Publication Items

Replacing the Nation’s Lead Lines Begins With Locating Them [1]

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 [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
People & Population [9]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [12]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Replacing the Nation’s Lead Lines Begins With Locating Them [1]
“The Last Lions of Africa: Stories From the Frontline in the Battle To Save a Species” [15]

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 [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [17]
Environmental Politics [4]
People & Population [9]
Wildlife [18]
Region:
International [19]
Africa [20]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about “The Last Lions of Africa: Stories From the Frontline in the Battle To Save a Species” [15]
Could Hackers Poison Your Local Drinking Water? [21]

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 [22]
Disasters [23]
Government [5]
Health [6]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
People & Population [9]
Pollution [25]
Technology [26]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Could Hackers Poison Your Local Drinking Water? [21]
Top Biden Climate Advisor, Others Preview 2021 Energy and Enviro News [28]

President Biden’s national climate advisor Gina McCarthy joined an outspoken U.S. senator and a roundtable of elite journalists last week to preview dramatic changes possibly ahead in U.S. and international climate policy, environmental justice, clean energy and more. Get the upshot from the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 2021 Guide to Energy & Environment event. Plus, watch video of the full program [29].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [31]
Energy & Fuel [32]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
People & Population [9]
Policy [33]
Science [34]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [35]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [36]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
Northwest (OR WA) [38]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [39]
International [19]
Europe [40]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Top Biden Climate Advisor, Others Preview 2021 Energy and Enviro News [28]
“Environment, Social Justice, and the Media in the Age of the Anthropocene” [41]

A case study in how journalists can center environmental news around social justice is at the heart of a new volume of scholarly essays reviewed in the latest BookShelf. While its tale of rural residents poisoned by contaminants is decades old, its lesson of what happens when power players bank on media acquiescence holds for stories of today.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [42]
Environmental Politics [4]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Military [43]
People & Population [9]
Pollution [25]
Region:
International [19]
Europe [40]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about “Environment, Social Justice, and the Media in the Age of the Anthropocene” [41]
Sick Schools in the City of Brotherly Love [44]

A Philadelphia Inquirer investigation into environmental harm suffered by the city’s children, minorities and poor dived into the “decaying infrastructure” of the city schools. The result? Findings of dangerous levels of lead, mold and asbestos, followed by an influx of funding to fix the problems and awards from journalism colleagues. For Inside Story, a Q&A with a reporter for the "Toxic City: Sick Schools" exposé.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [9]
Pollution [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Sick Schools in the City of Brotherly Love [44]
Public Health Infrastructure Emerges As Critical Environmental Story [46]

A pandemic and a weakened public health framework underscore how essential is the public health reporting function of environmental journalism. The latest TipSheet entry in our ongoing special report, “2021 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [47],” explores what’s ahead and asks are health agencies too hollowed out to serve? Plus, story ideas and extensive reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [23]
Economy & Business [48]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [6]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [9]
Planning & Growth [49]
Policy [33]
Science [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
International [19]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Public Health Infrastructure Emerges As Critical Environmental Story [46]
South Slow To Adapt to Rising Sea Levels, Other Climate Impacts [50]

Preparations for the inevitable impacts of the climate crisis in the South, the country’s most vulnerable region, have been hit or miss. And one of the toughest challenges — preparing coastal communities for inevitable flooding from sea level rise — is just beginning. More on the region’s climate adaptation considerations in the final entry in our “Covering Your Climate: The South [51]” special report. Plus, a backgrounder, additional tipsheets and a toolbox.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [31]
Disasters [23]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
People & Population [9]
Planning & Growth [49]
Policy [33]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [39]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about South Slow To Adapt to Rising Sea Levels, Other Climate Impacts [50]
Crisis Threatens the Country’s Most Vulnerable Region [53]

As global warming worsens, effects like extreme heat, drought, wildfires, coastal flooding and inland flooding will have an outsized impact in the Southern United States. The latest entry in our ongoing “Covering Your Climate: The South [51]” special report looks at those effects. Plus, read an introductory overview and watch for additional entries on climate mitigation and adaptation in the South.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [54]
Air [55]
Climate Change [31]
Consumer [22]
Disasters [23]
Economy & Business [48]
Energy & Fuel [32]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [56]
People & Population [9]
Planning & Growth [49]
Policy [33]
Pollution [25]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [39]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Crisis Threatens the Country’s Most Vulnerable Region [53]
Author Lopez Remembered; SEJ Speech Reshared [57]

Society of Environmental Journalists' members lamented the Dec. 25 death of renowned nature writer Barry Lopez, whose writings included "Arctic Dreams," "Of Wolves and Men" and more. Lopez gave SEJers a much-remembered address about writing, environmental journalism and more at the Barbra Streisand ranch in Malibu during the organization's 1999 annual conference in Los Angeles.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Diversity [58]
Environmental Health [3]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
People & Population [9]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Author Lopez Remembered; SEJ Speech Reshared [57]

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