About Us

Since October, 2005, Eco-Chick has been championing women and the environment. We are the Internet’s first site covering these issues in a substantive way. We have covered a huge variety of subjects over the years, from light-green to deepest viridian. 

Today, our focus is multi-media stories with impact, particularly about marginalized women. We are also committed to addressing our culture of commodification and interrogating the disastrous disposable mentality that runs through current systems of production and consumption.   

Our long-running series, Heroines for the Planet, amplifies the voices of a range of women working to make planetary change that includes all people. Thus far, advances in technology and quality of life have disproportionately benefited the people who already have the most. 

Our new Ecofeminism column will delve deep into the cultural forces that have, for way too long, kept women out of decision-making positions of power. It will emphasize marginalized, indigenous, and women of color making positive changes in their communities. 

Fair Fashion turns a critical eye to the quickly changing, interlocking world of the planet’s 3rd-largest industry, which is responsible for the clothing we all wear. Our Travel section will highlight places to go that are truly ethical, so we can discover our beautiful world—and do some good while we’re at it.

There are positive and negative stories in all of these subjects, and we will publish both. 

Eco-Chick supports stories that work toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to promoting stories from within communities that achieve them. 

Eco-Chick is primarily focused on SDG 5, or gender equality, because it understands that without this no other SDGs can be achieved: Women’s rights unlock the key to ALL sustainable development.

We come from the Earth, and we return to it. Let’s make our time here as rewarding and amazing as it can be, without using all our grandchildren’s clean water and topsoil in the process. They’re going to need these things too. The birds, insects, redwoods, foxes, bats, seaweed, snails, and tigers deserve to be here just as much as we do, and natural spaces deserve to exist for their own sakes, not just to please our eyes or desires. But there is no denying that all life on Earth is key to human life on Earth. 

Eco-Chick has been featured in The New York Times (thrice), Elle, Glamour, Whole Living, Self Magazine, USA Today, Huffington Post Live, Marie Claire, Discovery Channel, Inhabitat, Christian Science Monitor, Treehugger.com, and many more.

Interested in sponsorships or creative collaboration that aligns with your brand’s goals? Please email [email protected].

 

O U R   T E A M

Starre Vartan, Co-Owner, Editor-in-Chief, and Publisher
Starre Vartan is the founder and editor-in-chief of Eco Chick and author of the companion book to the site, The Eco-Chick Guide to Life (St. Martin’s Press).

She’s also a full-time freelance science and environment journalist, whose science writing has been published in National Geographic, Slate, Newsweek, Scientific American, Mental Floss, Pacific Standard, NASA’s Astrobiology magazine, and more. Her memoir writing has been published in Medium, Marie Claire, and the American Literary Review; her travel writing can be seen in CNN Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, CocoEco, and Saveur magazines.

Starre’s previous positions have included 9 years as a travel and conscious consumption columnist at MNN.com; editor-at-large for Coco Eco magazine; contributor-at-large for Martha Stewart’s Whole Living magazine; the Green Guru columnist for Audubon magazine; style editor for Plenty magazine; and managing editor of Greenopia.com. She was also co-writer for screenwriting projects at HBO, CBS, and Discovery, and a science writer at Friends of Animals.

She holds a BS in Geology and a BA in English from Syracuse University and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University.

Starre’s love of the natural world was inspired by a free-range childhood exploring the tide pools of Sydney, Australia’s beaches, and the wetlands and forests of the Hudson Valley of New York. She currently lives on an island in Puget Sound near Seattle with her partner and cat, but spends several months a year in the NYC/Connecticut coast area.

You can learn more about Eco Chick founder Starre Vartan’s journalism, and her work as a speaker, teacher, and expert in online communications  at her site.

Lindsay E. Brown, Co-Owner and Director of Partnerships

Lindsay is the Co-owner and Director of Partnerships at Eco-Chick and has spent her career at the intersection of social impact and media. She has risen with Eco-Chick since 2011, and has spearheaded some of the brand’s most notable national partnerships and events with some of the world’s most-recognized companies.

In her current role as Marketing and Sustainability Manager at Health-Ade Kombucha, Lindsay leads partnerships and events and helps advance the company’s sustainability and social cause initiatives nationally.

She previously served as the Director of Communications for CBS EcoMedia, a former social enterprise of the CBS Corporation. Lindsay has written for publications including Martha Stewart Whole Living, Cottages & Gardens, Edible, Huffington Post, and many others.

In February of 2019, Lindsay co-founded Best Day Ever, a national non-profit dedicated to fighting the opioid and addiction crisis through wellness and community. Lindsay resides on the Upper West Side in NYC with her husband, Bryan, and their quirky rescue pup Jake.

 Jessica Williamson, Columnist & Contributing Editor

Jessica Williamson is a social impact storyteller and partnership builder who believes in the power of story to change the world. She is a writer, reporter, speaker, video producer, and on-air personality dedicated to amplifying the voices of marginalized women to create a healthy planet. She currently serves as the North American Regional Director for the World Information Transfer (WIT); an NGO in General Consultative Status with the United Nations. Here she unearths women’s stories from the remote regions of the globe and examines the intersections between sustainability and human rights.

This leading voice to Millennials is a vocal advocate for environmental action, women’s rights, and public health. She urges world leaders, governments, and institutions to consider the role of women in sustainable development at global policy meetings such as the Commission on the Status of Women, the World’s largest gathering on women’s rights, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences. Jessica pens articles for WIT’s quarterly journal and is published with Vice Impact.

Prior to her work with WIT, Williamson hosted a critically acclaimed, multi-million-viewed Web series called, Zaproot which focused on environmental issues. With a combination of humor and sarcasm, Williamson highlighted steps the average citizen can take to create a more environmentally mindful society. Zaproot was the flagship series for Next New Networks, one of the first YouTube Multi-Channel Network (MCN), to hit 1/2 Billion video views and break over a $1 million a year in ad revenue.

In her new role at Eco Chick, Jessica aims to share women’s stories and give NGO’s platform by connecting them to mainstream audiences.

Jessica grew up on a remote black sand beach in Christchurch, New Zealand. This connection to nature made her appreciate the need to protect the planet against environmental degradation and to inspire others to join this cause.

Jessica attended NYU where she completed three years towards a Bachelor of Social Science in Media and Communications and is currently completing her degree online. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and three-year-old daughter.

Isa Spies, Social Media & Writing Intern, Fall 2019

Isa Spies currently interns with Eco Chick managing social media platforms and writing articles for the site. 

She hails from Maryland, but spent five years in San Francisco obtaining her Bachelors degree in International Business with a focus on German Studies and Environmental Studies. After traveling to Mexico earlier this year for a volunteer opportunity in Sustainable Fashion repurposing waste materials, she is fresh in NYC now continuing her studies at FIT focusing on “Sustainable Design Entrepreneurship.” She curates an Instagram account for ethical fashion @fashionbenders, documenting facts and figures about the changing industry and showcases her hand-made one-line wire face earrings on occasion.

She is also focused on health and wellness with a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification under her belt and interest in healing energies, homeopathy, and inner calm. She hopes to own a collective space one day curated to ethical fashion and wellness. She has a curiosity for the world and major wanderlust that will take her far and wide!

P R E V I O U S   C O N T R I B U T O R S

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Chrislande Dorcilus, Associate Editor & Writer

Chrislande Dorcilus is a writer from South Florida who loves all things fashion, Avant Garde, and sustainable. She loves the way technology, science, ethics, and fashion can come together to solve problems. She is currently an MA candidate in Fashion Studies at The CUNY Graduate Center.

Haley Sherif, Writer

Haley Sherif holds a B.F.A. in creative nonfiction in writing from Emerson College. Born & raised in Manhattan, she’s currently living in Brooklyn pursuing her dream to write. As an eager 14-year-old she joined the Eco-Chick team as its first intern, and several years later she’s happy to be back. Her writing and design projects can be found on her personal site, haleykamilla.com, as well as on The Culture-ist and in Perversion’s June, 2016 issue.

Sarah Schuster, Spring 2017 Intern

Sarah Schuster is a native Virginian with a longtime love of fashion. Since she was young, she has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for everyday needs, from her parent’s garden to her current love of thrift. Sarah currently works as a freelance journalist in Richmond, Virginia, and has been published in local magazines such as Virginia Living, RVA Magazine, and Richmond BizSense. 

Tess Tabak, Writing Competition Editor

Tess Tabak is a freelance writer living in New York City, currently working as a ghost writer (boo!). She co-edits the Furious Gazelle, an online literary magazine full of fury and good writing. Her publishing credits include Athena’s Daughter’s II and Narrative Northeast Magazine.

Soyo Hong, Autumn 2015 Intern

Soyo Hong is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Illustration. An artist and writer in NYC, she is a regular contributor to digital platforms such as Animal New York, Hopes&Fears, and Ratter.
Sophie Hessekiel, Summer 2015 Intern
Sophie Hessekiel is a writer, comedian, and occasional musician who has fled Westchester to pursue feminism, fashion, ecology and comedy in the far-flung fields of Poughkeepsie and Manhattan. When not interning at Eco-Chick, she is writing and performing with her sketch group at Vassar or deconstructing Taylor Swift and Tinder with her gal pals. She also interns for Wifey.tv and is always on the lookout for great new video content. Sophie is studying English, Film, and Español at Vassar, and she wants to make television when she grows up—or, you know, now. Whichever comes first.

Veronica Goin, Autumn 2014 Intern

Veronica Goin is a freelance writer living in The Hudson Valley. She has a BA in English and in Visual Art, because she was incapable of choosing between the two. In her free time, she can be found conducting and photographing vegan and gluten-free kitchen experiments. She likes to hike with her partner, rescue stray cats, get tattoos, collect Stephen King books and vintage dresses, and contemplate feminist themes in everything from Jane Austen to Buffy The Vampire Slayer. She is on a holy quest for the perfect vegan sunscreen.

Chrislande Dorcilus, Spring/Summer 2014 Intern

Chrislande Dorcilus is a writer living in Brooklyn, and ever proud of the cliché.  She loves feminism, humor, sustainable architecture, and poetry. She hates to love to hate New York, compares bathrooms around the city, avoids the Six train, and misses the ocean. Chrislande is a proud former editorial intern, and blog contributor to the loved feminist publication, BUST Magazine. She hopes to see you at one of their spectacular BUST Craftacular events in Brooklyn this year. She has written for various fashion and media sources online, and is more than excited to delve into the eco-world with “y’all.” 

Juliette Donatelli, Fall 2013 Intern and Contributing Writer

Growing up between New York and Paris, Juliette Donatelli developed a deep love for culture, style and the beat of the city. She’s the founder of spades+siLK, where she writes about the exciting new trends fusing sustainability and fashion. She has lived in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but recently moved back to NYC to be part of all that is happening around local manufacturing and design. Juliette holds a MS in Ecology, and a BA in Globalization and Environmental Science. She is currently writing a book on sustainability in a material world.

Stephanie Rogers, Beauty Editor

Beauty Editor Stephanie Rogers loves to explore beauty products, fashion, architecture and design that’s not just eco-friendly but also edgy, modern and fun. A freelance writer, book nerd and long-time vegetarian, Stephanie has written for EcoSalon, MNN, WebEcoist, WebUrbanist and a number of other culture and lifestyle sites focusing on smart design and sustainability. She lives in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.

Lauren Shalit, Spring 2013 Intern

Lauren is a born and raised New Yorker who recently graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Journalism. She believes that a sustainable lifestyle begins with our everyday foods and skincare products. You can find her either experimenting with natural makeup, baking healthy treats, or shopping at the nearest health food store for organic options.

Haley Sherif, Junior Writer
New York City student Haley Sherif is always on the move. Whether it be in-between classes, events, or a quick run for errands she only feels good when she takes the time to look good. She’s the founder of The Fashion Dish, a fashion blog where she writes daily. She’s also a recent contributor to The Huffington Post.

Liz Blake, Spring 2012 Intern
Liz Blake is a designer of conscious culture and evolved lifestyle, inspiring an awesome future.

She is a graduate of NYU, with a self-designed BA in Holistic Health, focusing in consciousness studies, Jungian psychology, nutrition, and art. She also earned a certificate as a Holistic Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as well as a Yoga Teaching Certificate, 200 hr RYT. In addition, she is a certified Reiki Master.

After her formal studies, Liz traveled the world exploring alternative lifestyles and ways of being in harmony with the earth. She lived in the Peruvian Amazon and the Sacred Valley, with eco-conscious permaculture communities in Brazil and Jamaica, and moved through the West Coast tribal culture. In addition she is a friend of Growing Heart Farm in upstate NY. Through these experiences, she has gathered an abundance of inspiration for designing a thriving future.

Liz is currently based in New York City. As a chef for Organic Avenue, she continues her study of healing foods while nurturing a conscious relationship with the earth. She offers services as a chef and nutritional coach, focusing on the art of transformation through our relationship with food. She is cultivating her creativity as an artist and writer, interning for Eco-chick.com and guest writing for WakeUpWorld.com.

Emily Piccone, Spring 2012 Intern
Originally from just outside New York, Emily graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in environmental studies and English, and has spent the fall and winter contributing to the Norwood News, a paper focusing on the happenings of the North Bronx. As well, she shoots photos regularly for her blog emilypiccone.tumblr.com.

After almost a year of working on farms and riding in buses through South America, Emily was happy to return to the city’s parks, public transportation and of course its beautiful people.