Alison Gillespie

Writer

Washington, DC

As a freelance reporter, writer and editor I will happily cover almost anything, although I specialize in biology, environmental science and chemistry. My award-winning book, Hives in the City, tells the story of urban beekeepers struggling to keep their bees alive in the Mid-Atlantic.

Alison Gillespie

Writer

Washington, DC

Snow removal in cities prioritizes cars and often ignores people with disabilities
Often, Montgomery County’s public transit system seems like a poorly-executed retrofit to a car-centered community. This is especially true during snowstorms. While roads get lots of attention and people demand that they get cleared quickly, bus shelters often get buried or blocked completely. Metro stations often become inaccessible by foot due to uncleared sidewalks.
Greater Greater Washington
Greater Greater Washington
Here’s how Montgomery County could prioritize pedestrian safety in White Flint, Forest Glen, and beyond
Recently three people were struck by drivers and killed in Montgomery County, illustrating the need for better pedestrian and biker safety. In our first post, we wondered what would happen if the $140 million dollars committed to certain car-centric projects like Montrose Parkway East Parkway were used for other purposes, such as increasing pedestrian safety in White Flint.
Putting Rural Schools to the Test
Bandwidth demands in the current test-heavy climate are challenging rural-school administrators. How can your telco help students succeed?
Rural Telecom magazine
Telecommunications
Native Ground Bees: Helpful, not Hurtful
Experts say rather than reaching for insecticide, growers should be grateful when these native bees arrive.
Modern Farmer
Feature Stories Modern Farmer
Giga-Gobbledygook: Overcoming Customer Confusion About Gig Services
Rural telecom companies discuss educating customers about their choices.
Rural Telecom magazine
Feature Stories Telecommunications
A New Weapon in the War On Weeds: Flamethrowers
Long used in agriculture, land managers are now wondering whether cooking weeds to death is better than pesticides
Smithsonian
Smithsonian
There's a Secret World Under the Snow, and It's In Trouble »
How do animals survive under the snow? We're only beginning to understand—just as climate change may rewrite everything
Smithsonian
Feature Stories Smithsonian
The Future of Food Coloring May Be Very Slimy
Algae has been repeatedly touted as the great new super crop. Some see abundant promise in the idea of growing and making food, medicines, vitamin supplements, and biofuels from the slimy stuff. Now, Johan Andersen Ranberg, a researcher from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, is going to investigate one more possible application: food coloring.
Modern Farmer
Modern Farmer
These Creative Wind Turbines Will Have You Rethinking What You Know About Wind Power
Wind turbines don't have to all look the same. Here are some that are helping cities go green—and look like art in the process
Smithsonian
Smithsonian Feature Stories
What’s the Final Verdict on the Wildly Popular Flow Hive?
Jason Allen-Rouman was excited when he learned he’d be one of the first people in North America to receive a Flow Hive for his backyard. He’d been dreaming about getting an apiary set up for years, and a recent move from downtown San Francisco to a house in Washington, D.C., meant he could finally make his fantasy a reality.
Modern Farmer
Modern Farmer Feature Stories
Releasing Invasive Plant Strangleholds in Urban Parks
In many US parks, invasive exotic vines have a stranglehold on trees. Those invasives don’t just look bad – they often support little in the way of native wildlife, and can limit some of the most beneficial ecological aspects of urban forests.
GreeningtheCity.com
Greening the City
Rebranding as You Move Toward a Broadband Future
Rebranding doesn't just mean a new name. Externally, it can mean reassuring your customers and enticing them to stick around as you grow. Internally it can demand a new approach to customer service and staff management. Learn about the challenges telcos have faced as they've changed their brands to better fit a broadband future.
Rural Telecom magazine
Telecommunications
Inner City Farmers May Have Toxic Soils on Their Hands
Lead is a particular risk as people try to turn potentially contaminated urban sites into productive and sustainable farms
Smithsonian
Smithsonian Feature Stories
An insider's view of walkability in the District
By many people’s accounting, D.C. remains one of the most walkable cities in the United States. Contributors to travel websites, for example, regularly remark on how easy it is for visitors to get from one sightseeing location to another without the need for a car. Walk Score has given the city a score of 74 (out of a possible 100) for being “very walkable” because most errands in many neighborhoods can be accomplished on foot.
ElevationDC
ElevationDC Feature Stories
The Race to Save the World’s Great Trees by Cloning Them
A nonprofit dedicated to preserving old, iconic trees is cloning them in hopes of preserving them for the future
Smithsonian
Smithsonian Feature Stories
Getting to Know Benjamin Banneker Better at his Park
There is a little-known museum and park in Maryland where you can learn about a man whose story deserves telling. Benjamin Banneker, an African-American astronomer who helped survey the boundaries of Washington, DC, and once implored Thomas Jefferson to change his views on race, made his home at this Baltimore County site near present-day Catonsville on the Patuxent River.
Bay Journal
Feature Stories Bay Journal

About

Alison Gillespie

I live in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC.

In addition to writing about science and the environment for various publications, I sometimes write copy for non-profit groups and a few select trade organizations.

My non-fiction book about urban beekeepers and their bees was published in 2014 and is for sale online and in select bookstores. You can find more details at the book's website: www.hivesinthecity.com.

Before going freelance I worked for several non-profit organizations, writing newsletter articles, annual reports, and press releases. I also maintained press databases and pitched stories to editors.

When not at my computer writing, I like to hike and explore the streams of Maryland. I am a passionate gardener who likes to watch the bees land on flower tops in the summer and the birds find berries in the winter. My ultimate gardening dream is to attract frogs and toads to my urban pond.

I'm eager to take on new freelance assignments, and available to give talks about my book.