Publication Items

Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [1]

It’s a good case for the global-local nexus: The potent greenhouse gas methane may be leaking from your local landfill. And this week’s TipSheet explains the latest news developments in this long-standing controversy, as well as policy disputes over capturing the gas. Plus, get story ideas and questions to ask for your local reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Consumer [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Waste [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
California [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [15]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [16]
Northwest (OR WA) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [18]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [1]
Styrofoam Facts — Why You May Want To Bring Your Own Cup [20]

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 [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Consumer [7]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Politics [8]
Food [23]
Government [24]
Health [25]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Waste [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
International [28]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Styrofoam Facts — Why You May Want To Bring Your Own Cup [20]
Styrofoam Container Bans May Be Trending [29]

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 [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Fish & Fisheries [30]
Food [23]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [26]
Waste [11]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
California [13]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [15]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [16]
Northwest (OR WA) [17]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Styrofoam Container Bans May Be Trending [29]
Resiliency Checklist — Is Your Community Ready for the Next Big Flood? [32]

With flood-ravaged Midwestern states in the news, it’s time to ask whether your own community is ready for the “big one.” This week’s TipSheet offers a 10-point Resiliency Checklist to focus your reporting. Track the vulnerability of infrastructure like drinking water and sewage plants, roads, bridges and levees, the adequacy of flood insurance and much more.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [33]
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [34]
Journalism & Media [9]
People & Population [35]
Planning & Growth [36]
Transportation [37]
Waste [11]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [38]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Resiliency Checklist — Is Your Community Ready for the Next Big Flood? [32]
New Coal Ash Data Help Pinpoint Local Pollution Stories [39]

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 [40]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Politics [8]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [35]
Pollution [26]
Waste [11]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about New Coal Ash Data Help Pinpoint Local Pollution Stories [39]
Where Does All That Recycling Go? [42]

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 [7]
Economy & Business [43]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [44]
Pollution [26]
Waste [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
International [28]
Asia [45]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Where Does All That Recycling Go? [42]
Prominent Reporters See Critical Year Ahead on Energy, Environment [46]

It’s a “make or break” year for a range of environmental and energy issues, advise leading journalists at the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual “2019 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment” event in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 25. The gathering also featured a surprise appearance by a top EPA official, who was questioned about administration policy on climate change. Read our coverage of the forum in this SEJ News report.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [33]
Air [4]
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [34]
Economy & Business [43]
Energy & Fuel [40]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [48]
Policy [44]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Waste [11]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
International [28]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Prominent Reporters See Critical Year Ahead on Energy, Environment [46]
Environment and Energy News Outlook for 2019 [49]

With 2019 in full swing, the SEJournal offers an analysis of the year ahead in environment and energy news, with an overview of our full special report, the “2019 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [50].” Plus, don’t miss SEJ’s Jan. 25 event with top reporters [51] to help you keep track of the big stories on the beat. RSVP here [52] to attend in-person or online.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [34]
Economy & Business [43]
Energy & Fuel [40]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [24]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [48]
People & Population [35]
Policy [44]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Transportation [37]
Waste [11]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Environment and Energy News Outlook for 2019 [49]
Many Environmental Court Disputes Will Make News in 2019 [54]

U.S. courts will be a key venue of environmental conflict in 2019, as the Trump administration pushes back against an extensive array of long-standing environmental law. This special edition Issue Backgrounder looks at seven key legal disputes, including cases involving climate change liability, intergenerational equity and policy, as well as conflicts over maintaining national monuments, defining which waters are subject to anti-pollution rules, disposing of coal ash and extending offshore drilling.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Economy & Business [43]
Energy & Fuel [40]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [24]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [48]
Policy [44]
Pollution [26]
Waste [11]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
California [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [55]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [18]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Many Environmental Court Disputes Will Make News in 2019 [54]
Incinerators Offer Local Journalists Some Burning Issues [56]

Incinerators — there may be fewer of them these days, but it’s likely there’s still one near you and it’s probably polluting the air. How a cheap method to make garbage go away now has become a problem of its own, one that often sparks debates over environmental justice. This week’s Tipsheet has a quick rundown on incinerator regulation, outlines key problem areas and offers resources for reporting your own local incinerator story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Energy & Fuel [40]
Environmental Politics [8]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [35]
Pollution [26]
Waste [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [38]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [15]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Incinerators Offer Local Journalists Some Burning Issues [56]

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