Green Middleware

Greetings, Nationeers.

First off, thanks to the magazine for giving me this opportunity. It's a great honor. I'm going to dive into substance very soon, but first I wanted to get a brief bit of navel-gazing meta talk out of the way.

For those of you who don't know, I write full-time for Grist, an environmental news site.

See there? When I said "environmental"? Your mind drifted to gauzy natural landscapes and earnest, affluent white people with placards. That drives me crazy. If I accomplish nothing else this month, I hope to offer a new set of associations.

When Grist hired me five years ago, I did not consider myself an "environmentalist." To me the word conjured not so much a set of policy positions as a subculture, with the emphasis on cult. It was a set of clothing, music, and activity choices I had little affinity with and associated with a degree of self-righteousness. I'd never hung out with environmental activists. I didn't want to subordinate my other interests (horserace politics, social and economic justice, rule of law, the web). I'm an unreconstructed urbanite with no particular love for critters, trees, or hiking/climbing/kayaking. I enjoy irony, political wonkery, pop culture, and bacon. I hate jam bands.

So I worried at first.

Over time I discovered an idea space filled with fascinating questions of technology, economic policy, social justice, foreign relations, political strategy, ethics, and (my first love, my grad degree) philosophy. I found extraordinary people -- lobbyists, entrepreneurs, organizers, analysts -- who bore no resemblance to the dirty hippies of lore. My stereotypes quickly proved inadequate to the historical moment.

Nonetheless, I found something missing. It's what I've come to think of as the middleware of any movement: the pundits, bloggers, influencers, commenters, emailers, Diggers, Facebookers, and Twitterers, the people who filter, synthesize, and communicate what's going on to the broader public. Middleware is how the progressive diaspora becomes something more than the sum of its parts -- a networked, distributed intelligence. It's what the conservative movement has had for decades, and the green world sorely lacks.

That's where Grist comes in. We are the finest online manufacturer of green middleware (^TM!). We're trying to facilitate that green network, and play an important role in it. I'm happy to report that it is growing with dizzying speed. Over the course of the month I'll point you to some other great sources.

Anyway, my goal this month is not to get you to sign any membership forms or take any pledges or listen to Phish (not that there's anything wrong with that). It is merely to convince you to begin thinking of sustainability as an organic (ha ha) aspect of your progressivism.

Later this week: the presidential race!

Comments (34)

1. idea space?

   welcome. i've long thought that the greens should infest the democratic party and obnoxiously force themselves upon the scene. the dems once actually encompassed many such, but sold out.

   the opportunity looms again, though...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 02/04/2008 @ 12:40pm

2. "and bacon. I hate jam bands."

   bacon -- no. no. no. this is haraam

   jam bands suck, BIG TIME. such klunkery.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 1:29pm

3. "It is merely to convince you to begin thinking of sustainability as an organic (ha ha) aspect of your progressivism."

   ah, sustainability...............

   Naw, We Continue Biggering And BIGGERING!!!!!

   you need a thneed!

   Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 1:32pm

4. "Later this week: the presidential race!"

   don't forget nuclear obama....

   Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 1:33pm

5. Mr. Roberts goes to "the Nation". Welcome.

   I took a peek at the Grist website and gotta say in all earnest...my family ain't giving up our two gas-powered vehicles, nor are we letting go of incandescent light bulbs.

   But, it'll be very interesting to read your views on cap-n-trade policies, since most of what I'm finding on the internet is very vague. If you know of any neutral parties (not beholden to the left or right) who can give an honest answer, I'd appreciate it.

   Posted by ACook at 02/04/2008 @ 1:39pm

6. Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 1:39pm

   he looks like a nice guy, doesn't he? somewhere between a young tom hanks and gary sinise...

   and he know about the environment and stuff...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 02/04/2008 @ 2:01pm

7. Mr. Roberts goes to "the Nation". Welcome.

   I took a peek at the Grist website and gotta say in all earnest...my family ain't giving up our two gas-powered vehicles, nor are we letting go of incandescent light bulbs.

   But, it'll be very interesting to read your views on cap-n-trade policies, since most of what I'm finding on the internet is very vague. If you know of any neutral parties (not beholden to the left or right) who can give an honest answer, I'd appreciate it.

   Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 1:39pm

   see you in greenland....................

   hey, didn't georgia go through a horrible drought recently? i'll give you 5-1 it's gonna happen worse AT LEAST once in the next five years.

   or maybe it'll snow in july.

   plus, canada's gonna nationalize our petroleum industry and cut off 1/2 your supply real soon.

   enjoy your "bacon".

   Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 2:02pm

8. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 02/04/2008 @ 2:01pm

   given the "controversy" over the last guester's pic, i thought it would be funny to mention something about the photo.

   then i thought, "naw, who'd get the joke?"

   Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 2:04pm

9. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 1:33pm

   I think Obama has evolved in his thinking on green policy. He now wants to step back and let the best green technology emerge rather than "picking winners".

   I am an Obama supporter, but no big fan of nuclear or food-based biofuels. As these competing "green" energy approaches develop, it will be clear to everyone, including Obama, what the correct approach should be.

   Posted by Metteyya at 02/04/2008 @ 2:15pm

10. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 2:04pm

    i missed that, actually - what happened? valenti was hot...smokin' hot...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 02/04/2008 @ 2:21pm

11. plus, canada's gonna nationalize our petroleum industry and cut off 1/2 your supply real soon.

    enjoy your "bacon".

    Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 2:02pm

    Didn't Hugo Chavez promise the same thing with little or no results?

    Besides it would ge a good thing to get off the Canadian oil and drill for ourselves in ANWAR and the Gulf.

    Posted by ACook at 02/04/2008 @ 2:31pm

12. Didn't Hugo Chavez promise the same thing with little or no results?

    Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 2:31pm | ignore this person

    it was indeed an empty threat. playing to his supporters. the average venezuelan schmuk, however is actually getting a share of the oil wealth now, though...partly from our consumption.

    go citgo!

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 02/04/2008 @ 2:43pm

13. Besides it would ge a good thing to get off the Canadian oil and drill for ourselves in ANWAR and the Gulf.

    Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 2:31pm

    AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!! Blasphemer!!! Earth Mother shall surely strike you down for such ignorant utterances!

    Posted by usc1 at 02/04/2008 @ 3:02pm

14. Besides it would ge a good thing to get off the Canadian oil and drill for ourselves in ANWAR and the Gulf.

    Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 2:31pm

    that would last, what, 3 days out there in hummerland.

    oil is poison.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 3:15pm

15. AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!! Blasphemer!!! Earth Mother shall surely strike you down for such ignorant utterances!

    Posted by USC1 02/04/2008 @ 3:02pm

    actually, earth mother is kinda trying to strike us down because of the utterances from our vehicles and factories.

    california seems to be getting to be quite a fiery place, n'est-ce pas?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 3:19pm

16. back to the bacon:

    mr. roberts, don't you realize you are constructed from the food you consume? that's it.

    are you sure you want to be reprocessed pork?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 4:19pm

17. "and earnest, affluent white people with placards."

    Sorry, Mr Roberts....did you offer evidence that it WASN'T mostly made up of "earnest, affluent white people with placards"????

    Posted by Mask at 02/04/2008 @ 4:46pm

18. Posted by MASK 02/04/2008 @ 4:46pm

    Aren't they pretty much all affluent? I didn't think "green" was something that the "average joe" could afford...too worried about paying off the (cheaper but dirtier) conventional heating bill.

    Posted by usc1 at 02/04/2008 @ 4:55pm

19. Posted by USC1 02/04/2008 @ 4:55pm

    Well, in fairness, "activists" in general MUST be affluent. Working people don't have the time to do it or the energy on weekends to "march against nukes" in Philadelphia or "march against Exxon" in San Diego.

    So...it remains the same white college kids and same upper-middle white adults, with the average Sierra Club or National Resources Defense Concil meeting looking like the average Bushwood Country Club meeting as far as "diversity" goes.

    Posted by Mask at 02/04/2008 @ 5:03pm

20. Aren't they pretty much all affluent? I didn't think "green" was something that the "average joe" could afford...too worried about paying off the (cheaper but dirtier) conventional heating bill.

    Posted by USC1 02/04/2008 @ 4:55pm

    well, that needs to be changed REAL QUICK!

    "green" is cheap. put on a sweater or three. turn off the light. eat rice'n'beans.

    sheesh.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 5:05pm

21. Posted by MASK 02/04/2008 @ 5:03pm

    crush your SUV!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 5:06pm

22. eat rice'n'beans.

    Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 5:05pm

    Won't that contribute to global warming? harhar

    Posted by usc1 at 02/04/2008 @ 5:22pm

23. Won't that contribute to global warming? harhar

    Posted by USC1 02/04/2008 @ 5:22pm

    naw, that's more localized warming.

    seriously, a meatless diet (or meatfewer if you wish) is healthier, cheaper, and less pollution-causing.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 6:13pm

24. AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!! Blasphemer!!! Earth Mother shall surely strike you down for such ignorant utterances!

    Posted by USC1 02/04/2008 @ 3:02pm

    Hahahaha, that's funny.

    Posted by ACook at 02/04/2008 @ 7:13pm

25. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 6:13pm

    So what do you propose the good people of earth to do with all those reproducin cattle, pigs, and chicken? Roam free?

    Posted by ACook at 02/04/2008 @ 7:16pm

26. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 5:06pm

    Fine, how do I get my son to pre-school (5 miles away) in the rain...or to my work (15 miles away).

    Or buy me a new car.

    Posted by Mask at 02/04/2008 @ 7:27pm

27. Hey, I kinda like Phish.

    Posted by MATTMAN at 02/04/2008 @ 7:29pm

28. Posted by MARYBRETBRAD 02/04/2008 @ 8:18pm | ignore this person

    they gave me compy privs...

    howz the kids referred to in your handle?

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 02/04/2008 @ 8:29pm

29. Or buy me a new car.

    Posted by MASK 02/04/2008 @ 7:27pm

    you work?

    isn't there a pre-school closer?

    get a more sensible car next time. guzzling inspires war.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 9:31pm

30. So what do you propose the good people of earth to do with all those reproducin cattle, pigs, and chicken? Roam free?

    Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 7:16pm

    what do you care? you'd prefer them hacked up in little bits, anyway.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 9:32pm

31. Hey, I kinda like Phish.

    Posted by MATTMAN 02/04/2008 @ 7:29pm

    naw. too crunchy.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 9:32pm

32. iblbleblelbelbllbelblllle,

    are you in jail ¿¡again!?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 9:44pm

33. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 02/04/2008 @ 9:32pm

    It would save a lot of space.

    Posted by ACook at 02/04/2008 @ 10:26pm

34. It would save a lot of space.

    Posted by ACOOK 02/04/2008 @ 10:26pm

    yeah, especially around hips.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 02/04/2008 @ 10:27pm