ellis took a dozen people through the Pigeon River Gorge to celebrate its grand reopening. She led them over and through roaring rapids with a practiced ease. “Forward!” she called. When the water rose, everyone heaved on their oar, ducking against the spray.
How a 1.3-mile stretch of street became a much-needed park space in Queens, New York

2 days ago | grist.org | Claire Elise Thompson

The spotlightDuring the COVID lockdowns of 2020, people in cities all over the world were desperate to get outside. As everything slowed down, residents and city governments organized to block off sections of some streets to cars, instead giving them over to pedestrians and leisure activities — a global phenomenon of “open,” “slow,” or “quiet” streets, depending on the local parlance.
Want to try lab-grown salmon? The US just approved it.

1 week ago | grist.org | Frida Garza

For the first time ever, a lab-grown seafood company has met the United States Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for demonstrating the safety of a new cell-cultured product. Wildtype’s cultivated salmon is now for sale in Portland, Oregon.
A majority of people around the world support a carbon tax — even if they're paying it

1 week ago | grist.org | Sophie Hurwitz

People in affluent countries around the world are willing to tax themselves to address climate change and ease poverty. That idea defies conventional political wisdom, which typically holds that people hate taxes. It emerged in a survey of 40,680 people in 20 nations that found strong support for a carbon tax that would transfer wealth from the worst polluters to people in developing nations. Most of them support such policies even if it takes money out of their own pocket.
A new app details where your food comes from - and just how fragile the global food system really is

1 week ago | grist.org | Ayurella Horn-Muller

After founding the Better Planet Laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021, Zia Mehrabi, one of a handful of scientists studying the intersection of food insecurity and climate change, soon found himself fielding a steady stream of calls from policymakers and peers. Everyone wanted more quantitative insight into how extreme weather events affect food supply chains and contribute to hunger around the world.
In Georgia, a runoff looms for Democrats after primary results for public utility commission seat

1 week ago | grist.org | Emily Jones

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR station. The Democratic primary for the seat representing part of metro Atlanta on the Georgia Public Service Commission appears to be headed to a runoff. In the other competitive race in this week’s PSC primaries, Republican incumbent Tim Echols won his party’s primary in district two in east Georgia.
How America's prairie was nearly destroyed — and why it should be restored

1 week ago | grist.org | Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco

The American prairie was so vast, so alien, it shattered comprehension. Newcomers to the seemingly endless grasslands that once spanned approximately a quarter of North America often hit a psychic wall, descending into fits of mania.
Alaska just hit a climate milestone - its first-ever heat advisory

1 week ago | grist.org | Lois Parshley

In the high glare of a summer evening in Fairbanks, Alaska, Ciara Santiago watched the mercury climb. A meteorologist at the National Weather Service office, she had the dubious honor of issuing the state’s first ever official heat advisory as temperatures were expected to hit the mid-80s. It’s the kind of bureaucratic alert that rarely makes national headlines.
Trump quietly shutters the only federal agency that investigates industrial chemical explosions

1 week ago | grist.org | Tristan Baurick

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and Verite News, a nonprofit news organization with a mission to produce in-depth journalism in underserved communities in the New Orleans area. On a summer night in 2023, an explosion at one of Louisiana’s biggest petrochemical complexes sent a plume of fire into the sky.
What warped the minds of serial killers? Lead pollution, a new book argues.

1 week ago | grist.org | Kate Yoder

When Ted Bundy was a child in the 1950s, he hunted for frogs in the nearby swamps in Tacoma, Washington. The young Gary Ridgway, the future Green River Killer, grew up just a short drive north. Both men went on to become prolific serial killers, raping and mutilating dozens of women, starting in the 1970s and ’80s. These types of sociopaths are exceedingly rare, representing less than a tenth of 1 percent of all murderers by some accounts.