Articles by David Roberts

David Roberts was a staff writer for Grist. You can follow him on Twitter, if you're into that sort of thing.

All Articles

  • Renewables in the U.S.: Growing fast, but not fast enough

    Last month, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released the “2010 Renewable Energy Data Book” [PDF], which is a cornucopia of charts, facts, and figures on energy use in the U.S. The top-line conclusion for climate hawks is familiar: Renewable energy is growing rapidly, but not rapidly enough; it remains a small fraction of overall […]

    David Roberts Technology

  • Luck and gratitude

    At this time of year I am always keenly aware of my good fortune. In particular, I am aware the huge role that sheer chance has played in the most pivotal episodes of my life. I met my wife because I went to a bar one random weeknight with my friend Peter, who was being […]

    David Roberts Culture

  • Why brown spin keeps beating green spin

    Spin it, baby, spin it.Photo: Sinan CeylanOne of the perennial complaints of the green community is that the Beltway — the ecosystem of politicians, staffers, lobbyists, NGOs, and media that influence federal policy in D.C. — is dominated by what I guess you’d call the brown community: fossil-fuel lobbyists, conservative think tanks, and politicians who, […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • The few, the proud, the green: U.S. Marines pursue clean energy and efficiency

    IN SEPTEMBER 2010, a company of U.S. Marines entered Sangin District, an area in Afghanistan’s Helmand province that had seen some of the most intense, protracted fighting of the war. Their mission was to relieve British forces and launch an aggressive effort to clear and calm the area, which was, as the military is wont […]

    David Roberts Technology