Publication Items

NASA Earthdata Offers a New Look at What Satellites See Down Here [1]

The capacity to visualize Earth’s ecosystems in detail is an invaluable aid to reporting on the environment. That’s now being bolstered with an ongoing upgrade to NASA’s Earthdata program, fueled by its ranks of satellites. Reporter’s Toolbox says the refurbishment offers treasures for journalists ranging from oceans, groundwater and land surfaces to the biosphere and atmosphere.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [7]
Science [8]
Technology [9]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
International [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about NASA Earthdata Offers a New Look at What Satellites See Down Here [1]
Insect Decline Poses Foundational Ecological Hazards [14]

Bugs may get a bad rap, but a serious possible global decline in their populations is making clearer what may be lost for ecosystems and human societies. Issue Backgrounder peers beneath the detritus to find what insects do, how we try to kill them and how they survive, and why it’s so hard to pin down the data around their shifting numbers.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Chemicals [16]
Environmental Health [5]
Natural Resources [7]
Pollution [17]
Science [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
International [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Insect Decline Poses Foundational Ecological Hazards [14]
‘Poisoned for Gold’ Project Pricks Nation’s Conscience [18]

Two Ghanian video journalists traveled their country to document how contamination from illegal gold mining was harming the health of workers and nearby communities. Their resulting reporting not only won acclaim from their peers but also ignited a debate that resulted in the closing of polluting mining operations. Read more about their award-winning project and its impact in Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [16]
Disasters [20]
Economy & Business [21]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [22]
Health [23]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [7]
People & Population [24]
Pollution [17]
Waste [25]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
International [12]
Africa [26]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about ‘Poisoned for Gold’ Project Pricks Nation’s Conscience [18]
Wild and Scenic Rivers Carry a Raft of Great Stories [27]

Thousands of miles of rivers across the United States are part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and any one of them can help tell some splashy tales of the power of conservation and the wonders of nature. TipSheet dips a toe into the backstory, then offers story ideas and resources to help report on local wild rivers near you.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [29]
Fish & Fisheries [30]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Natural Resources [7]
Water & Oceans [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Wild and Scenic Rivers Carry a Raft of Great Stories [27]
Environmental Journalists in a Perilous Era — A Survival Guide [32]

Political upheaval. Economic uncertainty. Security fears. Today’s environmental journalism landscape is strewn with hazards. But whether you’re a freelancer or a staffer, you don’t have to face them alone. In fact, the best strategies for coping with on-the-job risks and riding out these tumultuous times involve community and collaboration. Contributors Madeline Ostrander and Michael Bradbury share insights and advice.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [20]
Economy & Business [21]
Government [34]
Journalism & Media [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Environmental Journalists in a Perilous Era — A Survival Guide [32]
Fire Sleuths Can Spark Story Ideas With Wildland Urban Interface Data Maps [35]

Communities surrounded by forest can be a beautiful place to live … or a wildfire trap. Environmental journalists can readily map and identify these so-called wildland urban interfaces through a federal government resource, writes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. More on this data mapping tool and how to use it to track your area’s risk, explore historical trends and layer other data.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [20]
Environmental Studies [36]
Forests [37]
Government [34]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [24]
Planning & Growth [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
California [40]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Fire Sleuths Can Spark Story Ideas With Wildland Urban Interface Data Maps [35]
Press Freedom Erosion Continues Apace Under Trump 2.0 [41]

President Donald Trump’s numerous libel suits against news media may be more of a nuisance than a real weapon — albeit one that comes with significant legal bills and other, less tangible costs. But the new WatchDog Opinion column raises a rising press freedom vulnerability that Trump seems happy to exploit: leveraging the increasing media ownership by billionaires and large corporations.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [34]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Press Freedom Erosion Continues Apace Under Trump 2.0 [41]
Making the Transition to Journalism From the Nonprofit World [43]

Despite a family tradition in journalism, freelancer Marigo Farr first spent a decade working on social justice issues before making a striking realization: They, too, wanted to be a journalist. Follow their journey in the new Freelance Files, from first clips to the rigors of J-school and discovering the power of networking. Plus, some bonus strategies.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Making the Transition to Journalism From the Nonprofit World [43]
Renewable Job Training Makes the Grade at Community Colleges [45]

Jobs are relatively plentiful in green energy fields, whether in solar, wind, geothermal, energy efficiency, storage or hydro. To get at the trend, environmental journalists can check in with area community colleges, many of which offer technical training — and local stories. TipSheet has a closer look at the phenomenon, with a dozen story ideas and reporting resources for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [46]
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [47]
Infrastructure [48]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [7]
Planning & Growth [38]
Policy [49]
Technology [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Renewable Job Training Makes the Grade at Community Colleges [45]
EPA Facilities Database — Gateway to Investigative Reporting [50]

Want to pinpoint all the facilities regulated by the EPA in your ZIP code? Or scope out every U.S. operation owned by a particular industrial company? Or learn which polluter might be facing fewer enforcement actions under the current administration? Reporter’s Toolbox has a database for you — in effect, a master index to potential polluters.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [6]
Pollution [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about EPA Facilities Database — Gateway to Investigative Reporting [50]

Pages