Publication Items

Award-Winner — ‘Trust Your Gut’ but Track the Data [1]

Small market environmental beat reporting can shine a light on serious issues that affect local residents, and Texas Observer’s Christopher Collins does that with a passion. That’s the word from judges for the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual reporting awards, who recently honored Collins for his work, citing his mix of hard-hitting info and interesting characters. In the latest Inside Story, Collins shares how he gets his story ideas, overcomes challenges and focuses on how issues affect real individuals.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Food [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
People & Population [10]
Pollution [11]
Region:
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Award-Winner — ‘Trust Your Gut’ but Track the Data [1]
“Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought” [14]

As our BookShelf column moves to a monthly schedule, we take a look at an imaginative take on how to deal with the spread of invasive species — eating them! A pair of children’s book authors offers insight into the problem for young adult readers (and the rest of us), along with recipes. Read our review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [17]
Consumer [18]
Food [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
International [20]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about “Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought” [14]
Reporting from Iraq — with Both Camera and Notebook [21]

In the first edition of a new SEJournal column — EJ InSight — we look at how one freelance print journalist took up the camera to diversify her skills and report a unique story from the marshes of Iraq. See a photo gallery [22] of her images. Plus, multimedia efforts from other environmental reporters [23].

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ InSight [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [26]
People & Population [10]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
International [20]
Middle East [28]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Reporting from Iraq — with Both Camera and Notebook [21]
Farm Bill May Stir Up Local Hornets’ Nest on Pesticides [29]

Local pesticide bans that go beyond federal restrictions may be a growing trend, but it’s one that has brought on a backlash by GOP politicians and farmers. The conflict may soon be resolved — or not — by Congress, as it closes in on a new U.S. Farm Bill. Meanwhile, this week’s TipSheet helps explain the dispute and provides resources and signs to watch.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [5]
Economy & Business [31]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [32]
Food [8]
Government [33]
Health [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [35]
Policy [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Farm Bill May Stir Up Local Hornets’ Nest on Pesticides [29]
Ditching Plastic Straws — A Strawman for the Real Problem of Marine Litter? [37]

Plastic straws might have quickly become this summer’s bogeyman, with bans by Starbucks, hotel chains, resorts and some big cities. But as this week’s TipSheet points out, straws are only a part of the massive marine litter problem facing the world’s oceans. Here’s how to put recent straw bans into broader perspective.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Consumer [18]
Environmental Health [7]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Pollution [11]
Water & Oceans [27]
Wildlife [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
California [40]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [41]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [42]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [43]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [12]
International [20]
Canada [44]
Mexico [45]
Asia [46]
Australia & Oceania [47]
Central America & the Caribbean [48]
South America [49]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Ditching Plastic Straws — A Strawman for the Real Problem of Marine Litter? [37]
Will State, Local Pesticide Bans Make More News? [50]

When EPA falls short on regulation of pesticides, might states step into the breach? That’s exactly what happened in June when Hawaii banned toxic organophosphate chlorpyrifos. To take a closer look, this week’s TipSheet reports on how federal regulation opens the door for state, or even local, preemption and offers angles and resources for environmental reporters.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Economy & Business [31]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [32]
Environmental Studies [51]
Food [8]
Government [33]
Health [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [35]
Policy [36]
Science [52]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
International [20]
Canada [44]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Will State, Local Pesticide Bans Make More News? [50]
Veteran Photo Editor on Making Visual Storytelling a ‘Lead Actor’ [53]

Visual storytelling can serve as a primary narrative tool, especially when it comes to human impacts on the environment. That’s the case made by acclaimed former National Geographic photo editor Dennis Dimick in this feature interview, that delves into his unexpected journalistic career.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [17]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Studies [51]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [8]
Forests [54]
Health [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [26]
People & Population [10]
Planning & Growth [55]
Pollution [11]
Science [52]
Water & Oceans [27]
Wildlife [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [56]
Northwest (OR WA) [57]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Veteran Photo Editor on Making Visual Storytelling a ‘Lead Actor’ [53]
Farmers Markets Offer Baskets of Fresh Story Ideas [58]

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 [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [18]
Economy & Business [31]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Food [8]
Health [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
Transportation [59]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Farmers Markets Offer Baskets of Fresh Story Ideas [58]
Environmental Protections in Play Amid Farm Bill Furor [60]

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 [61]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [18]
Economy & Business [31]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [32]
Food [8]
Forests [54]
Government [33]
Health [34]
Laws & Regulations [35]
Policy [36]
Pollution [11]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Environmental Protections in Play Amid Farm Bill Furor [60]
“Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science” [62]

A hard-nosed account of Monsanto and its controversial and popular herbicide Roundup comes in a new book by a former wire service reporter, who pieced together documentation and fact-finding from over 20 years to make a case there was a dangerous cover-up. BookShelf reviews Carey Gillam’s “Whitewash.”

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [18]
Economy & Business [31]
Environmental Health [7]
Food [8]
Government [33]
Health [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [35]
Natural Resources [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [19]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about “Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science” [62]

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