GRIST

FEBRUARY 26. 2026

Ski resorts are increasingly reliant on snowmaking. But at what cost?

As the climate changes, ski resorts have begun relying more on energy and water-intensive machine-made snow.

FEBRUARY 25. 2026

A hotter, wetter South is becoming a breeding ground for mold

In Asheville, N. C, a housing crisis is colliding with a poorly understood health threat.

A tough Supreme Court hearing brings little clarity on Line 5 pipeline’s fate

Michigan has been trying to shut down the controversial Line 5 pipeline since 2019. A technical question before the court may seal its fate.

FEBRUARY 24. 2026

These data center developers asked Trump for an exemption from pollution rules

Though the companies weren't granted exemptions, their requests illustrate the data center industry's desperate quest for energy.

To power Utah’s data center boom, companies are turning to fossil fuels

The rush to meet AI's energy needs is going to rely on natural gas, raising worries about air pollution in the state's urban corridor.

How a greening Arctic might be kick-starting a dangerous feedback loop

New research finds that Arctic peatlands are expanding as the far north undergoes rapid changes. It's an ominous sign.

The Supreme Court hears a Line 5 oil pipeline case with high stakes for treaty rights

The Straits of Mackinac aren't just ecologically critical — they're the center of the Anishinaabe creation story.

FEBRUARY 23. 2026

Did the USDA just forget about $400M in drought aid for farmers?

More than a year later, not a dollar has been spent — and no one knows what happened to the money.

Electric buses are passing a brutal cold-weather test in Wisconsin

Madison is proving electric buses can run through cold winters, providing a blueprint for zero-emissions transit in other frigid locales.

FEBRUARY 22. 2026

Scientists have found another alarming pattern in wildfires

Around the world, the conditions that brew massive blazes are. ..syncing up?

FEBRUARY 21. 2026

‘A different set of rules’: Thermal drone footage shows Musk’s AI power plant flouting clean air regulations

Images confirm xAI is continuing to defy EPA regulations in Mississippi to power its flagship data centers.

Team USA is proving that world-class skiing doesn’t require PFAS wax

Team U. S. A. reflects on competing in the first Olympics following an international ban on waxes containing "forever chemicals. "

FEBRUARY 20. 2026

Ask a Climate Therapist: How do I deal with friends and family who won’t stop polluting?

Your climate values are conflicting with your closest relationships. Here's some advice on how to cope, from therapist Leslie Davenport.

Would you pay $49 a month to drink recycled wastewater?

A recent survey found that rural Americans would pay for the privilege of reusing wastewater. Here's the huge potential benefit of that.