Publication Items

In Their Own Words — Story Insights From SEJ’s 2023 Award Winners [1]

When Inside Story co-editor Rocky Kistner reviewed video statements from first-place winners of the Society of Environmental Journalists 2023 reporting awards, he found a series of striking insights into the work of environmental journalism. From environment as a true crime story and going beyond the headlines, to covering communities at risk and through powerful interests, a look at nine highly effective approaches to telling environmental stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Environmental Health [8]
Environmental Justice [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Forests [11]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Natural Resources [16]
People & Population [17]
Policy [18]
Pollution [19]
Waste [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Wildlife [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
California [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
International [27]
Africa [28]
South America [29]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about In Their Own Words — Story Insights From SEJ’s 2023 Award Winners [1]
Rockets and Bombs and Chemicals — The Environmental Horrors of War [31]

With the world in the midst of wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, it’s time for journalists to appraise — and report on — the intersection of conflict and the environment, argues the new Backgrounder. That means considering the environment not only as a victim of war, but also as the cause of war and a means of carrying it out.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [5]
Disasters [33]
Environmental Health [8]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Military [34]
People & Population [17]
Policy [18]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [35]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [36]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [37]
International [27]
Africa [28]
Asia [38]
Europe [39]
Middle East [40]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Rockets and Bombs and Chemicals — The Environmental Horrors of War [31]
Drainage Infrastructure Leads to Wet Basement Stories [41]

Nothing may seem more personal than a home flooded by heavy rains. But the latest TipSheet points out that for local environmental reporters, there’s a bigger story to be told: how your community regulates stormwater and storm sewers, especially in the face of climate change-driven extreme precipitation. More than a dozen reporting ideas and resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [5]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Planning & Growth [43]
Waste [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [44]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Drainage Infrastructure Leads to Wet Basement Stories [41]
Clearing the Smoke — Collaboration Exposes Impacts of Wildfire Pollution-Reporting Rules [45]

Climate change is fueling the frequency and severity of wildfires, but a little-known Clean Air Act rule lets environmental agencies downplay the impacts of wildfire smoke. A collaborative investigation into this loophole connected dots that even the experts didn’t know about. Journalists Dillon Bergin and Molly Peterson explain their reporting process and offer advice for following your own local leads.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [47]
Climate Change [5]
Disasters [33]
Environmental Health [8]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [48]
Pollution [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Alaska and Hawaii [49]
California [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [44]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [35]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [36]
Northwest (OR WA) [50]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [37]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [51]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Clearing the Smoke — Collaboration Exposes Impacts of Wildfire Pollution-Reporting Rules [45]
Recycled Sewage Water — Overcoming the ‘Yuck Factor’ [52]

Toilet-to-tap water jokes aside, the technology and economics of turning sewage into potable drinking water is increasingly seen as a remedy for water-stressed communities. The new BookShelf review of “Purified: How Recycled Sewage is Transforming Our Water,” explains how water shortages, climate change, unsustainable growth and other factors have led some communities, most recently Los Angeles, to consider going “all in” on purified wastewater.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Infrastructure [14]
Policy [18]
Science [54]
Technology [55]
Waste [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
California [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [37]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [51]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Recycled Sewage Water — Overcoming the ‘Yuck Factor’ [52]
Want To Protect Your Sources? It Helps To Know the Law [56]

With climate-related legal disputes playing out worldwide, we could see more environmental journalists facing subpoenas to access their newsgathering materials and reveal their sources. Case in point: the legal battle embroiling a news nonprofit over its coverage of pipeline protests. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press’ Chris Young looks at shield laws and resources to help deal with legal threats to your journalistic integrity.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [57]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Government [12]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [48]
Natural Resources [16]
Policy [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Alaska and Hawaii [49]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [35]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Want To Protect Your Sources? It Helps To Know the Law [56]
Reporting on Environmental Solutions and Equity — at a Watershed Scale [58]

Reporting on interconnected ecosystems lends itself to better environmental stories, and so tracing how water moves across landscapes, communities, industries and regulatory schemes can help the public connect the dots. That’s how Annie Ropeik, who helps run the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, sees the watershed beat. She shares expert views and offers insights for environment journalists to use in their reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [57]
Agriculture [59]
Climate Change [5]
Diversity [60]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [8]
Environmental Justice [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Environmental Studies [61]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [48]
Natural Resources [16]
Planning & Growth [43]
Policy [18]
Pollution [19]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [44]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [35]
Northwest (OR WA) [50]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [37]
International [27]
Canada [62]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Reporting on Environmental Solutions and Equity — at a Watershed Scale [58]
Author Brings Far-Reaching Insight to ‘The Three Ages of Water’ [63]

Leading water expert Peter Gleick’s new book on water’s past, present and future is an ambitious volume that offers a panoramic look at this essential resource — and hope for living in harmony with it in the future. BookShelf Editor Tom Henry calls “The Three Ages of Water” a rare book of breadth and depth, part history and part sustainable remedy. Read his review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [5]
Environmental Health [8]
Environmental Justice [9]
Food [64]
Health [13]
Natural Resources [16]
People & Population [17]
Planning & Growth [43]
Policy [18]
Science [54]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
International [27]
Africa [28]
Asia [38]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Author Brings Far-Reaching Insight to ‘The Three Ages of Water’ [63]
Between the Lines — Great Lakes Author Looks Back on a Writing Career, Forward to Journalism’s Future [65]

With a dozen books under his belt, environmental writer and Great Lakes policy expert Dave Dempsey is ready to put away his pen. But not before sharing important lessons from his career, how he found hope amid the destruction and how he sees journalism succeeding. BookShelf contributor Gary Wilson talks with the author for our occasional “Between the Lines” interview series.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [57]
Environmental Health [8]
Journalism & Media [15]
Natural Resources [16]
Policy [18]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Between the Lines — Great Lakes Author Looks Back on a Writing Career, Forward to Journalism’s Future [65]
Funding To Replace Lead Pipes Is Just the Start of the Story [66]

Billions of dollars in federal funding to get rid of lead pipes is only the beginning — now the pipes have to be located, removed and replaced. And the latest TipSheet says that’s a story that’s found in many U.S. communities, so is ripe for local reporting. Here’s the backstory and why it matters, along with more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [67]
Disasters [33]
Environmental Justice [9]
Environmental Studies [61]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [48]
Pollution [19]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [25]
Visibility:
Public [30]
- Read more about Funding To Replace Lead Pipes Is Just the Start of the Story [66]

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