Publication Items

The Polar Vortex Portends … the Planting of Seeds? [1]

While extreme cold has made much news this winter, environmental journalists have another way into climate-related stories as spring approaches — through gardening. That’s because this time of year, gardeners are already buying and nursing seeds in readiness for planting. Ideas for reporting the topic, including a government plant hardiness zone map that offers a window into the climate change story, from the latest TipSheet.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [5]
Food [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Science [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Canada [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about The Polar Vortex Portends … the Planting of Seeds? [1]
The Bounty of the Gift Economy [13]

Bestselling Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer, in her new book, exalts a simple berry that helps sustain the life around it, and in doing so exemplifies the economic power of giving. “The Serviceberry” explores the traditions of the gift economy and its potential to be nurtured alongside the market economy. The latest BookShelf from contributor Jenny Weeks.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Consumer [5]
Economy & Business [15]
Food [6]
People & Population [16]
Policy [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about The Bounty of the Gift Economy [13]
Telling the Stories of the Silent Sentinels [18]

To many, plants are a merely green backdrop, indistinguishable and inconsequential. But, freelancer Karen Mockler says that such “plant blindness” belies an urgent need for our notice. More than a third of the world’s trees and thousands of other plant species face extinction. Their plight — and their many blessings — offer perceptive journalists a wealth of reporting and storytelling opportunities. Mockler on why to write about plants.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [20]
Biodiversity [21]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [24]
Environmental Studies [25]
Food [6]
Forests [26]
Government [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [29]
Natural Resources [30]
Pollution [31]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [32]
Science [8]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [35]
Northwest (OR WA) [36]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [37]
International [10]
Canada [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Telling the Stories of the Silent Sentinels [18]
Prize Winner Spurs Policy Change on Illinois PFAS Contamination [38]

When Illinois downplayed the results of long-delayed PFAS testing in the state’s public water supply, Chicago Tribune reporter Michael Hawthorne revisited a story he had first covered two decades before. His investigation uncovered dangerous practices threatening public health, won him accolades and moved the needle on state policy. How he went about it, in the new Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [40]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [24]
Environmental Studies [25]
Food [6]
Government [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [7]
Policy [17]
Pollution [31]
Science [8]
Waste [41]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [42]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Prize Winner Spurs Policy Change on Illinois PFAS Contamination [38]
Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals [43]

What was once benignly dubbed biosolids is more accurately tagged toxic sludge. And some of it may be finding its way into our food. The latest TipSheet reports how that came to be despite (or perhaps because of) Clean Water Act regulation, and how hard it is to calculate the potential harms. Plus, more than a dozen reporting ideas and resources for this highly localizable story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Environmental Politics [24]
Food [6]
Government [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [29]
Pollution [31]
Waste [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals [43]
Could Beef Be the Route to a Bird Flu Pandemic? [44]

What goes on the backyard grill may be an important environmental story for any number of reasons. But as the latest TipSheet points out, one especially worrying one at the moment is the possibility that avian flu could jump species and create a public health crisis. Here’s what we know right now, along with story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Consumer [5]
Food [6]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Could Beef Be the Route to a Bird Flu Pandemic? [44]
Track Harmful Algal Blooms With Data. Avoid Bad Clams [45]

It’s summertime and the living is easy for algae that can be hazardous to human health. Climate heating and agricultural pollution are making the problem worse. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores useful sources of data for tracking trends. Plus, tips on how to use the data for local reporting on the risks posed by this seasonal threat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Biodiversity [21]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [15]
Environmental Health [22]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Food [6]
Government [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [30]
Pollution [31]
Science [8]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Track Harmful Algal Blooms With Data. Avoid Bad Clams [45]
‘Endangered’ USGS Pesticide Database Shows Wide Chemical Impact [48]

Pesticides are a major environmental and public health issue — harming vulnerable human populations, as well as contributing to declines in insect populations and even the birds that feed on them. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores an invaluable government database that reports estimates of county-level use of a wide array of these chemicals, but which recently faced severe cutbacks. Read more about the Pesticide National Synthesis Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [40]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Politics [24]
Food [6]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [7]
Pollution [31]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about ‘Endangered’ USGS Pesticide Database Shows Wide Chemical Impact [48]
Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [49]

The latest data from the five-year USDA agriculture census has specialized features that suggest numerous environmental stories — whether on irrigation, pesticides and fertilizer, renewable energy, conservation or more. There’s even a feature that provides data by congressional district. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has more on the data source and how to use it smartly for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [40]
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Health [22]
Food [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Pollution [31]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [49]
Philly Steaks Out New Ground [51]

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 [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [53]
Economy & Business [15]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Politics [24]
Food [6]
Government [27]
Health [28]
Infrastructure [54]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [30]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [55]
Policy [17]
Pollution [31]
Technology [56]
Transportation [57]
Waste [41]
Water & Oceans [33]
Wildlife [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [58]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Philly Steaks Out New Ground [51]

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