Publication Items

Irrigation Districts Are Key to Covering Coming Drought [1]

With megadrought a growing reality, one way into the story is through ubiquitous water management agencies. TipSheet surveys the “waterscape” of these governmental bodies — from local irrigation districts to multi-state regional water compacts — and how focusing on them can yield vital insights for drought stories. Plus, questions to ask and links to reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [5]
Disasters [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Fish & Fisheries [9]
Government [10]
Infrastructure [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Natural Resources [14]
People & Population [15]
Planning & Growth [16]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Irrigation Districts Are Key to Covering Coming Drought [1]
The Year Nature Became Mainstream Medicine [20]

An unusual student journalist, moonlighting in between his Ph.D. training as a clinical psychologist, turned an interest in the ways nature can heal into an award-winning story for a prominent magazine, and in the process helped prompt skyrocketing interest among mainstream physicians in “prescribing nature.” Aaron Reuben shares his experience in the new EJ Academy.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [12]
People & Population [15]
Science [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about The Year Nature Became Mainstream Medicine [20]
Webinar Offers Insight Into Complexities of Environmental Justice Reporting [24]

Long overlooked or misunderstood outside of the communities they affected, issues of environmental equity are now increasingly the focus of both government action and journalistic digging. A recent webinar from the Society of Environmental Journalists explored new developments with this many-layered challenge and offered advice on how it can be better covered. Webinar moderator and reporter Perla Trevizo has a rundown.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [26]
Diversity [27]
Environmental Justice [28]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [10]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [12]
People & Population [15]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Webinar Offers Insight Into Complexities of Environmental Justice Reporting [24]
Storm Surge Maps Help Envision Potential Hurricane Flood Catastrophes [31]

Dangerous storm surge that often follows hurricanes can be the focus of life-saving journalism. Reporter’s Toolbox helps environmental journalists get ahead of storm surge with a key resource — a powerful government database and related maps showing surge hazards. Together with real-time advisories and a better understanding of what causes storm surge, Toolbox helps you better cover this danger.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [6]
Government [10]
Journalism & Media [12]
People & Population [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Alaska and Hawaii [33]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [34]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [36]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [37]
International [38]
Central America & the Caribbean [39]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Storm Surge Maps Help Envision Potential Hurricane Flood Catastrophes [31]
Native Tribal Nations Push for Changes in Public Lands [40]

As Native tribal nations successfully exert ancestral rights to land stewardship across the West, journalists covering these developments must first grasp the legal principles that underpin Native governmental sovereignty. But also key is to create and sustain relationships with Native community members. Veteran environment and Indigenous affairs reporter Debra Krol lays out the basics for effective reporting from Indian Country.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [26]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Politics [8]
Fish & Fisheries [9]
Government [10]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
People & Population [15]
Policy [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
International [38]
Canada [42]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Native Tribal Nations Push for Changes in Public Lands [40]
Reporting on Poor, Kids Sickened by Industrial Air Pollution [43]

Pittsburgh is known for its history of steel production … and of air pollution. In the new Inside Story, reporter Kristina Marusic talks about capturing the health impacts of air emissions in western Pennsylvania, and shares insights on how dogged environmental justice reporting can make the links between pollution cuts and health impacts. Plus, tips on managing a long reporting project, creating infographics and using video.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [45]
Environmental Health [7]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [12]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [34]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Reporting on Poor, Kids Sickened by Industrial Air Pollution [43]
Flexibility in the Face of the Unexpected [46]

When a Chicago-based freelancer was just about to hit the road to report a three-part story and TV segment on the potential impacts of two proposed copper mines in the Great Lakes basin, there was a little hitch: The COVID-19 pandemic hit. The new FEJ StoryLog has the story of how Lorraine Boissoneault found the flexibility to complete her grant-supported project.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [48]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Journalism & Media [12]
Natural Resources [14]
People & Population [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [49]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Flexibility in the Face of the Unexpected [46]
Replacing the Nation’s Lead Lines Begins With Locating Them [50]

One especially ambitious element of the Biden infrastructure plan would swap out millions of lead pipes. It’s a massive, costly endeavor, but could remove from the country’s water supply a neurotoxin that harms human health, especially of kids and the poor. TipSheet looks at the new plan and offers ideas for reporting the story in your area.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [10]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
People & Population [15]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [49]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [34]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Replacing the Nation’s Lead Lines Begins With Locating Them [50]
“The Last Lions of Africa: Stories From the Frontline in the Battle To Save a Species” [51]

A straightforward but passionate new book explores efforts to save the big cat from extinction in “The Last Lions of Africa.” Our BookShelf review lauds the author for making clear the species’ complexity and the damage done by “sustainable” practices such as trophy hunting. And the loss ends not just with the lions. Read our review for the bigger picture.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [53]
Environmental Politics [8]
People & Population [15]
Wildlife [54]
Region:
International [38]
Africa [55]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about “The Last Lions of Africa: Stories From the Frontline in the Battle To Save a Species” [51]
Could Hackers Poison Your Local Drinking Water? [56]

A computer hacker nearly succeeded recently in rendering a local Florida facility a source of poisonous drinking water. And the risk of other such hacks is real, even as the vulnerabilities are hidden behind stringent U.S. secrecy laws. The latest TipSheet explores dangers to our drinking water supply — which go well beyond future hacking.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [5]
Disasters [6]
Government [10]
Health [22]
Infrastructure [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
People & Population [15]
Pollution [30]
Technology [57]
Water & Oceans [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [18]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [49]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [36]
Visibility:
Public [19]
- Read more about Could Hackers Poison Your Local Drinking Water? [56]

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