Publication Items

Recycled Sewage Water — Overcoming the ‘Yuck Factor’ [1]

Toilet-to-tap water jokes aside, the technology and economics of turning sewage into potable drinking water is increasingly seen as a remedy for water-stressed communities. The new BookShelf review of “Purified: How Recycled Sewage is Transforming Our Water,” explains how water shortages, climate change, unsustainable growth and other factors have led some communities, most recently Los Angeles, to consider going “all in” on purified wastewater.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Infrastructure [3]
Policy [4]
Science [5]
Technology [6]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [11]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Recycled Sewage Water — Overcoming the ‘Yuck Factor’ [1]
Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [15]

In our annual look-ahead on the environment and energy beat in 2024, we see a bumpy ride on global climate change talks coupled with more climate-driven disasters, even amid the evolving energy transition. And we see possible risks to ocean life from deep sea mining and continuing risks to human life from pollution of air, water and land. Insights in our overview [15] and our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment & Energy [16]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [18]
Biodiversity [19]
Chemicals [20]
Climate Change [21]
Disasters [22]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Forests [28]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Infrastructure [3]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [4]
Pollution [33]
Transportation [34]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [15]
Waste Incineration May Put Toxics Into Local Air [36]

Sometimes on the environment beat, what seems like an old story is perpetually new again. That’s the case with waste incineration, finds the latest TipSheet. Rather than being reduced, incinerators are just being transformed, with the ongoing burning of plastics especially troubling for the environment and public health. Get the backstory on where the regulatory regime may have holes, plus key reporting angles and story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [38]
Air [18]
Chemicals [20]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [39]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Pollution [33]
Waste [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Waste Incineration May Put Toxics Into Local Air [36]
CAFO SNAFU — Why Emissions Data Are So Hard To Find [40]

Sometimes the challenge for environmental reporters is a mess of data. But sometimes it’s just less data. That’s the case with confined animal feed operations, which have been the subject of a years-long political tug of war over tracking emissions harmful to humans and the environment. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explains, then offers alternate sources for CAFO data.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [42]
Air [18]
Economy & Business [23]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Food [43]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [39]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Pollution [33]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about CAFO SNAFU — Why Emissions Data Are So Hard To Find [40]
When Extreme Weather Amplifies Hazardous Waste Threats [44]

Toxic waste is bad enough when it’s in one spot. But it can be even more dangerous when it is made mobile by climate-induced natural disasters. The latest TipSheet looks at just a few of the problems that can arise — or have already arisen. Plus, story ideas and reporting resources to cover this issue in your locale.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [18]
Chemicals [20]
Climate Change [21]
Disasters [22]
Environmental Health [25]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [39]
People & Population [45]
Pollution [33]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about When Extreme Weather Amplifies Hazardous Waste Threats [44]
Tilling the Storytelling Fields on the Food, Ag and Environment Beat [46]

In his more than a decade at the helm of the Food & Environment Reporting Network, Samuel Fromartz was instrumental in shaping a new way of covering food, agriculture and environmental issues. As he prepares to turn over the top editor’s job to his successor, Fromartz talks about FERN’s innovative business model and the power of narrative.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [42]
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [21]
Consumer [48]
Economy & Business [23]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Food [43]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [39]
Pollution [33]
Waste [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Tilling the Storytelling Fields on the Food, Ag and Environment Beat [46]
From Swine Waste, Student Journalist Extracts Prize-Winning Story [49]

Industrial hog farmers tout swine biogas as a clean, green energy source, but others point to its messy side. A young journalist who investigated the underreported stench of environmental racism associated with this technology learned valuable lessons along the way to producing a feature story that won her a Society of Environmental Journalists’ award for outstanding student reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [42]
Air [18]
Chemicals [20]
Diversity [51]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Food [43]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Journalism & Media [39]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Pollution [33]
Science [5]
Technology [6]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about From Swine Waste, Student Journalist Extracts Prize-Winning Story [49]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [52]

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 [53]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [38]
Agriculture [42]
Air [18]
Biodiversity [19]
Chemicals [20]
Climate Change [21]
Disasters [22]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Fish & Fisheries [54]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Infrastructure [3]
Journalism & Media [39]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Military [55]
Natural Resources [32]
Planning & Growth [56]
Policy [4]
Pollution [33]
Science [5]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [35]
Europe [57]
Middle East [58]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [52]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [59]

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 [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [38]
Agriculture [42]
Air [18]
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [21]
Consumer [48]
Disasters [22]
Diversity [51]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Environmental Studies [60]
Fish & Fisheries [54]
Food [43]
Forests [28]
Government [29]
Health [30]
Infrastructure [3]
Journalism & Media [39]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Natural Resources [32]
Planning & Growth [56]
Policy [4]
Pollution [33]
Transportation [34]
Waste [7]
Water & Oceans [8]
Wildlife [61]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Alaska and Hawaii [62]
California [10]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [63]
Northwest (OR WA) [64]
International [35]
Canada [65]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [59]
As Concern Over Methane Mounts, Emission Controls Yield Stories [66]

While carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas most often in the news, methane has greater warming power and accounts for a big chunk of the current increase in global warming. Now, growing regulatory pressure may help shift that focus and could drive more local environmental reporting, per the latest TipSheet. The backstory, plus reporting ideas and resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [42]
Air [18]
Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [25]
Environmental Politics [27]
Journalism & Media [39]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Natural Resources [32]
Policy [4]
Pollution [33]
Waste [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about As Concern Over Methane Mounts, Emission Controls Yield Stories [66]

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