I studied studio art and biology in college and wasn’t quite satisfied with either. The art world looked hermetic, sealed off in cities away from the landscapes that I loved. And the science world felt binding, too, with its sprint to publish clunky treatises for an audience of other scientists. Writing, though, stole the best from both fields — the creativity, the exploring, the analysis and the always-and-forever-learning — and, at its best, seemed like it could bring the same important topics explored by art and science to a much broader audience of people. So here I am, still at it. I write about the environment, energy, science and miscellany from Mazama, Washington. I was a staff and contributing editor for High Country News, an environmental magazine about the American West, for 11 years. You can find more of my writing at sarahmgilman.com. I tweet @Sarah_Gilman.