Get to Know Us
Sustainability with a Splash of Sass
Who we Are
Explore Carbonated Opinions: A Unique Blend of Humor and Environmental Advocacy
At Carbonated Opinions, we combine environmental insights with engaging commentary that resonates. With our approach, we hope to energize thousands to rethink their habits, sparking dialogues on sustainability while ensuring they enjoy the ride.
With a tone that’s both playful and informative, Carbonated Opinions we plan to successfully reach diverse audiences, create a community that cares, laughs, and critically examines everyday practices in sustainability.
Our Journey
The Story Behind Carbonated Opinions
Carbonated Opinions was born from a simple idea: tackling climate issues doesn’t always require shouting in the streets or demanding sweeping policies. Change can start quietly, with the choices we make every day.
Take bottled water, for example. For years, I went through three to four plastic bottles a day—over a thousand in a single year, just from me. Multiply that by my family, and the numbers balloon. Then we made a small shift: switching to tap water at home. Suddenly, our household went from mountains of plastic to just one bottle every couple of days. That’s fewer bottles in landfills, less energy wasted in factories, and a lighter carbon footprint—all from one modest adjustment.
Carbonated Opinions embraces this philosophy: that humor, insight, and everyday actions can ripple outward into something bigger. We’re here to show that sustainability doesn’t have to be heavy-handed or joyless. By blending wit with practical examples, we invite readers to see that saving the planet isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress, one small step at a time.
Our mission is to spark conversations that fizz with energy, challenge conventions, and make eco-conscious living feel accessible. Because when everyone contributes a little, together we create something truly powerful.
Our Mission
To deliver eco-conscious commentary that enlightens, entertains, and inspires individuals to make sustainable choices without sacrificing joy or humor.
Our Values
We believe in humor’s power to engage, the importance of research-based commentary, and creating a non-judgmental space for individuals exploring sustainability.
Who’s Writing This?
Carbonated Opinions is edited by Rob van Kessel and supported by a small group of recurring columnists, each focusing on a different corner of the climate conversation.
Rob van Kessel
Editor & Founder
Rob created Carbonated Opinions as a place for thoughtful, slightly irreverent writing about the climate conversation and the systems behind it. What started as a personal project grew into a small editorial space exploring technology, policy, history, and the many ways good intentions collide with real-world complexity.
He now acts as editor, occasional writer, and the person responsible for keeping the bubbles carbonated and the tone consistent.
Alex Mercer
Climate Technology & Environmental Trade-offs
Alex writes about the machines meant to save the planet and the trade-offs that come with them. Solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, hydrogen pipelines, and the occasional surprisingly controversial household appliance all fall under the microscope.
Before writing for Carbonated Opinions, Alex spent years translating engineering, energy systems, and lifecycle analysis into plain English. The goal is simple: look past the hype, keep the optimism where it belongs, and check whether the numbers behave when nobody is watching.
Writes for: ⚡🟣 Spark & Circuit, 🔵 Eco-Mythbusters
Personality: Curious, analytical, lightly skeptical.
Samira Patel
Environmental History & The Life of Stuff
Samira focuses on how yesterday’s solutions became today’s problems. Her writing explores waste, pollution, environmental history, and the long tail of decisions that once made perfect sense.
She has a particular interest in the afterlife of everyday objects — what happens after we throw things “away,” and why “away” rarely means what we think it means.
Writes for: ⚫ Retrograde Planet, 🟤 Trash Talk
Personality: Reflective, observant, dryly witty.
Jordan Reyes
Climate Politics & Public Debate
Jordan covers the louder parts of the climate conversation: policy, media narratives, culture wars, and the occasional overconfident headline.
With a background in public policy and a tolerance for political theatre, Jordan looks at how climate decisions are made, communicated, and sometimes performed.
Writes for: 🔴 Fizz & Fury, 🟡 Policy Popcorn, 🟢 Greenwashed & Loving It
Personality: Sharp, observant, wryly amused.
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