Publication Items

Sleuths Tap Obscure Toxics Database To ID Loophole on PFAS [1]

Data specialists working with two databases, one familiar and one little-known, have uncovered how companies may be able to hide releases of the family of toxic PFAS chemicals. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox details the data revelation and explores how journalists may make use of the Chemical Data Reporting service’s datasets for their own stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Chemicals [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Sleuths Tap Obscure Toxics Database To ID Loophole on PFAS [1]
Environmental Reporting Through an Indigenous Perspective [15]

Indigenous communities that have tried to live in balance with nature have seen their practices largely ignored. But now many have turned to them for guidance. As part of a special initiative from the Society of Environmental Journalists on covering climate solutions, we offer a tipsheet from journalist Brian Bull on reporting on how Indigenous people use nature-based environmental solutions. Also, check out additional resources [16] and watch video from an earlier webinar [17].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [19]
Air [20]
Biodiversity [21]
Climate Change [22]
Diversity [23]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [24]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [26]
Forests [27]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [28]
People & Population [29]
Policy [30]
Pollution [12]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [31]
Water & Oceans [32]
Wildlife [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Northwest (OR WA) [34]
International [35]
Canada [36]
Australia & Oceania [37]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Environmental Reporting Through an Indigenous Perspective [15]
Lead Ammo and Tackle, Decades Later, Still Fought Over by Big Guns [38]

Lead kills. With hunting and fishing seasons underway, lead ammo and tackle put a known neurotoxin into the ecosystem. And that renews a long-standing controversy, with a tug of war over rules limiting lead at the local and federal levels. The latest TipSheet examines why it matters to vulnerable species, like the bald eagle, as well as to humans. Plus, local story ideas and resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [12]
Wildlife [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Lead Ammo and Tackle, Decades Later, Still Fought Over by Big Guns [38]
U.S. Wildfire Response Badly Off-Base, New Doc Convincingly Shows [40]

A gripping new documentary on raging megafires weaves together stunning cinematography with deeply researched revelations that reveal the futility of current policy around managing wildfires, writes veteran wildfire reporter Robert McClure in a new EJ InSight column. His review, with three big takeaways.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ InSight [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [22]
Disasters [42]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [43]
Forests [27]
Government [8]
People & Population [29]
Planning & Growth [44]
Policy [30]
Science [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [46]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [47]
Northwest (OR WA) [34]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about U.S. Wildfire Response Badly Off-Base, New Doc Convincingly Shows [40]
COP 27 Egypt — From Afar, How UN Meeting Will Affect Climate Change Reporting [48]

How will the UN’s yearly climate treaty talks in Egypt next month touch domestic U.S. reporting? The latest Backgrounder has an outlook, with close attention to the question of compensation for nations suffering the worst impacts of global warming, plus the politics of war and energy, methane and HFCs. The prospects for action in and after Egypt.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Disasters [42]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [24]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Policy [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [35]
Mexico [51]
Africa [52]
Asia [53]
Australia & Oceania [37]
Central America & the Caribbean [54]
Europe [55]
Middle East [56]
South America [57]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about COP 27 Egypt — From Afar, How UN Meeting Will Affect Climate Change Reporting [48]
Beat Reporter’s Coverage Calls Out Natural Gas Proponents [58]

Electric utilities may sound like a wonky beat, but in the hands of L.A. Times’ Sammy Roth, it became an opportunity to weave together seemingly dry, technical subject matter into a series of award-winning stories on natural gas that captured flash points for climate change, communities of color and energy politics. Roth shares his reporting experience in the latest Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [59]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [20]
Climate Change [22]
Consumer [60]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Justice [24]
Environmental Politics [7]
Infrastructure [61]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [28]
People & Population [29]
Policy [30]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [62]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Beat Reporter’s Coverage Calls Out Natural Gas Proponents [58]
Air Conditioner HFCs Are on the Way Out — The Kigali Amendment Explained [63]

For the first time in years, the United States has ratified a climate change-related treaty — one that phases out HFCs, the greenhouse gas widely used as a refrigerant. That leaves environmental reporters to report how the change will affect everyday objects like ACs, refrigerators and cars. TipSheet has the backstory on the Kigali Amendment, along with story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [22]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [30]
Pollution [12]
Technology [64]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Air Conditioner HFCs Are on the Way Out — The Kigali Amendment Explained [63]
Toolbox on Nature-Based Solutions and Native/Indigenous Perspectives [16]

As concerns over global warming, the endangerment of plant and animal species, and water rights escalate, many environmentalists are turning to Indigenous people for guidance. As part of a Society of Environmental Journalists special initiative focused on covering climate solutions, we take a closer look at nature-based solutions and Indigenous people with reporter Brian Bull. Check out a resource toolbox and stay tuned for a reporting tipsheet in coming weeks. Plus, be sure to register for a Sept. 28 webinar [17] on covering Indigenous communities and nature-based climate solutions.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [19]
Biodiversity [21]
Climate Change [22]
Diversity [23]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [24]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [25]
Food [26]
Forests [27]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Natural Resources [28]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [65]
People & Population [29]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [31]
Technology [64]
Waste [66]
Water & Oceans [32]
Wildlife [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Toolbox on Nature-Based Solutions and Native/Indigenous Perspectives [16]
Open Data Is Still Important at the EPA — and Worth Updating [67]

Solid data can fuel great journalism. But the data must come from somewhere. For environmental reporters, one critical source is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Access to its data, however, is not always as free as journalists would like. So a new WatchDog takes an (admittedly geeky) look at the agency’s open data plan to clarify its efforts to promote access.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [68]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Open Data Is Still Important at the EPA — and Worth Updating [67]
Methane, a Key Global Warming Source, Is Targeted by Nations [69]

Carbon dioxide may get more attention, but the second-most damaging greenhouse gas, methane, is now the focus of a global pledge to cut emissions 30% by 2030. As part of a Society of Environmental Journalists publishing project focused on covering climate solutions, we take a closer look at methane with energy reporter Nushin Huq. A primer on the climate-related problems of methane and the promise of methane-based solutions. Plus, watch a recent SEJ methane solutions webinar [70] and see our Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [71].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [50]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [43]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [28]
Policy [30]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [72]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [73]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [47]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [74]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [62]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Methane, a Key Global Warming Source, Is Targeted by Nations [69]

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