Starre Vartan
Contributor
Starre Vartan is a science writer whose articles have been published in National Geographic, Scientific American, Audubon Magazine, Pacific Standard, and many other outlets. She lives on Bainbridge Island, a small community across Puget Sound from Seattle. A geologist in her first career, she still picks up rocks wherever she goes.
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Mussels Help Keep Watch on Pollution in Puget Sound
DispatchWashingtonStarre Vartan
The humble bivalves, which concentrate everything from heavy metals to cancer drugs in their tissues, provide an ideal way for scientists to monitor nearshore water health.
Free Bus Service Is the Hot New Thing in Transit
DispatchOlympia, WashingtonStarre Vartan
Olympia, Washington, is the latest city to roll out a fare-free bus system, with traffic congestion, equity, and the climate in mind.
In Colorado’s High Desert, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Goes Solar
DispatchColoradoStarre Vartan
The Ute Mountain Ute tribe is working to free itself from fossil fuel dependency—and preparing to help solarize the rest of the state, too.
Publications
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Green Your Dry Cleaning Routine
How-ToUnited StatesStarre Vartan
Chemicals used to clean clothes can be toxic—and expensive. One thing they’re not? Necessary.
9 Places to See Before They're Gone
How-ToUnited States, Montana, Hawaii, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Alaska, Louisiana, Nevada, ArizonaStarre Vartan
Due to climate change, these iconic American vacation spots will soon become unrecognizable—or worse, vanish. Pack your bags, quick!