Publication Items

COVID-19 Data Challenges Can Spark Better Journalism [1]

Reporting the COVID-19 pandemic may mean telling environmental stories, while using the best data to do it. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox spotlights three key resources to capture a detailed look at where and who the coronavirus is striking, and how it connects to the environment: a dashboard, an ambitious data platform and an unheralded tool for uncovering environmental injustice.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about COVID-19 Data Challenges Can Spark Better Journalism [1]
Ignoring COVID-19 Link, EPA Leaves Lax Soot Standard in Place [10]

As researchers are finding that soot and other forms of fine particulates in the air may actually make people more vulnerable to the coronavirus, the EPA decided earlier this month against tightening related standards under the Clean Air Act. The latest TipSheet explains why the decision matters, provides deeper context and offers story ideas and resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [12]
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [14]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [16]
People & Population [7]
Policy [17]
Pollution [18]
Science [19]
Transportation [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Ignoring COVID-19 Link, EPA Leaves Lax Soot Standard in Place [10]
When the Crisis Was Immense, SEJ Award-Winner Went Narrow [21]

How do you gain perspective on a widespread public health disaster? Award-winning reporter Apoorva Mandavilli shares valuable lessons on using a small lens to cover a big story — no, not COVID-19, but the deadly 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, India. And as she explains in this Inside Story Q&A, this decades-old story never really went away in the first place.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Air [12]
Chemicals [24]
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Pollution [18]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
International [26]
Asia [27]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about When the Crisis Was Immense, SEJ Award-Winner Went Narrow [21]
Go-To Books for Understanding and Surviving a Pandemic [28]

If you’re looking for perspective in your reporting connected with the coronavirus story, it might help to turn to the extensive library of non-fiction books offering insight into disease and epidemics. Our own Bob Wyss offers a helping hand, with a select list of the most useful texts. Plus, links to resource lists for many more, in the latest BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [29]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Science [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
California [30]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
International [26]
Central America & the Caribbean [33]
Europe [34]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Go-To Books for Understanding and Surviving a Pandemic [28]
A Source Toolbox for Climate Change Reporting in the Emerald Corridor [35]

As part of the “Covering Your Climate: The Emerald Corridor” special report, we’ve collected a wide range of resources to help reporters track down climate stories throughout the Pacific Northwest. You’ll find an array of government, academic and NGO links for Oregon, including Portland; Washington, including Seattle; and British Columbia, including Vancouver, as well as from regional, national and international resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [37]
Climate Change [38]
Consumer [39]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [14]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Food [43]
Forests [44]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [45]
People & Population [7]
Planning & Growth [46]
Policy [17]
Science [19]
Technology [47]
Transportation [20]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
International [26]
Canada [49]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about A Source Toolbox for Climate Change Reporting in the Emerald Corridor [35]
Pacific Northwest Rides Adaptation Wave [50]

The final entry in our multi-week “Covering Your Climate: The Emerald Corridor [51]” special report explores how the Pacific Northwest is adapting to climate change, whether it’s new approaches to working the land, changing critical infrastructure or rethinking our mindset. Read this last tipsheet, plus check out our earlier reports on climate mitigation [52] and on climate impacts [53], plus our stage-setting backgrounder [54] and a reporter’s resource toolkit [35].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [37]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [55]
Climate Change [38]
Consumer [39]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [14]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Food [43]
Forests [44]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [45]
People & Population [7]
Planning & Growth [46]
Policy [17]
Science [19]
Technology [47]
Transportation [20]
Water & Oceans [25]
Wildlife [56]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
International [26]
Canada [49]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Pacific Northwest Rides Adaptation Wave [50]
Coronavirus Pandemic Spawns Many Stories on Environment Beat [57]

The momentous COVID-19 outbreak has many, many reporting angles — environment and energy stories certainly among them. Our latest Issue Backgrounder has an extensive rundown on possible ways in for environment and energy reporters, including everything from respiratory disease and air pollution to science denial and climate change, and more. Plus, pending passage of a massive congressional aid package [58]. And an earlier TipSheet on how journalists can prepare [59] for public health emergencies.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [60]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [37]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [55]
Climate Change [38]
Consumer [39]
Disasters [3]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [14]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [16]
People & Population [7]
Policy [17]
Pollution [18]
Science [19]
Transportation [20]
Wildlife [56]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [26]
Asia [27]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic Spawns Many Stories on Environment Beat [57]
SEJournal Relaunches WatchDog with a ‘Voice,’ Plus Coronavirus and More [61]

SEJournal welcomes back from hiatus our WatchDog feature, now recast as an opinion column from Joseph A. Davis, Society of Environmental Journalists’ veteran freedom of information advocate and longtime SEJournal contributor. In part one of a two-parter, find out why we’re relaunching the new column, plus get Davis’ take on government openness (or lack thereof) around coronavirus, as well as more on SEJ’s deep commitment to open information and a rundown of its recent FOI activities. And watch for part two next week.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [62]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [37]
Air [12]
Biodiversity [55]
Chemicals [24]
Climate Change [38]
Consumer [39]
Disasters [3]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [14]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Food [43]
Forests [44]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Military [63]
Natural Resources [45]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [64]
Other or All [65]
People & Population [7]
Planning & Growth [46]
Policy [17]
Pollution [18]
Science [19]
Technology [47]
Transportation [20]
Waste [66]
Water & Oceans [25]
Wildlife [56]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [67]
California [30]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [68]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [31]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [69]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [70]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [71]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [72]
International [26]
Canada [49]
Mexico [73]
Africa [74]
Antarctica & Arctic [75]
Asia [27]
Australia & Oceania [76]
Central America & the Caribbean [33]
Europe [34]
Middle East [77]
South America [78]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about SEJournal Relaunches WatchDog with a ‘Voice,’ Plus Coronavirus and More [61]
Emerald Corridor Tries Flipping the Switch on C02 [52]

The latest entry in our ongoing “Covering Your Climate: The Emerald Corridor [51]” special report looks at what the Pacific Northwest is doing to mitigate climate change, including reducing carbon emissions, limiting sprawl and congestion, pushing energy efficiency and pursuing carbon sequestration. Read the new tipsheet, plus check out our earlier report on climate impacts [53] and our opening backgrounder. [54]

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [37]
Air [12]
Climate Change [38]
Consumer [39]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [13]
Environmental Studies [14]
Forests [44]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [45]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [64]
People & Population [7]
Planning & Growth [46]
Science [19]
Technology [47]
Transportation [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
International [26]
Canada [49]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Emerald Corridor Tries Flipping the Switch on C02 [52]
Coronavirus Reminds Journalists To Prepare for Public Health Emergencies [59]

COVID-19 is an unpleasant reminder that when a public health emergency hits, it pays for journalists — including environment reporters — to be prepared. The latest TipSheet offers advice on handling the unknown and gathering an emergency “go bag,” as well as tracking story ideas and numerous federal, state/local and media resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [24]
Disasters [3]
Government [15]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Coronavirus Reminds Journalists To Prepare for Public Health Emergencies [59]

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