"Trader Joe’s is known for its Hawaiian shirts, good deals and quirky mix of products—many of which come with environmental claims. But the grocer's eco-conscious consumers are often dismayed to find that it's owned by a global corporation run by one of the richest tycoons in the world. Those in the green business world find it even more surprising that while the company’s stores attract plenty of eco-minded consumers, it spends no money marketing the stores as 'green.' So how did the Monrovia, Calif.–based company that started in 1969 as a chain of Los Angeles–based convenience stores rise to the top of environmentally conscious customers’ lists?"

"Insecticides such as DDT have long been used to combat the scourge of malaria in the developing world. But with the disease parasite becoming increasingly adept at resisting the chemical onslaught, some countries are achieving striking success by eliminating the environmental conditions that give rise to malarial mosquitoes."

"If U.S. officials had followed up on a 1994 response plan for a major Gulf oil spill, it is possible that the spill could have been kept under control and far from land. The problem: The federal government did not have a single fire boom on hand."

"Anti-drilling Democrats pledged on Tuesday to block any climate and energy bill that would pave the way for new oil and gas drilling off the coasts of the United States, stepping up the heat on what was already a contentious issue in the Senate debate."