Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

Sarah Gardner

Reporter

SHORT BIO

Sarah Gardner is a former reporter with Marketplace's Sustainability Desk. Her past projects include "The Price of Profits," “We Used To Be China,” “Coal Play,” “Consumed,” “The Next American Dream,” “Jobs of the Future,” and “Climate Race,” among others. Sarah began her career at Marketplace as a freelancer and was hired as business editor and backup host to David Brancaccio in the mid-’90s.

Prior to her work at Marketplace, Sarah was a public radio freelancer in Los Angeles, a staff reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio, a commercial radio reporter in Massachusetts and an editor/reporter for a small-town newspaper in Minnesota. She is the recipient of several awards, including a Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Finance Journalism (1997), an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award (1996 – 1997) and a George Foster Peabody Award, the oldest and most prestigious media award (2000).

Sarah attended Carleton College, where she received her bachelor’s degree in religion, and Columbia University, where she received her master’s degree in journalism. A native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, Sarah resides in Los Angeles.

Latest Stories (617)

Medicare a top issue in Obama budget

Jan 21, 2009
President Obama wants to tackle Medicare in his first budget, a program he calls "unsustainable." The issue is a tough sell politically, but could be easier if rising health care costs are managed. Sarah Gardner reports.

Middle East exploring green technology

Jan 19, 2009
Leaders of wealthy Middle East emirates have been pouring billions into green technology. Sarah Gardner reports petroleum powerhouses like Abu Dhabi are taking renewable energy seriously.

Getting on a pre-pay plan for college

Jan 19, 2009
With college tuition continuing climbing and the stock market continuing to fall, more people are liking the idea of locking in future college costs. Sarah Gardner looks into the pros and cons of a pre-paid 529 plan.

Health insurer's database gets overhaul

Jan 13, 2009
In a settlement with the state of New York, UnitedHealth Group has agreed to overhaul its database system to ensure that patients using out-of-network physicians are fully reimbursed. The settlement may have a major impact on other insurers as well. Sarah Gardner reports.

A word of caution on free antibiotics

Jan 8, 2009
East coast chain supermarkets have started giving out free generic prescription drugs to help struggling customers. But health experts worry there should be a warning accompanying the drugs. Sarah Gardner reports.

Keeping the green in infrastructure

Jan 7, 2009
Transportation officials are ready to get started working with funding from President-elect Obama's infrastructure plan, and environmental advocates want to find a way to steer them towards the green projects. Sarah Gardner reports.

Peer pressure pushes people to go green

Jan 6, 2009
A growing body of research shows the most effective way to get people to go green is not through do-good appeals, but rather peer pressure. Sarah Gardner reports on the latest research findings.

New packaging may end 'wrap rage'

Dec 19, 2008
So-called "clamshell" packaging has helped deter store theft for years. But the plastic casing is notoriously hard to open. Now, relief is in sight. Sarah Gardner reports.

EPA ruling stalled by ethanol debate

Dec 19, 2008
Questions about the impact ethanol has on the environment are keeping the EPA from making a ruling about how much biofuel the U.S. should produce. Sarah Gardner reports.

Where a Fed rate cut really matters

Dec 16, 2008
When the Fed cuts interest rates, it's targeting the rate at which banks lend to each other. But in reality, banks lend to each other at rates much lower. Sarah Gardner explains what a prime rate is and why it affects us.