Articles by Senior Staff Writer Tik Root
Tik Root covers climate solutions and economics at Grist. He started his career as a freelance journalist in Yemen, and has since covered everything from Al Qaeda to the Olympics for outlets such as National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Atlantic, among others. He previously worked at The Washington Post and Scripps News. Tik lives in Vermont with his wife and son.
All Articles
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![The sign outside a Shell station shows the price of gasoline and diesel fuel.]()
![The sign outside a Shell station shows the price of gasoline and diesel fuel.]()
The spike in diesel prices is quietly costing you billions
"You're probably feeling it in ways you don't realize.”
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![A helicopter pulls water from Kade Lake to respond to a growing wildfire near Cleveland, Texas, on March 20, 2025.]()
![A helicopter pulls water from Kade Lake to respond to a growing wildfire near Cleveland, Texas, on March 20, 2025.]()
These maps show exactly where the West might burn this summer
Amid drought and heat waves, April’s national wildfire forecast shows that nearly the entire Western U.S. will face an above-normal risk of wildfires at some point in the next four months.
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![A skier passes by an area of low snow coverage at Vail Ski Resort as temperatures reach into the 50s on March 18, 2026 in Vail, Colorado.]()
![A skier passes by an area of low snow coverage at Vail Ski Resort as temperatures reach into the 50s on March 18, 2026 in Vail, Colorado.]()
The West’s unprecedented winter could fuel a summer of disaster
Record-low snowpack and an early heat wave could mean a higher risk of drought and fire in coming months.
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![In an aerial view, a customer pumps gas into his car at an Arco station in Los Angeles.]()
![In an aerial view, a customer pumps gas into his car at an Arco station in Los Angeles.]()
Why $4 gasoline is the tipping point for EVs
As fuel costs climb, the long-term math shifts toward EVs — but consumer hesitation and infrastructure gaps could slow the transition.
