And now, the contenders...

I suppose you're wondering how I chose my eleven "Research Blogs." The process is pretty simple in theory: I simply picked eleven of the most prevalent and credible blogs. In practice, finding a set of blogs on the internet with established credentials and a wide readership was much more difficult. There are literally hundreds, maybe thousands of environmental blogs online. So why do my choices stand out from the crowd?

• TreeHugger: According to Technorati (a blog statistics site), TreeHugger.com is the 19th most popular blog on the internet. Technorati ranks blog authority by the number of websites referencing a specific blog by posting links to that blog. In this case, TreeHugger is linked by 8,164 other blogs. Additionally, TreeHugger employs more than 40 writers in 10 countries, and averages about 23 posts a day. To seal the deal, TreeHugger has amassed over 4.2 million page views and 45,000 newsletter subscribers. Simply put, In the world of environmental blogs, TreeHugger is king.
• EcoGeek: EcoGeek may only boast a Technorati authority of 1,442, but it covers an interesting niche that is sometimes ignored in other environmental blogs. Namely, it explores "the symbiosis between nature and technology." Its creator, Hank Green, has a masters in Environmental Studies and a degree in biochemistry, and is a professional web designer. If that isn't an impressive set of environmental blogging credentials, I don't know what is.
• Worldchanging: Worldchanging is a blog and a non-profit organization, all rolled up into one. It has more than 7,000 articles on its website, employs 43 editors, columnists, and contributors, and is run by its Executive Editor/creator, Alex Steffen. It won the UTNE Independent Press award in 2004. The blog operates on the simple premise that "that the tools, models and ideas for building a better future lie all around us."
• Grist Mill is another big dog in the environmental blogging world. It may only have an authority of 1,717, but it has been referenced by media biggies like Newsweek, MSNBC, Time, and the Chicago Tribune. Furthermore, in 2006, it was awarded the National Wildlife Federation's "Connie" award for "extraordinary contributions to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources." Given that the NWF is America's largest conservation organization, with more than 5 million members, I'd say the Connie award carries quite a bit of weight.
• The Lazy Environmentalist: Josh Dorfman, the man behind The Lazy Environmentalist blog, is a nationally syndicated environmental talk show radio host (that is one hell of a long title). He's also the author of The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish Green Living, and the CEO of Vivavi, a company providing eco-friendly furniture. As you might guess, his blog is full of tips for those of us who would like to be green, but are lazy.
• Dot Earth: Dot Earth is written by New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin. As if being affiliated with one of the most reputable newspapers on the planet isn't enough, Revkin and his blog are also the recipients of a Guggenheim fellowship. His professional status and fellowship allow him to do a fair bit of travelling, so his blog is more "worldly" than many of the others on this list.
• Green Options: GO is a blog out of Berkeley, CA, with a large community. It has an authority of 822 on Technorati, and was founded by David Anderson, a UC San Diego graduate with degrees in Political Science and Sociology minors in Biology and Law.
• New Scientist's Environmental Blog: New Scientist is an international science magazine with a weekly publication. It's been around since 1956. Sound like a solid platform for blogging? Good, because it is. As can be expected, the blog focuses on scientific developments in the environmental community, but they also have a surprising amount of "current events" content. For extra credit, read New Scientist's online magazine--it's just as informative as the blog.
  
• Real Climate: Real Climate is another blog with some great credentials; the blog is primarily maintained by climate scientists. One of its contributors is a climate modeler at NASA, for crying out loud. This one concentrates on global warming and its associated climate changes, and has sworn off talking about the political or social implications of environmentalism.
• Eco Street: Eco Street is a British import. I think it's a bit more family-oriented than many of the other blogs on this list, and it has an active (and large) forum. It's also more consumer-based than many of my other choices--one of the blog's goals is to "promote websites that are offering green products or services." Eco Street will provide my list with a little international perspective. Cheerio, then!
  
• De Smog Blog: De Smog Blog is one of those interesting outliers; it's a Canadian-based blog founded to "clear the PR pollution" surrounding environmental issues. The blog is led by James Hoggan, the founder of a Canadian public relations firm. They recently gave Barack Obama their annual "Smogmaker" award for "blowing smoke on global warming," and then retracted it. Interesting, indeed...
  

So that is my list. I think that each of my choices for "research blogs" are justifiably big in the world of environmental blogging. Furthermore, I believe the blogs comprise a good spectrum of viewpoints and backgrounds in the environmental conversation. Now that we have our players, let the games begin!