Publication Items

Air Conditioner HFCs Are on the Way Out — The Kigali Amendment Explained [1]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [10]
Pollution [11]
Technology [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Air Conditioner HFCs Are on the Way Out — The Kigali Amendment Explained [1]
Open Data Is Still Important at the EPA — and Worth Updating [16]

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 [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Open Data Is Still Important at the EPA — and Worth Updating [16]
Outfit Your News Kit With Disaster Resilience Resources [18]

Extreme weather and other natural disasters can bring a community to its knees. But journalists can be part of what gets it standing again — or even foresee the risk … if they’ve got the right resources. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox takes a close look at two federal products that could be a good starting point, along with several others worth a try.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [20]
Government [7]
Infrastructure [21]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Outfit Your News Kit With Disaster Resilience Resources [18]
Methane, a Key Global Warming Source, Is Targeted by Nations [22]

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 [23] and see our Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [24].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [26]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [6]
Environmental Studies [28]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [29]
Policy [10]
Pollution [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [30]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [31]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [34]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Methane, a Key Global Warming Source, Is Targeted by Nations [22]
EPA-Mandated Regional Haze Plans Open Horizons on Local, State Stories [35]

A Biden administration move to force states to submit cleanup plans for regional haze offers opportunities to report air pollution news in your area, writes the latest TipSheet. The Clean Air Act regulatory program, focused on parks and wilderness areas, is not just about the scenery, but human health too. The backstory and the list of states, plus reporting resources and story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [36]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about EPA-Mandated Regional Haze Plans Open Horizons on Local, State Stories [35]
Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [38]

Chicken production in the United States is a colossal industry controlled by a few vertically integrated companies. On a much smaller scale, it’s also heritage breeds and increasingly popular backyard flocks. As the latest avian flu outbreak makes headlines, journalist Christine Heinrichs looks at environmental reporting opportunities related to poultry pathogens, pollution and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [40]
Biodiversity [41]
Consumer [42]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [27]
Food [43]
Government [7]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [10]
Pollution [11]
Science [44]
Waste [45]
Water & Oceans [46]
Wildlife [47]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [48]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [31]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [49]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [38]
Burgeoning National EV Trend Helps Drive Local Environment, Climate Stories [50]

The auto market is getting supercharged by California’s recent decision to require all-electric vehicle sales in a little over a decade. The latest TipSheet looks at how this big national trend will affect climate change by cutting CO2 emissions, how California came to have such an outsized impact on the U.S. market and how local environmental reporters can plug in for stories around their communities.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [36]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [42]
Energy & Fuel [26]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [10]
Pollution [11]
Transportation [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [48]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Burgeoning National EV Trend Helps Drive Local Environment, Climate Stories [50]
Your Vote Matters During SEJ’s Upcoming Election [52]

SEJ board president Sadie Babits explains how important your vote is in our 2022 election, the details of the proposed bylaws amendment (a change for the good) and why SEJ needs YOU to thrive.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Your Vote Matters During SEJ’s Upcoming Election [52]
Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [24]

Levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, have doubled in the past 150 years due to human activity, particularly from fossil fuels and extensive farming. As part of an ongoing Society of Environmental Journalists special project focused on covering climate solutions, check out a methane resource toolbox and stay tuned for a methane reporting tipsheet in the coming weeks. Plus, watch the recording [23] of an SEJ virtual webinar, Covering Climate Solutions: Containing and Monitoring Methane.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [40]
Air [36]
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [26]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Studies [28]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [29]
Policy [10]
Pollution [11]
Science [44]
Technology [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [31]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [49]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [32]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [34]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [24]
Meeting the Challenge of Making More Money [54]

A career as an environmental journalist can be fulfilling — but it can also leave you crying all the way to the bank. Freelance Files gets guidance from four veteran journalists who’ve made the money side of independent reporting work better for them. Plus, six top tips for earning more with your own journalism. No. 1: “Ask for more.”

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [55]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [5]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Meeting the Challenge of Making More Money [54]

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