Sammy Roth -- Climate-Colored Goggles
Download MP3Sammy Roth is a diligent investigator and journalist who has established himself as one of California's leading climate columnists. He explains that he has used the power of the media for his entire career, since elementary school. From an early age he recognized the big voice that one could have as a journalist reaching the masses. He began to focus on the environment and sustainability when he was a student at Columbia University studying sustainable development.
Ted met Sammy ten years ago when he was the Desert Sun's energy reporter, covering California's Coachella Valley, based in Palm Springs. There he reported on the conflicts and controversies surrounding desert solar and wind projects, raising awareness of the tradeoffs between development of renewables and wildlife habitat and conservation. He also researched and wrote extensively about water issues in the West. Then he moved back to his home town of Los Angeles where he worked for the LA Times, writing 1 -2 articles a week in addition to producing a blog and podcast called The Boiling Point.
Sammy clearly has a reputation as a hard-hitting environmental reporter. Ted asks him about how he has been able to balance the interests of his readers and whether he has had to walk a fine line. No, he replied, he has always been able to tell it like he sees it, noting the unwavering support of his colleagues, editors, and readers. His guiding principle has been to dig in and find the story, reveal what's accurate, and to report on what's going to make the world work better. It's all about advancing solutions and fixing problems, he states.
When asked about the results of his reporting, he bifurcates results: First is raising awareness which he explains is really hard to measure. Second is creating impact. He discusses raising awareness about how oil companies sponsor sports... like Union 76 being a major sponsor of his beloved LA Dodgers. Then he shifts to Disneyland and discusses his reporting about a ride at Tomorrowland... where he raised awareness about polluting engines powering cars in Autopia. His articles caused Disneyland to pledge to switch to electric vehicles... much more in line with current times. Clearly Sammy has melded his interests with his journalism, something he wants to amplify in his new pursuit, his independent work with Climate-Colored Goggles.
The conversation shifts to his reporting on the Ivanpah solar concentrating power plant that millions of motorists see each year on their way to Las Vegas. The pronounced three towers surrounded by fields or mirrors was a potent symbol of the future of solar. But Sammy supported the plant's closure, as its largest off-taker, Pacific Gas and Electric, wanted. But despite bird deaths, operational deficiencies, and the rise of more cost-effective, utility-scale photovoltaic plants, California regulators insisted on keeping Ivanpah operational despite its operating deficiencies... resulting in Sammy's article that he titled "The Solar Stupidity is Blinding."
The conversation shifts to water, its shortage in the West and its overlap with energy. Drought not only crimps water supply in the Colorado River basin, but affects hydroelectric production. Agrivoltaics is another nexus between energy and water, the potential to reduce evaporation and the amount of water needed for crop yields, while generating electricity. And while nearly every part of California is out of drought conditions thanks to good rainfall and a robust snowpack, the snowpack in the Rockies which supplies the Colorado River is below average. No, he noted, we are not out of the woods. Ted asks about the solution. Sammy makes clear that everyone in the seven-state watershed (30 million people and 5 million acres of farmland) needs to use less water, a challenging scenario indeed.
Sammy left the LA Times towards the end of 2025 after seven years in what he called a great niche, to do his own thing, namely writing a blog called Climate-Colored Goggles, a subscription-based venture. In his eyes, everything is a climate issue. It's not just relegated to policy and politics. Climate change is ubiquitous... intertwined with entertainment, media, sports, music, etc. He explains that he was ready for a change and ready for even greater independence as a journalist... stretching his creativity, reporting in new formats and new frequencies. While he misses his colleagues at the LA Times, Climate-Colored Goggles is where he is focused now. Check him out at ClimateColoredGoggles.com.
Ted met Sammy ten years ago when he was the Desert Sun's energy reporter, covering California's Coachella Valley, based in Palm Springs. There he reported on the conflicts and controversies surrounding desert solar and wind projects, raising awareness of the tradeoffs between development of renewables and wildlife habitat and conservation. He also researched and wrote extensively about water issues in the West. Then he moved back to his home town of Los Angeles where he worked for the LA Times, writing 1 -2 articles a week in addition to producing a blog and podcast called The Boiling Point.
Sammy clearly has a reputation as a hard-hitting environmental reporter. Ted asks him about how he has been able to balance the interests of his readers and whether he has had to walk a fine line. No, he replied, he has always been able to tell it like he sees it, noting the unwavering support of his colleagues, editors, and readers. His guiding principle has been to dig in and find the story, reveal what's accurate, and to report on what's going to make the world work better. It's all about advancing solutions and fixing problems, he states.
When asked about the results of his reporting, he bifurcates results: First is raising awareness which he explains is really hard to measure. Second is creating impact. He discusses raising awareness about how oil companies sponsor sports... like Union 76 being a major sponsor of his beloved LA Dodgers. Then he shifts to Disneyland and discusses his reporting about a ride at Tomorrowland... where he raised awareness about polluting engines powering cars in Autopia. His articles caused Disneyland to pledge to switch to electric vehicles... much more in line with current times. Clearly Sammy has melded his interests with his journalism, something he wants to amplify in his new pursuit, his independent work with Climate-Colored Goggles.
The conversation shifts to his reporting on the Ivanpah solar concentrating power plant that millions of motorists see each year on their way to Las Vegas. The pronounced three towers surrounded by fields or mirrors was a potent symbol of the future of solar. But Sammy supported the plant's closure, as its largest off-taker, Pacific Gas and Electric, wanted. But despite bird deaths, operational deficiencies, and the rise of more cost-effective, utility-scale photovoltaic plants, California regulators insisted on keeping Ivanpah operational despite its operating deficiencies... resulting in Sammy's article that he titled "The Solar Stupidity is Blinding."
The conversation shifts to water, its shortage in the West and its overlap with energy. Drought not only crimps water supply in the Colorado River basin, but affects hydroelectric production. Agrivoltaics is another nexus between energy and water, the potential to reduce evaporation and the amount of water needed for crop yields, while generating electricity. And while nearly every part of California is out of drought conditions thanks to good rainfall and a robust snowpack, the snowpack in the Rockies which supplies the Colorado River is below average. No, he noted, we are not out of the woods. Ted asks about the solution. Sammy makes clear that everyone in the seven-state watershed (30 million people and 5 million acres of farmland) needs to use less water, a challenging scenario indeed.
Sammy left the LA Times towards the end of 2025 after seven years in what he called a great niche, to do his own thing, namely writing a blog called Climate-Colored Goggles, a subscription-based venture. In his eyes, everything is a climate issue. It's not just relegated to policy and politics. Climate change is ubiquitous... intertwined with entertainment, media, sports, music, etc. He explains that he was ready for a change and ready for even greater independence as a journalist... stretching his creativity, reporting in new formats and new frequencies. While he misses his colleagues at the LA Times, Climate-Colored Goggles is where he is focused now. Check him out at ClimateColoredGoggles.com.
