Publication Items

Why Journalists Should Investigate the Twin Mental Health and Climate Crises [1]

The complicated interplay between climate change and trauma, poorly understood and little covered, is holding back the response by individuals and communities to the realities of the climate crisis, argues the head of a network of mental health and other organizations. Here’s what he has found when it comes to how climate-generated anguish is blocking climate solutions and what can be done about it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [7]
Health [8]
Policy [9]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Northwest (OR WA) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [14]
International [15]
Canada [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Why Journalists Should Investigate the Twin Mental Health and Climate Crises [1]
Coming Your Way by Rail Today — A Hazmat Rogues’ Gallery [18]

Environmental reporters can prepare for possible rail accidents involving hazardous materials — like the one that hit East Palestine, Ohio — by having a keener understanding of what hazmat may be regularly carried through their communities. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox guides you to helpful lists of dangerous substances while offering a rundown of nearly a dozen-and-a-half of the worst offenders and their risks.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [20]
Chemicals [21]
Disasters [5]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [22]
Transportation [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [24]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Coming Your Way by Rail Today — A Hazmat Rogues’ Gallery [18]
Finding the Secret Rail Hazmat Routes Near You [25]

Under federal rules, states can decide whether to divulge information about hazardous materials rolling along their railways — and mostly they don’t. Not knowing where and when hazmat trains are traveling or what’s on board creates anxiety and raises the risk for those who live near the tracks. TipSheet offers resources and step-by-step instructions for investigating railway hazmat threats to your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [21]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [27]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [29]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Policy [9]
Pollution [32]
Transportation [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [24]
International [15]
Canada [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Finding the Secret Rail Hazmat Routes Near You [25]
Diving Deeper on the Wetlands Beat Yields Groundbreaking Coverage [33]

Two journalists covering water policy used a wide range of reporting techniques, from FOIA appeals to on-the-ground reporting, to get at the heart of how problems with wetlands and waterways in the United States are tied to climate change concerns. Inside Story spoke with Hannah Northey and Kevin Bogardus of E&E News about their award-winning beat reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [34]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [35]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [36]
Economy & Business [27]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [7]
Environmental Politics [37]
Government [29]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Policy [9]
Pollution [32]
Science [38]
Technology [39]
Water & Oceans [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [24]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [14]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Diving Deeper on the Wetlands Beat Yields Groundbreaking Coverage [33]
Hazmat Highway Routes Key to Keeping Public Safe [41]

In the wake of the train derailment and toxic spill in Ohio, now is a good time for environmental journalists to be ready for the next such accident. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox offers up a data source for another transportation risk — hazardous materials transported via highway. Plus, why rail hazmat data can be trickier to access.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [21]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [37]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Transportation [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [24]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Hazmat Highway Routes Key to Keeping Public Safe [41]
SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [42]

As part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment special report, we’ve got highlights from last week’s reporter panel on the year ahead, led by #SEJ2023 conference co-chair Tom Michael (pictured, left). The focus was largely on the U.S. West, where challenges abound over issues like equitable siting of renewable energy infrastructure, regulating natural gas, managing wildfires and addressing the health consequences of climate-driven heat waves. Read our account [42], plus check out the full 2023 Guide [43].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [45]
Air [20]
Biodiversity [35]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [27]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [7]
Environmental Politics [37]
Fish & Fisheries [46]
Food [47]
Forests [48]
Government [29]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Natural Resources [49]
People & Population [50]
Planning & Growth [51]
Policy [9]
Pollution [32]
Water & Oceans [40]
Wildlife [52]
Region:
California [12]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [53]
Northwest (OR WA) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [54]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [42]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [55]

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [43]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [45]
Air [20]
Biodiversity [35]
Chemicals [21]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [27]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Justice [7]
Environmental Politics [37]
Fish & Fisheries [46]
Government [29]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Military [57]
Natural Resources [49]
Planning & Growth [51]
Policy [9]
Pollution [32]
Science [38]
Waste [58]
Water & Oceans [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
International [15]
Europe [59]
Middle East [60]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [55]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [61]

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [45]
Air [20]
Biodiversity [35]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [62]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [36]
Economy & Business [27]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [7]
Environmental Politics [37]
Environmental Studies [63]
Fish & Fisheries [46]
Food [47]
Forests [48]
Government [29]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Natural Resources [49]
Planning & Growth [51]
Policy [9]
Pollution [32]
Transportation [23]
Waste [58]
Water & Oceans [40]
Wildlife [52]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Alaska and Hawaii [64]
California [12]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [53]
Northwest (OR WA) [13]
International [15]
Canada [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [61]
Weather Nerd ‘Looks Up’ and Finds Science, Meaning in Stormy Skies [65]

Gen Z weather hotshot Matthew Cappucci recounts his rapid, if uneven, rise into major media meteorology in his new book, “Looking Up.” Along the way, he talks about weather — and the science behind it — in a way that reporters who cover storms can make good use of. Jenny Weeks reviews the volume for BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [66]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Science [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Weather Nerd ‘Looks Up’ and Finds Science, Meaning in Stormy Skies [65]
Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [67]

When U.S. communities become unlivable due to climate change impacts, can residents count on government relocation assistance — and are those most in need of help actually getting it? Those questions kickstarted a year-long investigation led by three high-powered journalism organizations. Now they’re sharing their reporting resources toolkit and inviting other journalists to widen the coverage with more local stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [36]
Economy & Business [27]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [7]
Environmental Politics [37]
Government [29]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [30]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [31]
People & Population [50]
Planning & Growth [51]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Alaska and Hawaii [64]
California [12]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [24]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [68]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [69]
Northwest (OR WA) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [14]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [54]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [67]

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