Published on SEJ (https://www.sej.org)

Home > Consumer

List of Toxics Near Military Sites May Include Leads for Reporters [1]

Drinking water contaminated with PFAS for years has caused worry, even outrage, in local communities affected by the toxic chemicals. Now, a military database may help reporters locate contamination sites. This week’s TipSheet has more on the database, along with tips for evaluating your local PFAS story.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [3]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Health [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Military [10]
Policy [11]
Pollution [12]
Science [13]
Water & Oceans [14]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [15]
Visibility: 
Public [16]

EPA Scales Back Proposed Ban, Limits Deadly Chemical in Paint Strippers [17]

"The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Friday new limits on a lethal chemical found in paint stripping products that has been linked to more than 50 deaths since the 1980s."

Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [18]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [15]
Source: NY Times [19], 03/18/2019

Can States Divvy Up the Shrinking Colorado River Water Supply? [20]

The vast Colorado River, recently in the news over a troubled drought deal, is at the heart of numerous environmental problems in the American West, where water is scarce and the legal complexities of water rights voluminous. The latest Issue Backgrounder offers an explainer on the story, which involves at least seven states, the federal government, Native American tribes, a hornet’s nest of irrigation districts and even Mexico.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [21]
Topics on the Beat: 
Agriculture [22]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [18]
Government [24]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [25]
Water & Oceans [14]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [15]
California [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [27]
International [28]
Mexico [29]
Visibility: 
Public [16]

"Plastic Bag Ban Passes Washington Senate" [30]

"OLYMPIA, Wash. — A ban on single-use plastic bags passed the state Senate Tuesday, progress for an idea proposed in the Legislature as early as 2013."

Consumer [5]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [16]
Northwest (OR WA) [31]
Source: AP [32], 03/08/2019
April 23, 2019 to April 25, 2019

National Adaptation Forum [33]

This three-day event in Madison, WI, will focus on established and emerging issues related to practical climate adaptation solutions. It's known as a great resource for finding story ideas and meeting scientists, agency staff, citizens and more. On Tuesday, April 23, Concurrent Session 3, "Overcoming Flood Amnesia: How Two Cities and Two States Are Becoming Resilient," is organized by SEJ member Penny Loeb.

Other Events [34]
Visibility: 
Public [16]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Environmental Health [6]
Planning & Growth [36]
Region: 
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [37]
April 1, 2019 to April 4, 2019

BioCycle WEST COAST19 [38]

BioCycle's 32nd annual conference will bring experts together Apr 1-4, 2019 in Portland, Oregon to cover current core challenges and solutions to catalyze organics recycling.

Professional Meetings [39]
Visibility: 
Public [16]
Topics on the Beat: 
Consumer [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Environmental Health [6]
Technology [40]
Waste [41]
Region: 
Northwest (OR WA) [31]

Where Does All That Recycling Go? [42]

Where do all those recyclables actually go? This week’s TipSheet dives into the trash to find a story worth telling — of troubling overseas dumping, problematic local incineration and a fraying patchwork of U.S. regulation. Plus, several dozen questions you might want to ask, a pair of pro tips and a dozen resources to track the story in your area.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [3]
Air [43]
Consumer [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [11]
Pollution [12]
Waste [41]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [15]
International [28]
Asia [44]
Visibility: 
Public [16]

"The Dawn of the Age of Plastics" [45]

"The 1939 World’s Fair was a testament to cork’s primacy in consumer packaging. But a little-known substance called plastic was waiting in the wings."

"In the closing months of World War II, Americans talked nonstop about how and when the war would end, and about how life was about to change. Germany would fall soon, people agreed on that. Opinions varied on how much longer the war in the Pacific would go on.

Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Waste [41]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [15]
Source: Undark [46], 02/26/2019

"Crisis on the Colorado" [47]

"As the Southwest faces rapid growth and unrelenting drought, the Colorado River is in crisis, with too many demands on its diminishing flow. Now those who depend on the river must confront the hard reality that their supply of Colorado water may be cut off."

Jim Robbins reports, with photography by Ted Wood, in a 5-part series for Yale Environment 360 January 14, 2019. [48]

SEE ALSO:

Agriculture [22]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Environmental Politics [18]
Fish & Fisheries [49]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [25]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [14]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [15]
Source: , 02/25/2019

"Harley-Davidson Embraces A New Sound As It Enters The Electric Era" [50]

"Harley-Davidsons are famous for their iconic deep rumble. But the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker's latest model features an electric motor that emits a high-pitched whirring sound. Will Harley fans go along for the ride?"

Consumer [5]
Energy & Fuel [51]
Transportation [52]
Public [16]
National (U.S.) [15]
Source: NPR [53], 02/14/2019

Pages

The Society of Environmental Journalists
1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 558-2055
Email: sej@sej.org
© 2026 The Society of Environmental Journalists. All Rights Reserved.
All graphics © SEJ, unless otherwise stated.
Source URL:https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=139

Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/list-toxics-near-military-sites-may-include-leads-reporters [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/military [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [15] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [16] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-scales-back-proposed-ban-limits-deadly-chemical-paint-strippers [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [19] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/15/climate/epa-paint-stripper-methylene-chloride.html [20] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/can-states-divvy-shrinking-colorado-river-water-supply [21] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [26] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [27] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [28] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [29] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/mexico [30] https://www.sej.org/headlines/plastic-bag-ban-passes-washington-senate [31] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [32] https://www.apnews.com/736133d3c7dc44a1bc730872dc4714bb [33] https://www.sej.org/calendar/national-adaptation-forum [34] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/other-events [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [38] https://www.sej.org/calendar/biocycle-west-coast19 [39] https://www.sej.org/category/event-types/professional-meetings [40] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [42] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/where-does-all-recycling-go [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [44] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [45] https://www.sej.org/headlines/dawn-age-plastics [46] https://undark.org/article/dawn-age-plastics/ [47] https://www.sej.org/headlines/crisis-colorado [48] https://e360.yale.edu/series/crisis-on-the-colorado [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [50] https://www.sej.org/headlines/harley-davidson-embraces-new-sound-it-enters-electric-era [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [53] https://www.npr.org/2019/02/13/693679858/harley-davidson-embraces-a-new-sound-as-it-enters-the-electric-era [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=138 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=135 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=136 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=137 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=140 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=141 [60] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=142 [61] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=143 [62] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer?page=179