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An Editor’s Eye View to Successful Pitching [1]

The not-so-simple act of pitching story ideas is among the biggest challenges facing freelance environmental reporters. Is the pitch smartly targeted, thoroughly researched, well-crafted? Our new Freelance Files co-editor Marianne Messina spoke to four top-level editors at well-known outlets to get their perspectives on making a successful pitch. Learn why outlets need you, what they look for and how to avoid basic mistakes.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Freelance Files [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Journalism & Media [3]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
International [5]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
  • Read more about An Editor’s Eye View to Successful Pitching [1]

U.S. Fuel Exports To Profit Industry, Slam Consumers [7]

‘Energy dominance’ is a Trump catchphrase whose meaning may be vague — since the U.S. is already the world’s top producer of oil and natural gas. But one thing that does seem clear, per the new Backgrounder, is that a flood of new U.S. permits to export gas will likely mean higher energy prices for U.S. customers.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [8]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [9]
Consumer [10]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Politics [12]
Policy [13]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
International [5]
Canada [14]
Mexico [15]
Europe [16]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
  • Read more about U.S. Fuel Exports To Profit Industry, Slam Consumers [7]

Follow the Money … for Lobbying State Legislatures [17]

With many states dominated by a few powerful industries — whether oil, mining or agriculture — the influence of campaign dollars can have an outsize effect on legislation, even to the point of corruption, notes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. So while the U.S. Congress may be languishing, environmental journalists can dig up stories on lobbying at the state level using a powerful data source.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [19]
Agriculture [20]
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [22]
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Policy [13]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [24]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [26]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
  • Read more about Follow the Money … for Lobbying State Legislatures [17]

"Blue Ridge Parkway: Will "Take Years" For Some Areas To Be Repaired" [27]

"While repairs to storm-battered sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are underway, it will "take years" to repair some of the damage, according to the National Park Service."

Climate Change [9]
Disasters [28]
Economy & Business [21]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Politics [12]
Infrastructure [31]
Natural Resources [32]
People & Population [33]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: National Parks Traveler [34], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about "Blue Ridge Parkway: Will "Take Years" For Some Areas To Be Repaired" [27]

Some L.A. Homes Are Being Built To Resist Wildfires — And Some Aren't [35]

"Homeowners in Los Angeles have started the long process of rebuilding after the destructive wildfires in January. Some are constructing homes that are much less likely to burn when the next wildfire hits." "Still, thousands of other homeowners in the urban center of Altadena are about to rebuild without wildfire-resistant materials, because they live outside a state-designated wildfire zone."

Climate Change [9]
Disasters [28]
Diversity [36]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [22]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Natural Resources [32]
People & Population [33]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
California [37]
Source: NPR [38], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about Some L.A. Homes Are Being Built To Resist Wildfires — And Some Aren't [35]

Plastics Seeping Into Fields, Food And Human Bodies. Can They Be Stopped? [39]

"In Uganda’s Mbale district, famous for its production of arabica coffee, a plague of plastic bags locally known as buveera is creeping beyond the city."

Agriculture [20]
Biodiversity [40]
Chemicals [41]
Consumer [10]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Studies [42]
Food [43]
Public [6]
International [5]
Source: AP [44], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about Plastics Seeping Into Fields, Food And Human Bodies. Can They Be Stopped? [39]

Trump Fires Green TVA Board Member Without Publicly Providing a Reason [45]

"Michelle Moore was widely seen as the most progressive member of the body, which oversees the nation’s largest public power company."

Activism [19]
Climate Change [9]
Diversity [36]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [22]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Pollution [46]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [47]
Source: Inside Climate News [48], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about Trump Fires Green TVA Board Member Without Publicly Providing a Reason [45]

"Arctic Sea Ice Winter Peak In 2025 Is Smallest In 47-Year Record" [49]

"Arctic sea ice has recorded its smallest winter peak extent since satellite records began 47 years ago, new data reveals."

Climate Change [9]
Science [50]
Transportation [51]
Public [6]
International [5]
Antarctica & Arctic [52]
Source: Carbon Brief [53], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about "Arctic Sea Ice Winter Peak In 2025 Is Smallest In 47-Year Record" [49]

"How Lee Zeldin Went From Environmental Moderate to Dismantling the E.P.A." [54]

"He once talked about the need to fight climate change. Now, he embraces Elon Musk, lavishes praise on the president and strives to stand out in a MAGA world."

Climate Change [9]
Economy & Business [21]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Politics [12]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: NYTimes [55], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about "How Lee Zeldin Went From Environmental Moderate to Dismantling the E.P.A." [54]

"How Trump’s Tariffs Could Brake EVs But Accelerate Tesla" [56]

"The planned 25 percent tariff on imported automobiles is a gut punch for most electric vehicle makers, whose supply chains are rooted in China." "At the same time as tariffs wound the overall EV market, they could provide a window of opportunity for automakers that already produce EVs and batteries domestically and could beat competitors on price. The most likely winner is Tesla, analysts said, though other automakers could also benefit."

Climate Change [9]
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [22]
Laws & Regulations [23]
People & Population [33]
Transportation [51]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: E&E News [57], 03/31/2025
  • Read more about "How Trump’s Tariffs Could Brake EVs But Accelerate Tesla" [56]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/freelance-files/editor-s-eye-view-successful-pitching [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/freelance-files [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [4] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [5] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [6] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [7] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/us-fuel-exports-profit-industry-slam-consumers [8] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [14] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/canada [15] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/mexico [16] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/europe [17] https://www.sej.org/publications/reporters-toolbox/follow-money-lobbying-state-legislatures [18] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/reporter%E2%80%99s-toolbox [19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [24] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains [25] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [26] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [27] https://www.sej.org/headlines/blue-ridge-parkway-will-take-years-some-areas-be-repaired [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [34] https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2025/03/blue-ridge-parkway-will-take-years-some-areas-be-repaired [35] https://www.sej.org/headlines/some-la-homes-are-being-built-resist-wildfires-and-some-arent [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/diversity [37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [38] https://www.npr.org/2025/03/25/nx-s1-5335535/los-angeles-home-fires-rebuilding-regulations [39] https://www.sej.org/headlines/plastics-seeping-fields-food-and-human-bodies-can-they-be-stopped [40] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [42] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [44] https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-agriculture-microplastics-soil-plastic-health-food-34c578dcdcada4abf06b03866d66e607 [45] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-fires-green-tva-board-member-without-publicly-providing-reason [46] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [48] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/28032025/trump-fires-clean-energy-leader-from-tva-board-without-publicly-providing-a-reason/ [49] https://www.sej.org/headlines/arctic-sea-ice-winter-peak-2025-smallest-47-year-record [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [52] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/antarctica-arctic [53] https://www.carbonbrief.org/arctic-sea-ice-winter-peak-in-2025-is-smallest-in-47-year-record/ [54] https://www.sej.org/headlines/how-lee-zeldin-went-environmental-moderate-dismantling-epa [55] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/climate/lee-zeldin-epa.html [56] https://www.sej.org/headlines/how-trump-s-tariffs-could-brake-evs-accelerate-tesla [57] https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-trumps-tariffs-could-brake-evs-but-accelerate-tesla/ [58] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=343 [59] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=340 [60] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=341 [61] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=342 [62] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=345 [63] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=346 [64] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=347 [65] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=348 [66] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81?page=4786