Publication Items

From Reporter to Author — How I Published My First Book [1]

When freelancer Sophie Yeo first thought of writing a book, it seemed an impossible task. But with a successful website under her belt, she plunged in. Two missed deadlines and one baby later, she had her book, a history of the natural world titled “Nature’s Ghosts: The World We Lost and How To Bring It Back.” How she got there, and lessons learned, in the new Freelance Files.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Science [6]
Wildlife [7]
Region:
International [8]
Europe [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about From Reporter to Author — How I Published My First Book [1]
‘Green’ Steel: Five Things To Know About the U.S. Transition [11]

Plans for two new U.S. facilities that will use hydrogen instead of coal to make steel hold the promise of decarbonizing this essential but dirty industry. But don’t expect overnight change. Reporter Maria Gallucci looks at the complexities of making the switch, from ditching the blast furnace to reducing pollution all along the supply chain.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [13]
Air [14]
Chemicals [15]
Climate Change [16]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Government [21]
Natural Resources [22]
Policy [23]
Pollution [24]
Science [6]
Technology [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [27]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [28]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [29]
International [8]
Europe [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about ‘Green’ Steel: Five Things To Know About the U.S. Transition [11]
Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Helps Tell the Climate Story [30]

A massive data set that tracks greenhouse gas emissions in the United States is now newly updated, and the latest Reporter’s Toolbox calls it essential for informed reporting on U.S. climate policy. Its three decades-plus of measurements can help journalists track big emitters near them and from a variety of major sources ranging from landfill methane to industrial polluters.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [32]
Air [14]
Climate Change [16]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [4]
Government [21]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [33]
Policy [23]
Pollution [24]
Transportation [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Helps Tell the Climate Story [30]
Harnessing the Power of Global Forest Watch for Data-Driven Reporting on Land Cover Change [35]

Whether trees fall to chain saws or go up in smoke, deforestation is a major climate change driver. But on-the-ground reporting on forest loss is often challenging. Global Forest Watch provides worldwide land cover change data and tools that can help journalists contextualize deforestation events. Mongabay editor Morgan Erickson-Davis explains the power of this free online platform and shares her favorite features.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [32]
Biodiversity [3]
Climate Change [16]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Studies [36]
Forests [37]
Journalism & Media [5]
Natural Resources [22]
Science [6]
Technology [25]
Wildlife [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
International [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Harnessing the Power of Global Forest Watch for Data-Driven Reporting on Land Cover Change [35]
Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [38]

The latest data from the five-year USDA agriculture census has specialized features that suggest numerous environmental stories — whether on irrigation, pesticides and fertilizer, renewable energy, conservation or more. There’s even a feature that provides data by congressional district. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has more on the data source and how to use it smartly for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [32]
Chemicals [15]
Climate Change [16]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [4]
Food [39]
Journalism & Media [5]
Pollution [24]
Water & Oceans [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [38]
Spurt in Hydro Relicensing To Leave U.S. Awash in Environmental Stories [41]

Hundreds of hydropower dams in the United States will see their licenses expiring in the next decade, generating years-long federal relicensing processes. That prospect calls for close local and regional coverage of the complicated balance between renewable energy needs with negative environmental impacts. The latest TipSheet explains the licensing process and the dam backstory, along with a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [13]
Climate Change [16]
Consumer [43]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [20]
Fish & Fisheries [44]
Infrastructure [45]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [33]
Natural Resources [22]
Policy [23]
Water & Oceans [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
California [46]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [27]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [47]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Spurt in Hydro Relicensing To Leave U.S. Awash in Environmental Stories [41]
Roadkill Makes for Jolting Read in ‘Crossings’ [49]

As human roadways sprawl across a global network, the planet’s other living things have not only found the vehicles that travel them among the world’s deadliest weapons but also that road noise, the impassable divisions of the landscape and more have massive implications for nature. BookShelf reviews Ben Goldfarb’s eye-opening new book, “Crossings,” and the realities of road ecology.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [19]
Infrastructure [45]
Planning & Growth [51]
Pollution [24]
Transportation [34]
Wildlife [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
California [46]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [47]
International [8]
Australia & Oceania [52]
Europe [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Roadkill Makes for Jolting Read in ‘Crossings’ [49]
Courage and Caring — Documentary Celebrates Environmental Icon Stewart Udall [53]

While the name of Stewart Udall, U.S. interior secretary through the tumultuous 1960s, may have faded from public memory, his influence on environmental policies is still felt today. Contributor Francesca Lyman shines the spotlight on a new documentary about Udall and his legacy, and talks with director John de Graaf about Udall’s insights and inspiration.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [14]
Biodiversity [3]
Climate Change [16]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [36]
Forests [37]
Government [21]
Infrastructure [45]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [33]
Natural Resources [22]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [54]
Policy [23]
Pollution [24]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [55]
Transportation [34]
Water & Oceans [40]
Wildlife [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
California [46]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [56]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [29]
International [8]
Central America & the Caribbean [57]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Courage and Caring — Documentary Celebrates Environmental Icon Stewart Udall [53]
Finding Your Way Through the Forest of Forest Data [58]

Forests are full of environmental stories, from timber sales and wildlife habitat to climate change and hunting. And for reporters in search of resources to report them, the U.S. Forest Service offers an immense array of datasets to match the hundreds of millions of acres of land under its domain. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox gets you started on using the vast Forest Service data collection.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [32]
Climate Change [16]
Environmental Health [4]
Forests [37]
Government [21]
Journalism & Media [5]
Natural Resources [22]
Policy [23]
Wildlife [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Finding Your Way Through the Forest of Forest Data [58]
Six Ways To Cover the Environmental Impacts of Animal Agriculture [59]

Animal agriculture is a massive industry with a vast environmental footprint, so there are plenty of reporting opportunities for journalists on the “eat beat.” In the second of two parts [60], following last week’s examination of diet-related greenhouse gas emissions, food-and-climate journalist Jenny Splitter serves up a variety of story ideas and information sources, plus some thoughts on solutions journalism.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [13]
Agriculture [32]
Air [14]
Biodiversity [3]
Climate Change [16]
Consumer [43]
Economy & Business [17]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [19]
Environmental Politics [20]
Environmental Studies [36]
Food [39]
Forests [37]
Government [21]
Health [61]
Journalism & Media [5]
Pollution [24]
Waste [62]
Water & Oceans [40]
Wildlife [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [26]
International [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Six Ways To Cover the Environmental Impacts of Animal Agriculture [59]

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