Publication Items

Drones and Photojournalism — Elevating the Craft to New Heights [1]

A match made in heaven — that’s how veteran National Geographic photojournalist Peter Essick sees the combination of drone photography and environmental journalism. In the latest EJ InSight, Essick shares insights and photos [2] from his most recent drone project, capturing the restoration of the Great Lakes. Plus, in a sidebar, Essick gives practical advice on learning to fly your own drone [3].

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ InSight [4]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [5]
Chemicals [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Fish & Fisheries [8]
Government [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [11]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [16]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
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News Can Net Eyeballs By Turning Dweebish Data Into Magic Maps [19]

When it comes to telling environment and energy stories, especially about place and scale, data visualizations can turn an average story into a standout. Reporter’s Toolbox takes a look at some recent examples of inspiring data-mapping projects that provide insight into everything from auto emissions and floods to vanishing rivers and whipping winds.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [21]
Climate Change [22]
Disasters [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [11]
Pollution [12]
Transportation [25]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Alaska and Hawaii [26]
California [27]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [16]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [28]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [29]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [30]
Northwest (OR WA) [31]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
International [33]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about News Can Net Eyeballs By Turning Dweebish Data Into Magic Maps [19]
Another Bad-News Year Ahead for U.S. Coal? [34]

As U.S. coal’s comedown continues, our latest Issue Backgrounder takes a close look at the factors behind the industry’s decline and finds a combination of economics, competition and shifting global markets, along with aging technology, politics and environmental pushback. What’s in store for coal in 2020?

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [36]
Air [21]
Climate Change [22]
Economy & Business [37]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Politics [38]
Government [9]
Laws & Regulations [39]
Natural Resources [11]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Alaska and Hawaii [26]
California [27]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [16]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [28]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [29]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [30]
Northwest (OR WA) [31]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
International [33]
Canada [40]
Mexico [41]
Africa [42]
Antarctica & Arctic [43]
Asia [44]
Australia & Oceania [45]
Central America & the Caribbean [46]
Europe [47]
Middle East [48]
South America [49]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Another Bad-News Year Ahead for U.S. Coal? [34]
Award-Winner Chronicles Radioactive Risks at Midwest Nuclear Plants [50]

A deeply documented investigation revealed serious problems in Illinois’ aging nuclear power plants, and won reporters Brett Chase and Madison Hopkins an outstanding small market investigative reporting award from the Society of Environmental Journalists last year. Chase spoke with SEJournal Online’s “Inside Story” about the “Power Struggle” project, about lessons learned and advice for other reporters. Read the Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [51]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [39]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [52]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Award-Winner Chronicles Radioactive Risks at Midwest Nuclear Plants [50]
‘Waterfront Porch: Reclaiming Detroit’s Industrial Waterfront As a Gathering Place for All’ [53]

The Detroit River, a key Great Lakes shipping channel, was once the repository of millions of gallons of industrial discharge. But as a new book attests, Detroit’s industrial waterfront has in the last 50 years undergone a remarkable recovery that offers hope for the cleanup of other polluted Rust Belt towns. Read our BookShelf review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [23]
Economy & Business [37]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about ‘Waterfront Porch: Reclaiming Detroit’s Industrial Waterfront As a Gathering Place for All’ [53]
Water Bottles in Class Offer Varying Lessons in Sustainability [55]

Can consumption in the classroom become a reporting exercise for budding journalists? Our quarterly EJ Academy column explores how collegiate educators can handle sustainability questions. Should students be discouraged from using plastic water bottles? And should faculty use electronic handouts and texts instead of paper copies? Top instructors weigh in.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [57]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [11]
Waste [58]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
Visibility:
Public [18]
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Algae — Society’s Big, Green … and Emerging Menace [59]

It’s poisoning fresh waters across the United States, as well as elsewhere in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Blue-green algae is on the rise, lingering later and later into the year. Our new Issue Backgrounder explains the contributing factors behind the potent toxin’s scourge, its societal and public health ramifications, and the many angles and resources to tell the story.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [60]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [22]
Consumer [57]
Disasters [23]
Environmental Health [7]
Health [61]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [62]
Planning & Growth [63]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
California [27]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
International [33]
Canada [40]
Mexico [41]
Africa [42]
Antarctica & Arctic [43]
Asia [44]
Australia & Oceania [45]
Central America & the Caribbean [46]
Europe [47]
South America [49]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Algae — Society’s Big, Green … and Emerging Menace [59]
Big Environmental Impacts on Small Communities Is Story That Must Be Told [64]

While environmental journalists often focus on regulatory wrestling matches in Washington, D.C., a seasoned New York Times investigative reporter argues the most important stories are those in the real communities where bureaucratic impacts are felt. Three-time Pulitzer winner Eric Lipton makes the case for public service in journalism that tells the environment story from the outside in.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [65]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [60]
Air [21]
Chemicals [6]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [38]
Government [9]
Health [61]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [39]
Natural Resources [11]
Policy [66]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Alaska and Hawaii [26]
California [27]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [16]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [28]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [29]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [30]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Big Environmental Impacts on Small Communities Is Story That Must Be Told [64]
Primer Helps To Prep for Reporting on PFAS [67]

It’s a category of more than 4,000 industrial chemicals that affect our lives nearly every day — and many of which are toxic. So what do journalists need to know to report on the emerging contaminants known as PFAS? Our most recent Issue Backgrounder offers a detailed primer on what PFAS are, where they come from, what their health effects are and how they might be cleaned up.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [60]
Chemicals [6]
Consumer [57]
Food [68]
Health [61]
Science [69]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [30]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
International [33]
Australia & Oceania [45]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Primer Helps To Prep for Reporting on PFAS [67]
Database Helps Track PFAS Drinking Water Contamination [70]

Millions of people across the United States are believed to be drinking PFAS-contaminated water. And a growing database could prove an invaluable resource for environmental journalists trying to get a handle on that public health risk. Our latest biweekly Reporter’s Toolbox, recently refocused on data journalism tools and techniques, explains how to tap the expanding PFAS data.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [6]
Consumer [57]
Government [9]
Health [61]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [39]
People & Population [62]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [28]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [30]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Database Helps Track PFAS Drinking Water Contamination [70]

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