Publication Items

New-Look Landslide Risk Database Captures Potential Human Costs [1]

Susceptibility to landslides is more on the minds of environmental reporters, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which caused hundreds of them. To get a better read on local landslide risk for local stories, Reporter’s Toolbox recommends an enhanced resource from the U.S. Geological Survey, which layers the risk data into easily readable map form.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Studies [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Science [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Northwest (OR WA) [10]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about New-Look Landslide Risk Database Captures Potential Human Costs [1]
Better Communicating for the Climate [13]

What if the news, instead of inducing fear or anxiety, was rewarding for the brain? That question sparked the creation of a novel, game show–inspired approach to helping journalists unlock new ways of reporting, using healthier, more holistic communication techniques. Drawing on research from neuroscience, community psychology and journalism, “Jourpardy” offers fresh perspectives on how to avoid doom-and-gloom reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [6]
Science [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [15]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Better Communicating for the Climate [13]
Is Climate Data at Risk From Natural Disasters? [16]

When Hurricane Helene ravaged a swath of the Southeast in September, leaving at least 230 people dead, it also temporarily took out a critical repository of climate data in Asheville, North Carolina. That got Reporter’s Toolbox thinking about the risks to some of the nation’s other important storehouses of environmental information, whether from extreme weather, hackers or politics. Here’s a shortlist.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [17]
Environmental Studies [5]
Government [18]
Science [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Is Climate Data at Risk From Natural Disasters? [16]
Will Your Local Dam Turn Deadly in the Next Big Storm? [20]

The devastating death toll and damage from Hurricane Helene are a dire warning of the risks of extreme weather and flooding. But one notable hazard is that such flooding may overwhelm any one of the thousands of small, neglected U.S. dams. TipSheet examines the issue and offers more than a dozen story angles and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [25]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Will Your Local Dam Turn Deadly in the Next Big Storm? [20]
Making Sense of Jewish Perspectives on the Climate Story [27]

American Jews are heavily involved in climate action in both the political and civic realms. But current events in Israel and Gaza can make it hard for U.S. journalists to cover environmental stories important to Jews at home or abroad. Jewish freelancer Ethan Brown on differences and synergies between Israeli and American Jewish environmentalism and how to approach stories within each community.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [28]
Chemicals [29]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [30]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [17]
Forests [32]
Government [18]
Journalism & Media [6]
Military [33]
People & Population [7]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [15]
Middle East [35]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Making Sense of Jewish Perspectives on the Climate Story [27]
What Makes Communities More Survivable in Extreme Heat Events? [36]

When heat waves hit your area, as they did for much of the United States in June, local responses can (and should) go well beyond individual behaviors to address broader area actions — from cool pavements to urban trees. For environmental journalists, that means community-level heat response is an important climate story angle. TipSheet explains, then offers a dozen story ideas, along with reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [37]
Disasters [4]
Health [38]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about What Makes Communities More Survivable in Extreme Heat Events? [36]
Rethinking Rural Reporting — How To Get Past the Cliches [39]

When covering rural America, mainstream media often defaults to stereotypes steeped in politics and ignores the diversity that actually exists there, as expanding news deserts exacerbate the problem. Reporter Claire Carlson on why this matters — including in discouraging investment around climate change or resource industries urban dwellers depend on. Here’s how journalists can report richer, more nuanced stories about rural people and places.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [40]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Diversity [41]
Economy & Business [42]
Environmental Politics [17]
Government [18]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Policy [43]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Rethinking Rural Reporting — How To Get Past the Cliches [39]
Is Your Community Ready for Tornadoes? Are You? [44]

With more than 100 tornadoes hitting the United States so far this year, the latest TipSheet takes a closer look at how journalists can help their communities better prepare for these damaging and often deadly windstorms. Plus, more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources, from questions about warning systems and shelters to sources at weather agencies and for tornado-preparedness advice.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [45]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Is Your Community Ready for Tornadoes? Are You? [44]
New HeatRisk Data Site Helps Warn on Health Threats [46]

As global warming worsens heat-related illnesses, U.S. government agencies have refined a data tool whose greatest value may be to warn people about the extreme heat events that can send them to the emergency room or worse. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores the improved HeatRisk site and how its combination of climate and medical considerations refocuses attention on the vulnerable.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [37]
Disasters [4]
Health [38]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about New HeatRisk Data Site Helps Warn on Health Threats [46]
Philly Steaks Out New Ground [47]

It just wouldn’t be the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference recap without the waggish tales of SEJ’s resident wit, David Helvarg, who once again this year skewers the lot of us, sparing not a jot of our five days in Philadelphia. Read on and prepare to snicker.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [40]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Economy & Business [42]
Energy & Fuel [49]
Environmental Politics [17]
Food [50]
Government [18]
Health [38]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [51]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [52]
Policy [43]
Pollution [53]
Technology [54]
Transportation [55]
Waste [56]
Water & Oceans [24]
Wildlife [57]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Philly Steaks Out New Ground [47]

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