Publication Items

Use EPA TRI Database To Find Toxic Threats [1]

The Toxics Release Inventory database, refreshed annually, has long been the foundation of many a good environmental news story. The latest release is now out, and this week’s TipSheet reminds journalists why the searchable online TRI can be such a valuable reporting tool in tracking toxic dangers.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Disasters [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Asia [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Use EPA TRI Database To Find Toxic Threats [1]
Styrofoam Facts — Why You May Want To Bring Your Own Cup [17]

What makes styrofoam good — like its insulating, shock-absorbing qualities that make it suitable for hot coffee cups, coolers, helmets and packing material — is also what makes it bad … for the environment, that is. This month’s Backgrounder looks at the technical and environmental aspects of this long-troubling plastic pollution source.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [20]
Food [21]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Pollution [12]
Science [22]
Waste [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Styrofoam Facts — Why You May Want To Bring Your Own Cup [17]
Styrofoam Container Bans May Be Trending [24]

The first state ban on styrofoam food containers makes this a good time to see how things stand with styrofoam in your area, as the controversial plastic draws negative attention for overflowing landfills, causing litter and polluting waters. More, plus story ideas and reporting resources, in this week’s TipSheet.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [21]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [12]
Waste [23]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [27]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [28]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [29]
Northwest (OR WA) [30]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Styrofoam Container Bans May Be Trending [24]
SEJ Joins Lawsuits; Press Freedom Tracker Gets Update; Docs on ANWR Drilling Concealed, and More [31]

The Society of Environmental Journalists is backing right-to-know lawsuits brought by journalism groups, and a collaborative press freedom tracker gets new funding. Meanwhile, at the Interior Department, one watchdog group angles for environmental impact statements on ANWR drilling, while others track possible conflicts of interest by the acting secretary. That and more in the latest WatchDog roundup.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [33]
Energy & Fuel [34]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [35]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [21]
Forests [36]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Military [37]
Natural Resources [38]
Policy [39]
Pollution [12]
Wildlife [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [41]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about SEJ Joins Lawsuits; Press Freedom Tracker Gets Update; Docs on ANWR Drilling Concealed, and More [31]
List of Toxics Near Military Sites May Include Leads for Reporters [42]

Drinking water contaminated with PFAS for years has caused worry, even outrage, in local communities affected by the toxic chemicals. Now, a military database may help reporters locate contamination sites. This week’s TipSheet has more on the database, along with tips for evaluating your local PFAS story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Health [7]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Military [37]
Policy [39]
Pollution [12]
Science [22]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about List of Toxics Near Military Sites May Include Leads for Reporters [42]
New Coal Ash Data Help Pinpoint Local Pollution Stories [43]

Hundreds of coal ash ponds and landfills around the United States pollute drinking water supplies, and now a newly released report helps localize the problem for environmental reporters. This week’s TipSheet explores the new data source, provides the back story on coal ash regulation (or lack thereof) and the potential health risks, while offering numerous questions to ask and resources to track down.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Energy & Fuel [34]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [20]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
People & Population [44]
Pollution [12]
Waste [23]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [45]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about New Coal Ash Data Help Pinpoint Local Pollution Stories [43]
Perfecting Your Panorama Technique [46]

In this how-to, veteran environmental photojournalist Dennis Dimick shares new techniques for capturing panoramas from the air — while on commercial plane flights — in order to illustrate human impacts on the landscape. Plus, Dimick details how and why he developed the new approach [47], in our latest EJ InSight column exploring the cutting edge of visual journalism on the environment.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ InSight [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [49]
Air [4]
Forests [36]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [44]
Planning & Growth [50]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Perfecting Your Panorama Technique [46]
Capturing a Planet on the Fly [47]

Capturing panoramas from the air has become a passion for veteran environmental photojournalist Dennis Dimick. In the latest EJ InSight, our new column exploring the cutting edge of visual journalism on the environment, Dimick describes how he visualizes the expanding human footprint of the emergent Anthropocene era — by shooting from commercial airplane flights. Plus, Dimick shares his techniques in a how-to sidebar [46].

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ InSight [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [49]
Air [4]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Forests [36]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [44]
Planning & Growth [50]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Capturing a Planet on the Fly [47]
Where Does All That Recycling Go? [51]

Where do all those recyclables actually go? This week’s TipSheet dives into the trash to find a story worth telling — of troubling overseas dumping, problematic local incineration and a fraying patchwork of U.S. regulation. Plus, several dozen questions you might want to ask, a pair of pro tips and a dozen resources to track the story in your area.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Consumer [19]
Economy & Business [52]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [39]
Pollution [12]
Waste [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Asia [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Where Does All That Recycling Go? [51]
Climate Scientist Canned, SCOTUS To Rule on Chemical ‘Secrets’ and Army Corps Sued Over Permit Info [53]

A scientist contracted to report on climate impacts for the National Park Service was caught up in a fracas over attempted censorship of her findings. Now she’s been fired. That, plus a FOIA case before the Supreme Court and an enviro group sues the Army Corps of Engineers over info on a permit for a new plastics plant in Louisiana. Read the latest on freedom-of-information issues in this month’s WatchDog TipSheet.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [54]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [35]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [12]
Science [22]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [55]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [45]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Climate Scientist Canned, SCOTUS To Rule on Chemical ‘Secrets’ and Army Corps Sued Over Permit Info [53]

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