...writes about culture, politics, cities, farms, food, design, technology, ecology, energy, infrastructure, plants, animals, people & spirit(s).
selected work
Brian J. Barth is a journalist based in the Bay Area. His work appears in publications such as the New Yorker, Slate, Washington Post, Walrus, Guardian, National Geographic, Mother Jones, Pacific Standard, Nautilus and City Lab. He is currently at work on a book for Astra House about the Bay Area's unhoused communities.
Twitter @brianjbarth.
Instagram @brianbarth2
Could Trumpism Take Root in Canada?
Pacific Standard | The Muslim massacre in Quebec may point to a deeper schism among our neighbors to the north
The Wall (of Reeds) That the Border Patrol Would like to Tear Down
New Yorker | Texas officials release reed-eating Arundo wasps into a thicket of the invasive weed Arundo donax, also called carrizo cane, in an effort to weaken or eradicate the plant
Landscape Architecture Magazine | In southern Louisiana, Evans + Lighter landscape architecture is helping the people of Isle de Jean Charles move away from a disappearing coast
Modern Farmer | Colorful characters, seedy motels, and cold, hard cash—welcome to the backwoods world of the wild mushroom trade
Modern Farmer | At least half of all farmworkers in the United States are undocumented immigrants. There's a crisis brewing in our fields, and it’s about to get much, much worse
Sometimes It's Lonely Being Liberal
American Prospect | At an “underground” watering hole in Pocahontas, Iowa—they serve fair-trade coffee, not homemade whiskey—hope grows for the tiny town’s left-wing minority
An Unlikely Climate Crusade in Trump Country
Washington Post | Smithfield Farms is pushing its grain farmers to cut back on fertilizer use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions — but will it shrink the pork giant's carbon footprint?
A Democrat in Farm Country Hopes to Beat One of Congress' Biggest Racists
Mother Jones | First-time candidate J.D. Scholten hits the Iowa highways in a retro Winnebago on a quest to unseat eight-term congressman Steve King
Is LEED Tougn Enough for the Climate Change Era?
City Lab | Twenty years ago, the U.S. Green Building Council piloted its LEED certification, which has reshaped architecture and real estate. But how much does it dent buildings’ energy use?
The Good Men: Inside the All-Male Group Taking on Modern Masculinity
The Guardian | In the hometown of Jordan Peterson, the evangelist of white male resentment, a different and thoughtful men’s movement vies to be heard
The Fight Against Google's Smart City
Washington Post | These activists are fighting what they see as an Orwellian takeover
Are You Afraid of Google? BlackBerry Cofounder Jim Balsillie Says You Should Be
The Walrus | The entrepreneur who made billions putting BlackBerrys into pockets is now sounding the alarm about Big Tech's creep toward surveillance capitalism
Revealing Pictures Shine a New Light on Inuit Culture
National Geographic | Indigenous photographer Brian Adams changes perceptions of Native Alaskans one portrait at a time
Canada's Most Prominent Black Activist Has a Message for White Liberals
Pacific Standard | Desmond Cole says the recent election of Ontario's right-wing premier is Canada's Trumpian moment
New Yorker | Roger McNamee made a fortune as one of Silicon Valley's earliest champions. Now he's one of its most fervent critics.
Jody Wilson-Raybould is Justin Trudeau's Worst Nightmare
Slate | As Canadians head to the polls, the Prime Minister's do-gooder image is in shambles. How much of a threat does the political leader who disabled his political machine pose?
Mother Jones | One man is trying to fight climate change by mobilizing an unlikely team: Iowa's farmers.
How Millennial Inuit Sparked a Musical Movement
National Geographic | Inspired by traditional throat singing and contemporary artists, these musicians offer a modern take on Inuit life
In the Amazon, Farming the Forest To Save the Forest
National Geographic | A groundbreaking Brazilian community demonstrates how to farm sustainably in the forest -- no cattle necessary
Modern Farmer | An increasingly vocal group of African-American farmers fight to regain food sovereignty
The Unique Neurology of the Sports Fan's Brain
Nautilus | Why we get off on the game—and are better off for it
Metamorphosis of the Sportsman
Pacific Standard | How did we go from rugged players to rabid consumers?
Landscape Architecture Magazine | In Light of #MeToo and Time's Up, design firms seek to bolster their anti-harassment programs and policies. Are the se the right tools for the job?
What if Unhoused People Designed Their Own Homes?
Mother Jones | In Oakland, a poet and her crew of "poverty scholars" are doing just that
Homeless in the Shadow of Apple's $5 Billion Campus
One Zero | A group of ex-tech workers, gig employees, and locals priced out of the housing market are fighting for affordable housing in Silicon Valley
What's Eating America's Farmers?
Modern Farmer | Debt, drugs, depression, and populist politics: the contours of a new farm crisis take shape
Landscape Architecture Magazine | A new park in Nunavut is made to protect Indigenous hunting
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