Publication Items

Chronic Wasting Disease May Be Stalking Deer Hunters [1]

Fall deer hunting season is getting underway across much of North America. And with it, the uncertain risks from chronic wasting disease. Environmental journalists would do well to report the story to help keep safe those who eat the meat of deer and elk they kill. The latest TipSheet has more on the backstory, along with 10 story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [3]
Food [4]
Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Science [7]
Wildlife [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Canada [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Chronic Wasting Disease May Be Stalking Deer Hunters [1]
The Dark Side of ‘Bothsidesism’ [13]

Journalistic values — whether code of ethics-style values like truth, context and fairness, or news-style values like impact, novelty and human interest — are nothing to be shy about and can make for great journalism. But some values can be distorted and drag journalism down a dead end, argues the new WatchDog Opinion. Two environmental cases where false balance does damage.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [15]
Climate Change [16]
Environmental Politics [17]
Journalism & Media [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about The Dark Side of ‘Bothsidesism’ [13]
Trump Administration Icing Out NSIDC Data [18]

An important federal database that tracks Arctic ice and snowmelt — which help address concerns like sea level rise and fresh water resources — is facing funding cuts and reductions in services. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox looks at the kind of high-quality information the National Snow and Ice Data Center can provide environmental reporters, including for local stories. That is, while it lasts.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [16]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Studies [20]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [21]
Science [7]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [23]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [24]
International [10]
Antarctica & Arctic [25]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Trump Administration Icing Out NSIDC Data [18]
A Guide to Legal Resources [26]

Freelance journalists, including environmental reporters, need not brave legal woes alone, counsels Freelance Files co-editor Elyse Hauser. A wide variety of groups offers aid for everything from denials of access to assaults or arrests, and her latest entry IDs more than a dozen resources, including legal assistance, emergency financial help and more. Plus, how to prevent problems to begin with.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [27]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about A Guide to Legal Resources [26]
Sunshine State Weirdness, With a Solid Dose of Environment [29]

The story behind the story that captures the “real” Florida is the essence of a new volume from veteran journalist and author Craig Pittman. BookShelf editor Tom Henry writes that “Welcome to Florida: True Tales from America’s Most Interesting State” not only taps into the state’s rich vein of the weird but offers a hefty dose of environmental topics, from climate change to manatees.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [16]
Environmental Politics [17]
People & Population [31]
Pollution [32]
Water & Oceans [22]
Wildlife [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Sunshine State Weirdness, With a Solid Dose of Environment [29]
Fallen Leaves — Not Just a Chore but a Story [34]

From a simple autumn leaf can come a legion of local environmental stories, if you sift through the pile thoughtfully. The latest TipSheet ponders the possibilities, from who in your municipality actually gathers them and how they’re used as mulch and (possibly contaminated) compost, where you don’t want them to collect and what people used to do with them that these days is a no-no.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Fallen Leaves — Not Just a Chore but a Story [34]
COP30 — Why It Won’t Save the Planet [35]

Just under two months from the start of the annual global forum for managing climate change — the United Nations’ conference of parties beginning Nov. 10 in Belém, Brazil — our Backgrounder analysis laments the vanishingly small chance that nations will agree on managing steadily rising greenhouse gas emissions. A look at the obstacles, plus COP30 reporting challenges, from hotel expenses to diplomatic spin.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [16]
Energy & Fuel [37]
Environmental Justice [38]
Environmental Politics [17]
Government [39]
Journalism & Media [6]
Policy [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
South America [41]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about COP30 — Why It Won’t Save the Planet [35]
Teaming Up To Tap Into Texas Regulatory Capture [42]

When reporters from Inside Climate News and The Texas Tribune teamed up on a multipart series about Texas environmental regulators, they found state agencies sidestepping science, the law and accountability. The beneficiaries? The oil and gas industry. Their prizewinning reporting was praised for its data analysis, and public records and field reporting. Read an Inside Story Q&A with Martha Pskowski of Inside Climate News.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [32]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [44]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Teaming Up To Tap Into Texas Regulatory Capture [42]
Walkability Index Helps Journalists Highlight Planning Issues [45]

Many local government decisions come down to a key factor: walkability. And that’s not just a question of transportation infrastructure. As the latest Reporter’s Toolbox notes, walkability is also an environmental consideration. To turn that simple truth into stories about the built environment, here’s a high-quality, mappable walkability index. How to use the database smartly, plus questions to ask that will get your reporting started.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [16]
Environmental Politics [17]
Government [39]
Infrastructure [46]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [31]
Planning & Growth [47]
Policy [40]
Transportation [48]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Walkability Index Helps Journalists Highlight Planning Issues [45]
The Art of Access — Strategies for Acquiring Environmental Records [49]

As government resistance intensifies over sharing public records — especially environmental documents — journalists need to hone their skills to get the information they need to do their jobs and serve their audiences. FOIA expert David Cuillier offers tips and tactics to help you use your reporting time and dollars most effectively and ensure your public records requests produce high-quality results.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [39]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [28]
Policy [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about The Art of Access — Strategies for Acquiring Environmental Records [49]

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