Health

Future of Justice40 Program Hangs in Balance [1]

A Biden administration initiative that commits to allocating 40% of federal investments to disadvantaged communities plagued by overpollution is an environmental justice breakthrough, writes columnist Yessenia Funes. But it’s also a program with weaknesses, such as how it factors in race or keeps track of impacts. What is Justice40, what has it missed and what is its future?

SEJ Publication Types:

Voices of Environmental Justice [2]

Topics on the Beat:

Activism [3]

Air [4]

Chemicals [5]

Climate Change [6]

Environmental Justice [7]

Environmental Politics [8]

Government [9]

Health [10]

Infrastructure [11]

Laws & Regulations [12]

People & Population [13]

Policy [14]

Pollution [15]

Waste [16]

Water & Oceans [17]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Read more about Future of Justice40 Program Hangs in Balance [1]

Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals [20]

What was once benignly dubbed biosolids is more accurately tagged toxic sludge. And some of it may be finding its way into our food. The latest TipSheet reports how that came to be despite (or perhaps because of) Clean Water Act regulation, and how hard it is to calculate the potential harms. Plus, more than a dozen reporting ideas and resources for this highly localizable story.

SEJ Publication Types:

TipSheet [21]

Topics on the Beat:

Agriculture [22]

Environmental Politics [8]

Food [23]

Government [9]

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Laws & Regulations [12]

Pollution [15]

Waste [16]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Read more about Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals [20]

Looking for Environmental Justice Through the Smog [25]

A serious air pollutant prevalent in underserved communities, Superfund hazardous waste sites nearby, public drinking water systems out of compliance. All are new or enhanced insights found in an improved version of the federal government’s EJScreen data tool. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox reviews the changes and how they can be used to tell stories of real people’s daily lives.

SEJ Publication Types:

Reporters Toolbox [26]

Topics on the Beat:

Air [4]

Chemicals [5]

Environmental Justice [7]

Government [9]

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Laws & Regulations [12]

People & Population [13]

Pollution [15]

Transportation [27]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Read more about Looking for Environmental Justice Through the Smog [25]

Coequal Catastrophes — Quammen on Climate Change, Extinction and Epidemics [28]

Biodiversity loss can seem like a remote and abstract problem that pales in comparison to climate worries. But award-winning author David Quammen sees them as coequal threats, along with emerging diseases, and encourages journalists to illuminate the relationships between them. His advice includes getting out of big cities to see the extinction crisis firsthand and weaving humor and hope into your writing.

SEJ Publication Types:

Features [29]

Topics on the Beat:

Biodiversity [30]

Chemicals [5]

Climate Change [6]

Environmental Health [31]

Environmental Studies [32]

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Pollution [15]

Science [33]

Wildlife [34]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

International [35]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Read more about Coequal Catastrophes — Quammen on Climate Change, Extinction and Epidemics [28]

November 6, 2025

DEADLINE: The Mycoskie-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship [36]

This fellowship aims to empower a new generation of filmmakers exploring the burgeoning field of psychedelics. Apply for a Research & Development Grant, Production & Post-Production Grant or Student Grant. Deadline is Nov 6, 2025.

Workshops and Fellowships [37]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Topics on the Beat:

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

Could Beef Be the Route to a Bird Flu Pandemic? [38]

What goes on the backyard grill may be an important environmental story for any number of reasons. But as the latest TipSheet points out, one especially worrying one at the moment is the possibility that avian flu could jump species and create a public health crisis. Here’s what we know right now, along with story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:

TipSheet [21]

Topics on the Beat:

Agriculture [22]

Consumer [39]

Food [23]

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

International [35]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Read more about Could Beef Be the Route to a Bird Flu Pandemic? [38]

October 10, 2025

DEADLINE: AHCJ U.S. Health System Reporting Fellowship [40]

The Association of Health Care Journalists' year-long domestic fellowship aims to help U.S.-based journalists tackle a big reporting project that they might not otherwise be able to do in their daily work, while maintaining their regular employment. Apply by Oct 10, 2025.

Workshops and Fellowships [37]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Topics on the Beat:

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

October 10, 2025

DEADLINE: AHCJ International Health Study Fellowships [41]

The Association of Health Care Journalists' six-month international fellowship allows for journalists to travel overseas to comparatively study and report on a facet of the health care system abroad as it compares to that of the United States. Apply by Oct 10, 2025.

Workshops and Fellowships [37]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Topics on the Beat:

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

International [35]

Europe [42]

September 18, 2024

SciLine Media Briefing: Hurricane Aftermath — Damage to Infrastructure, Health and the Environment [43]

SciLine’s next media briefing will describe what scientific research says about the damage hurricanes cause to infrastructure (including homes and local services), the environment (including pollution events and shoreline damage), and health — particularly among already-vulnerable populations. 1-2 p.m. ET.

Other Events [44]

Visibility:

Public [19]

Topics on the Beat:

Disasters [45]

Health [10]

Infrastructure [11]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]

Sea Surface Temperature Data Tells Many Environmental Stories [46]

With hurricane season expected to kick into high gear, a key data source for reporters is sea surface temperatures. But this widely available information can also tell reporters something about many other water-related environment stories, whether algal blooms, bacterial risks to public health or the prospects for entire estuarine systems. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox helps you dip your toe into this important data pool.

SEJ Publication Types:

Reporters Toolbox [26]

Topics on the Beat:

Climate Change [6]

Environmental Health [31]

Fish & Fisheries [47]

Health [10]

Journalism & Media [24]

Science [33]

Water & Oceans [17]

Region:

National (U.S.) [18]