Publication Items

“Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution” [1]

To better grasp how COVID-19 is linked to the persistent problem of polluted air, our latest BookShelf review recommends going back to a prescient text, “Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution.” While the volume predates the pandemic, it makes painfully clear why, during this crisis, healthy air matters more than ever.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [3]
Disasters [4]
Health [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
People & Population [7]
Pollution [8]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Asia [12]
Europe [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about “Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution” [1]
Could Combined Sewer Overflows Be a COVID-19 Threat? [15]

For reporters investigating the coronavirus-environment connection, you might look to the untreated sewage that can sometimes overflow municipal systems during wet weather, possibly bringing the novel pathogen to beaches and other places where people can get sick from it. The latest TipSheet takes a look at the reality, plus provides story ideas and reporter resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [17]
Environmental Studies [18]
Government [19]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [20]
Laws & Regulations [6]
People & Population [7]
Pollution [8]
Waste [21]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [23]
International [11]
Europe [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Could Combined Sewer Overflows Be a COVID-19 Threat? [15]
Using Late Fees To Get Media Clients To Pay on Time [24]

Numerous freelance journalists are suffering financially alongside other businesses damaged by the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis. But in an especially timely tale, one freelancer explains how she took matters into her own hands when media clients were overdue on payments. Freelance Files has the story.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [26]
Journalism & Media [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Using Late Fees To Get Media Clients To Pay on Time [24]
For Oil Market Data, You Don’t Need Slippery Sources [27]

Tracking the oil market — or more precisely, the price of oil — will tell you a great deal about environmental issues, whether it be fracking, pipelines, land use, toxic emissions or more. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox helps you follow the data for your stories. Plus, a Backgrounder on Big Oil [28] and how it drives not just energy but environment stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [29]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [26]
Energy & Fuel [30]
Journalism & Media [20]
Natural Resources [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about For Oil Market Data, You Don’t Need Slippery Sources [27]
Turmoil in World Oil Markets Tips Environmental Scales Too [32]

The dramatic drop in demand for oil, driven by the shutdown of world economies by coronavirus, has meant a corresponding fall in prices. And that has profound environmental implications. But it’s a complicated dynamic to assess. Our Issue Backgrounder provides a look under the hood of Big Oil, and explains what it means for environment reporters. Plus, a Reporter’s Toolbox for tracking the data [27].

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [34]
Economy & Business [26]
Energy & Fuel [30]
Environmental Politics [35]
Government [19]
Journalism & Media [20]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [31]
Policy [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Europe [13]
Middle East [37]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Turmoil in World Oil Markets Tips Environmental Scales Too [32]
When the Crisis Was Immense, SEJ Award-Winner Went Narrow [38]

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 [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [40]
Air [3]
Chemicals [41]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [17]
Government [19]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [20]
People & Population [7]
Pollution [8]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
International [11]
Asia [12]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about When the Crisis Was Immense, SEJ Award-Winner Went Narrow [38]
Go-To Books for Understanding and Surviving a Pandemic [42]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [17]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [20]
People & Population [7]
Science [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [23]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [43]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [44]
International [11]
Central America & the Caribbean [45]
Europe [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Go-To Books for Understanding and Surviving a Pandemic [42]
Covering Climate Change in Age of Coronavirus [46]

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed climate change out of the headlines. But the two stories have much in common if journalists look beneath the surface. That was the consensus of expert panelists at an April 2 webinar organized by the Society of Environmental Journalists, who also had suggestions on how to cover both beats better. Read more, or check out video [47] or audio [48].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [40]
Climate Change [34]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [35]
Government [19]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [20]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Covering Climate Change in Age of Coronavirus [46]
Q&A Column Resumes with New Co-Editors, New Award Winners [51]

SEJ’s 2020 reporting awards’ deadline is coming up April 24 and the SEJournal is bringing back its Inside Story Q&A feature to share insights from previous award winners. Meet the column’s two new co-editors, including former SEJ president, Emilia Askari (pictured left), and awards committee member Parimal Rohit (pictured right). And find out which award winner, with highly relevant disaster coverage, will relaunch the column in the coming weeks.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Q&A Column Resumes with New Co-Editors, New Award Winners [51]
Standing Together in Spite of Distancing [52]

Journalists cannot help but be part of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic story, balancing our mandate to be a key information source with our own health and safety, writes Society of Environmental Journalists President Meera Subramanian. But SEJ is right there with them, providing resources and a shared sense of purpose and connection. Find out how SEJ can help, plus SEJ’s plans to weather the related economic crisis, preparations for the annual conference this fall and more. Read the latest SEJ President’s Report.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Economy & Business [26]
Journalism & Media [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Standing Together in Spite of Distancing [52]

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