Publication Items

Small-Market Reporter Unmasks Race Gap in Pollution Response [1]

When two towns — one an affluent suburb and the other a poor rural community — faced similar air pollution crises, lopsided government action made clear there was an underlying race and class divide. Reporter Sharon Lerner shares the story behind her award-winning reporting that tells the “Tale of Two Toxic Cities,” in our latest Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [11]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Small-Market Reporter Unmasks Race Gap in Pollution Response [1]
Consumption Advisories Offer Fistful of Fish Tales [17]

With fishing season underway in the United States and Canada, fish consumption advisories are also on the hook. That means potential stories for environmental journalists. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox points you to state-by-state data sources and walks you through how to best explain them to your audience. Plus, a bonus story tip.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Health [6]
Fish & Fisheries [20]
Food [21]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [25]
Canada [26]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Consumption Advisories Offer Fistful of Fish Tales [17]
Using Data Sources To Track Climate-Driven Mayhem at Superfund Sites [27]

Hazardous waste and floodwaters don’t typically mix well together. So when a Michigan dam recently burst, and flooded not just the local community, but also threatened a nearby Superfund site, it prompted Reporter’s Toolbox to look at how environmental journalists could track similar threats in their areas, especially as climate change raises the risks of similar disasters.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [28]
Disasters [29]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Pollution [12]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [31]
International [25]
Europe [32]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Using Data Sources To Track Climate-Driven Mayhem at Superfund Sites [27]
Disaster Preparedness Key Amid Pandemic [33]

Unheeded warnings are the hallmark of many disasters. And with coronavirus still hobbling the nation, communities and journalists must now watch for all the ways COVID-19 could make even the most familiar hazards far worse. Prepare with this extensive Backgrounder, which touches on issues around evacuations and emergency readiness when facing storms, fires, toxic releases and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [34]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Disasters [29]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [11]
Planning & Growth [35]
Policy [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [37]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [38]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Disaster Preparedness Key Amid Pandemic [33]
While No One Was Watching — Changing Enviro Regs Under Trump [39]

Regulations that sprang from cornerstone environmental laws in place for decades are now under attack by the Trump administration, per legal experts in a recent webinar co-sponsored by the Society of Environmental Journalists and Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Get key takeaways and resources from the event from SEJ’s Dale Willman. Plus, watch the full webinar video.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [28]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [36]
Pollution [12]
Science [42]
Transportation [43]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about While No One Was Watching — Changing Enviro Regs Under Trump [39]
Smokey’s 420 Gets the ‘Dirt’ on Pot Crop [44]

The story of Smokey’s 420, mom-and-pop pot shop that’s taken a more environmental perspective. Plus, why the explosion in the infant business legal cannabis could be bad news for the environment [45], if left largely unregulated.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [47]
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [19]
Economy & Business [48]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Policy [36]
Pollution [12]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [49]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Smokey’s 420 Gets the ‘Dirt’ on Pot Crop [44]
Why an Unregulated Pot Business May Be Bad for the Environment [45]

One industry seemingly unharmed by the coronavirus-related shutdown is legal cannabis. But the explosion in this infant business could be bad news for the environment, if left largely unregulated. A closer look at the issues. Plus, the story of Smokey’s 420 [44], mom-and-pop pot shop that’s taken a more environmental perspective.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [47]
Chemicals [5]
Economy & Business [48]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Policy [36]
Pollution [12]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [49]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Why an Unregulated Pot Business May Be Bad for the Environment [45]
When the Crisis Was Immense, SEJ Award-Winner Went Narrow [50]

How do you gain perspective on a widespread public health disaster? Award-winning reporter Apoorva Mandavilli shares valuable lessons on using a small lens to cover a big story — no, not COVID-19, but the deadly 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, India. And as she explains in this Inside Story Q&A, this decades-old story never really went away in the first place.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Disasters [29]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [11]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
International [25]
Asia [51]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about When the Crisis Was Immense, SEJ Award-Winner Went Narrow [50]
SEJournal Relaunches WatchDog with a ‘Voice,’ Plus Coronavirus and More [52]

SEJournal welcomes back from hiatus our WatchDog feature, now recast as an opinion column from Joseph A. Davis, Society of Environmental Journalists’ veteran freedom of information advocate and longtime SEJournal contributor. In part one of a two-parter, find out why we’re relaunching the new column, plus get Davis’ take on government openness (or lack thereof) around coronavirus, as well as more on SEJ’s deep commitment to open information and a rundown of its recent FOI activities. And watch for part two next week.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [47]
Air [4]
Biodiversity [54]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [28]
Consumer [19]
Disasters [29]
Economy & Business [48]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [55]
Fish & Fisheries [20]
Food [21]
Forests [56]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Military [57]
Natural Resources [23]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [58]
Other or All [59]
People & Population [11]
Planning & Growth [35]
Policy [36]
Pollution [12]
Science [42]
Technology [60]
Transportation [43]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [24]
Wildlife [61]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [62]
California [37]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [63]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [38]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [49]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [64]
Northwest (OR WA) [65]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [31]
International [25]
Canada [26]
Mexico [66]
Africa [67]
Antarctica & Arctic [68]
Asia [51]
Australia & Oceania [69]
Central America & the Caribbean [70]
Europe [32]
Middle East [71]
South America [72]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about SEJournal Relaunches WatchDog with a ‘Voice,’ Plus Coronavirus and More [52]
Coronavirus Reminds Journalists To Prepare for Public Health Emergencies [73]

COVID-19 is an unpleasant reminder that when a public health emergency hits, it pays for journalists — including environment reporters — to be prepared. The latest TipSheet offers advice on handling the unknown and gathering an emergency “go bag,” as well as tracking story ideas and numerous federal, state/local and media resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [74]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Disasters [29]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Coronavirus Reminds Journalists To Prepare for Public Health Emergencies [73]

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