Articles by David Roberts

Warming oceans

There was a flurry of stories recently on some new studies that tried to get a handle on the extent of global warming by measuring ocean temperatures. For all you science geeks out there, a new post on the invaluable RealClimate explains why that's a good idea.

Geoff on death

I would be remiss if I did not point out that Geoff Dabelko, director of the Environmental Change and Security Project and regular Gristmill contributor, was recently interviewed by Wildside News, an environmental radio program, about the "Death of Environmentalism" controversy.

You can hear the interview here and the full show here.

It's a wide-ranging interview and quite effective at providing a larger perspective on the issue. Give it a listen.

I’m lovin’ it!

Okay, sorry I put that song in your head.

This NYT story is interesting: Apparently McDonald's entrance into the fresh fruit and veggie market -- driven by pressure to offer healthier options, salads and such -- has made it, almost overnight, one of the biggest players in the $80 billion American produce industry.

Two bits from the story, one funny, one significant:

And yes even more Verdopolis

When I asked Emily Gertz to cover the Verdopolis confab for Grist, I requested that she focus mainly on what I considered the more weighty topics -- green energy, green urbanism, and green markets. This was, in part, to counter the impression -- found even (gasp) among some Grist staff members -- that the "bright green" movement celebrated by Verdopolis is mainly about a chic lifestyle or a set of consumer products. It is much, much more.

However, it does include a chic lifestyle and consumer products. To wit, Emily's coverage of the last day of Verdopolis over on Worldchanging describes presentations from makers of eco-friendly jeans, furniture, and meat. As excited as I am about reimagining cities and energy grids, I must admit I also look forward to being able to buy a pair of pants with a clean conscience.