I've Moved my Sustain What Quest to Substack

Join the next phase of my 39-years-and-counting journalistic journey on the climate and sustainability beat

Sustain What is all about identifying paths to progress by cutting through messaging and debate (including around fake polar bear images).

Sustain What is my blog, webcast and newsletter pursuing cooler relationships between people, their planet and each other. My move to Substack, starting this coming week, comes after 18 months of posting on Meta’s Bulletin platform (those posts are now here), nine years of prize-wining Dot Earth blogging at The New York Times and, of course, nearly four decades of conventional environment, climate and resilience reporting for The Times, major magazines and in a batch of books.

The thousands of free subscribers who joined my journey at Bulletin, and the rest of you, have the option to become financial supporters of this project by subscribing here. There’s also open access for those who can’t afford to pay, but subscribers get a variety of benefits (including knowing their supporting the open access!).

I’m excited about this move because Substack already has a great community of climate-focused writers - some old friends and trusted longtime sources. What I offer is a mindset and set of tools and practices (including my hundreds of Columbia Climate School webcast discussions) that can help you crosscheck strong claims and take action.

A core theme is shifting the focus of discussion to climate risk from climate change (which is just one source of risk). Here’s my “pocket card” for how to think about risk and impacts. Share it!

And even though I’ve written on climate change since the mid 1980s, I am not climate-centric. Too often, vague proclamations of “climate emergency” are a distraction from other urgent threats and needs. My focus is identifying sources of environmental and societal risk and resilience, whether they’re in the atmosphere or down the block.

Read my “About” page for some background. And share this post with friends eager to get beyond bullet points and yes/no fights.

And I want to learn from you, as well. Feedback and ideas are welcome in the comment thread here!