Publication Items

Breaking the ‘Cycle’ on Chemical Safety Story [1]

Chemical plant explosions make for fiery headlines, but then the reporting tends to flame out. The latest Backgrounder spells out why environmental journalists should stay vigilant on chemical safety coverage, with news hooks and ingredients for a potent mix of advance stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [13]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Transportation [16]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [19]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Breaking the ‘Cycle’ on Chemical Safety Story [1]
Farmers Markets Offer Baskets of Fresh Story Ideas [21]

Nearby farmers market may offer reporters a bounty of environmental stories, with angles on organic foods, locavore movements and more. This week’s TipSheet outlines ideas, provides resources and encourages you to go pay a visit to speak with vendors and customers … and perhaps even taste some free wares.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Food [25]
Health [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Transportation [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Farmers Markets Offer Baskets of Fresh Story Ideas [21]
Media Object as EPA Bars Reporters from Drinking Water ‘Summit’ [26]

Is EPA antipathy toward news media hiding inaction on a toxic drinking water contaminant? That’s the question asked by the latest WatchDog, which looks at a recent incident in which media access to a public meeting was limited, and then explores what may be behind it.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [27]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Environmental Health [28]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [13]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Media Object as EPA Bars Reporters from Drinking Water ‘Summit’ [26]
Environmental Protections in Play Amid Farm Bill Furor [29]

Big environmental issues such as the use of pesticides, labelling of organic foods and the preservation of farmland and water are central to a huge farm bill lurching its way through the nation’s legislature, hamstrung by partisan politics. Our latest Backgrounder sets up the landscape for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [30]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [28]
Environmental Politics [8]
Food [25]
Forests [31]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Environmental Protections in Play Amid Farm Bill Furor [29]
Are Fluorinated Chemicals Contaminating Your Local Drinking Water? [32]

A family of widely used fluorinated chemicals may be contaminating local drinking water supplies, causing uncertain health effects and with little clarity over federal regulations. But some states are starting to step in. This week’s TipSheet unwinds the confusion over PFAS, with some backstory and plenty of resources for your local coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Environmental Health [28]
Health [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Pollution [15]
Science [33]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [34]
Northwest (OR WA) [35]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Are Fluorinated Chemicals Contaminating Your Local Drinking Water? [32]
Tracking Troubled Waters with ‘Endangered Rivers’ List [36]

A running list of endangered rivers becomes an annual starting point for strong local coverage of critical water issues. This week’s TipSheet spotlights the latest additions to an inventory of trouble spots around the United States, plus key angles and issues for coverage, and a selection of top resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Environmental Health [28]
Environmental Politics [8]
Fish & Fisheries [37]
Government [9]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [38]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Wildlife [39]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Alaska and Hawaii [40]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [41]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [42]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [43]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [19]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Tracking Troubled Waters with ‘Endangered Rivers’ List [36]
Great Lakes Offer Great Stories to Reporters in the Know [45]

The Great Lakes are not only the largest fresh water system in the world, supplying drinking water to tens of millions. They also face a range of environmental woes that make them ready fodder for reporters. This week’s TipSheet runs down some ongoing developments, plus key resources to cover them.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Biodiversity [46]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Environmental Health [28]
Environmental Politics [8]
Fish & Fisheries [37]
Health [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [38]
People & Population [13]
Planning & Growth [47]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [41]
International [48]
Canada [49]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Great Lakes Offer Great Stories to Reporters in the Know [45]
Drinking Water a Little-Noticed Environmental Justice Problem [50]

Health risks from unsafe drinking water afflict many, not only around the world, but in the United States too, especially the poor, ethnic minorities and those in remote rural areas. The latest Issue Backgrounder looks at this undercovered environmental justice story, and offers ideas and resources for how reporters can cover it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Chemicals [4]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [13]
Planning & Growth [47]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Drinking Water a Little-Noticed Environmental Justice Problem [50]
Lead Paint Lingers as Environmental Health Threat [51]

Lead is not just poisoning much of the U.S. drinking water supply. It’s also a threat to millions of the nation’s children, who continue to ingest lead paint chips from older housing stock decades after lead paint was banned. This week’s TipSheet explores this perennial problem and offers resources for local coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [24]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Lead Paint Lingers as Environmental Health Threat [51]
Searching for Environment Themes at Sundance 2018 [52]

While environmental themes were less prominent at the Sundance Film Festival this year, our correspondent JoAnn Valenti unearthed ecological messages from documentaries that explore the emergence of climate change refugees in the face of sea level rise, the escape from modernity into wilderness and the confrontation of environmental threats by young innovators.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Air [30]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [54]
Environmental Health [28]
Environmental Politics [8]
Forests [31]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Natural Resources [38]
People & Population [13]
Planning & Growth [47]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
International [48]
Australia & Oceania [55]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Searching for Environment Themes at Sundance 2018 [52]

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