Publication Items

New Tack on Ticks — Infestations a Local Environmental Story [1]

Tick populations are on the rise in the United States, bringing higher risk of serious tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease and a host of others. That offers a chance to tell the story of the environmental factors behind the spread, such as climate change and rising deer populations. The latest TipSheet explains.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [3]
Health [4]
People & Population [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [7]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about New Tack on Ticks — Infestations a Local Environmental Story [1]
Battling Mosquitoes: The Fog of Chemical Warfare [9]

Mosquitoes are not just annoyances. They also bring disease. But is the current patchwork of mosquito-control efforts effective? Or are the remedies, particularly pesticide spraying, worse than the problem? This week's Tipsheet has resources to help you report on balancing the risks of disease against those of spraying.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [10]
Air [11]
Chemicals [12]
Consumer [3]
Health [4]
Journalism & Media [13]
People & Population [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Battling Mosquitoes: The Fog of Chemical Warfare [9]
To Report on Drinking Water, Know Its Source [14]

Safe drinking water is a long-standing challenge left unmet all across the United States. As our latest Issue Backgrounder explains, telling the story of drinkable water requires digging beneath complex relationships, understanding the sources of drinking water and much more. Here's help to do it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [12]
Consumer [3]
Disasters [16]
Environmental Health [17]
Health [4]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Natural Resources [19]
People & Population [5]
Pollution [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about To Report on Drinking Water, Know Its Source [14]
Harmful Algal Blooms Plague Polluted Summer Waters [22]

The harmful algal blooms brought on by excessive nutrient pollution in warm summer waters can be dangerous to humans, animals and fish. Our latest TipSheet will help you cover the phenomenon, make the distinction between algae and toxic cyanobacteria, and point you to sources for forecasting outbreaks.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Fish & Fisheries [23]
Health [4]
Journalism & Media [13]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [7]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [24]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Harmful Algal Blooms Plague Polluted Summer Waters [22]
No ‘Day at the Beach’ with Pollution-related Closures [25]

Every summer, beaches are closed across the United States because of pollution that can bring disease to beachgoers. That suggests local stories, such as problems with sewage systems and algal blooms known as 'red tides.' The latest TipSheet shares resources and info to help you cover the local beach closure beat.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [4]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Pollution [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about No ‘Day at the Beach’ with Pollution-related Closures [25]
Lead in Drinking Water Remains Widespread Problem [26]

More stories about lead contamination of drinking water are unfolding around the country, even as the Flint disaster lingers. A new Issue Backgrounder details how lead gets into drinking water, how it leads to health problems among the most prevalent in the United States, and what solutions might address the crisis.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [12]
Health [4]
Laws & Regulations [18]
People & Population [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Lead in Drinking Water Remains Widespread Problem [26]
Connecting Superfund to Environmental Justice Stories [27]

Concerns about the greater impact of pollution on poor people and ethnic minorities are not new. But now, environmental reporters have more tools than ever for finding and telling these stories. The latest TipSheet spotlights a useful EPA app and numerous other sources to track this ongoing story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [10]
Environmental Politics [28]
Health [4]
People & Population [5]
Waste [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Connecting Superfund to Environmental Justice Stories [27]
Data-Driven Journalism Delivers … Mostly [30]

Make sure data-driven reporting fulfills its potential with your environmental coverage. This extensive ToolBox looks at the broader trends in the burgeoning field, then zeros in on best uses for data journalism, spotlights great examples, and shares the resources, reading and helpful sites to get you on your way.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [11]
Chemicals [12]
Energy & Fuel [32]
Environmental Health [17]
Health [4]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Pollution [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Data-Driven Journalism Delivers … Mostly [30]
Hazardous Sites Near You? There’s a Database for That! [33]

The best public database of the risk management plans for many major hazardous sites has now been restored. The latest TipSheet has the backstory on government tracking of hazardous chemical facilities, an example of how the database was mined for some stellar reporting, and ideas for smart use of this powerful tool.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [12]
Disasters [16]
Government [34]
Health [4]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [35]
Asia [36]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Hazardous Sites Near You? There’s a Database for That! [33]
Toxics Database a Key Tool for Environmental Journalists [37]

The Toxics Release Inventory has long been a vital reporting tool, and now there's a new edition of the database, issued last month by the outgoing Obama administration. Reporter's Toolbox walks you through how to smartly mine TRI for stories, whether you're a newbie or a veteran. Plus, TRI caveats.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [12]
Disasters [16]
Economy & Business [38]
Environmental Health [17]
Health [4]
Laws & Regulations [18]
Pollution [20]
Waste [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Toxics Database a Key Tool for Environmental Journalists [37]

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