Publication Items

Storm Surge Maps Help Envision Potential Hurricane Flood Catastrophes [1]

Dangerous storm surge that often follows hurricanes can be the focus of life-saving journalism. Reporter’s Toolbox helps environmental journalists get ahead of storm surge with a key resource — a powerful government database and related maps showing surge hazards. Together with real-time advisories and a better understanding of what causes storm surge, Toolbox helps you better cover this danger.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [3]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
People & Population [6]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [11]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [13]
International [14]
Central America & the Caribbean [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Storm Surge Maps Help Envision Potential Hurricane Flood Catastrophes [1]
To-Do List for Climate Change Gas Methane Is Long, Challenging … and Newsy [17]

The climate change gas methane, relatively little controlled but with a global warming potential many times that of carbon dioxide, has been much in the news recently and promises to remain there. The latest Backgrounder helps environmental journalists track the problem by detailing methane’s sources — from oil and gas production, agriculture and landfills — and the politics surrounding its regulation.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Air [20]
Chemicals [21]
Climate Change [22]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Politics [25]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Waste [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about To-Do List for Climate Change Gas Methane Is Long, Challenging … and Newsy [17]
Native Tribal Nations Push for Changes in Public Lands [30]

As Native tribal nations successfully exert ancestral rights to land stewardship across the West, journalists covering these developments must first grasp the legal principles that underpin Native governmental sovereignty. But also key is to create and sustain relationships with Native community members. Veteran environment and Indigenous affairs reporter Debra Krol lays out the basics for effective reporting from Indian Country.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [32]
Climate Change [22]
Environmental Politics [25]
Fish & Fisheries [33]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [26]
People & Population [6]
Policy [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [14]
Canada [34]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Native Tribal Nations Push for Changes in Public Lands [30]
Reporting on Poor, Kids Sickened by Industrial Air Pollution [35]

Pittsburgh is known for its history of steel production … and of air pollution. In the new Inside Story, reporter Kristina Marusic talks about capturing the health impacts of air emissions in western Pennsylvania, and shares insights on how dogged environmental justice reporting can make the links between pollution cuts and health impacts. Plus, tips on managing a long reporting project, creating infographics and using video.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [20]
Environmental Health [37]
Health [38]
Journalism & Media [5]
People & Population [6]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [10]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Reporting on Poor, Kids Sickened by Industrial Air Pollution [35]
Lawn Chemicals May Make Fertile Soil for Local Environmental Stories [39]

Lawns can be as much bane as boon for homeowners that care for them throughout the United States. But when their maintenance involves the use of pesticides and fertilizers, they become a much wider concern for community health and the surrounding environment. The latest TipSheet combs through the grass for a better understanding of the problem, and offers ideas and resources for local environmental coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Chemicals [21]
Consumer [41]
Environmental Health [37]
Health [38]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Lawn Chemicals May Make Fertile Soil for Local Environmental Stories [39]
EPA Scientific Integrity Policy — Good Journalism and Good Science Need Lots of Light [42]

“Science is back at EPA,” declared the agency’s new administrator. But for reporters to do their job means more, argues the latest WatchDog — it means ditching a long-standing policy that requires EPA scientists have permission, along with press office “minders,” for interviews. Why that holds back quality journalism and government responsibility to protect public health. Plus, how past agency appointees have overruled science.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [25]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Policy [27]
Science [44]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about EPA Scientific Integrity Policy — Good Journalism and Good Science Need Lots of Light [42]
Angling for Stories on Streams Suffering From Climate Change? Try Trout [45]

Telling the local climate change story may mean you’ll have to dip a wading-boot-clad toe into the nearest stream, virtually at least. A decline there of a bellwether species, freshwater trout, could signal climate change-driven changes in critical water temperatures. To help guide your investigation, Reporter’s Toolbox spotlights a government database that taps into a massive network of monitoring stations.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Environmental Health [37]
Fish & Fisheries [33]
Journalism & Media [5]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Angling for Stories on Streams Suffering From Climate Change? Try Trout [45]
Wastewater Ponds Often a Local Story Worth Stirring Up [46]

The tale of a toxic wastewater pit menacing a Florida community is a story that could be told in communities around the nation. As the latest TipSheet warns, these waste sites can turn into ticking time bombs. But in reporting the story locally, the first thing to know is which of the many kinds of wastewater ponds to look for. Here’s a rundown.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Chemicals [21]
Disasters [3]
Health [38]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Pollution [28]
Waste [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [10]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
International [14]
Canada [34]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Wastewater Ponds Often a Local Story Worth Stirring Up [46]
“Eating Wild Japan: Tracking the Culture of Foraged Foods, With a Guide to Plants and Recipes” [47]

A world of unique, foraged foods is at the heart of a new book, “Eating Wild Japan: Tracking the Culture of Foraged Foods, With a Guide to Plants and Recipes,” that also delves into what is being lost with large-scale farming. Our BookShelf reviewer Melody Kemp shares the joys and the worries recounted by the author, long-time SEJer Winifred Bird.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Consumer [41]
Food [49]
Journalism & Media [5]
Region:
International [14]
Asia [50]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about “Eating Wild Japan: Tracking the Culture of Foraged Foods, With a Guide to Plants and Recipes” [47]
Does Climate’s Future Depend on Better Batteries? [51]

The path of our planetary climate may depend largely on our transition away from energy sources that cause global warming. And that, in turn, may rely on one thing: improved batteries. The new Backgrounder explores the future of energy storage — how batteries work, the progress the technology has made and the brutal battery competition ahead between the United States and China.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Consumer [41]
Economy & Business [23]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Politics [25]
Science [44]
Technology [52]
Transportation [53]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [14]
Asia [50]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Does Climate’s Future Depend on Better Batteries? [51]

Pages