Health

Prize Winner Spurs Policy Change on Illinois PFAS Contamination

When Illinois downplayed the results of long-delayed PFAS testing in the state’s public water supply, Chicago Tribune reporter Michael Hawthorne revisited a story he had first covered two decades before. His investigation uncovered dangerous practices threatening public health, won him accolades and moved the needle on state policy. How he went about it, in the new Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Visibility: 

When Disasters Hit, Nursing Homes Can Be Disasters Waiting To Happen

In any disaster, among the most vulnerable populations are the residents of nursing homes. Yet many communities may simply not be ready to protect them, despite a complex patchwork of state, federal and local regulatory oversight. That means environmental journalists should get on the case, reporting the risk in their locales, advises the latest TipSheet. Insights, plus a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Visibility: 

RFK Jr. Said Trump Promised Him Control of Public Health Agencies

"Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told supporters on an online organizing call this week that former President Donald J. Trump had “promised” him “control” of the nation’s public health agencies, should Mr. Trump win the election next week. The Trump campaign, however, would confirm no such commitments."

Source: NYTimes, 10/31/2024
October 31, 2024

SciLine Experts on Camera: Environmental Contamination After Hurricanes With Dr. Weihsueh Chiu

Dr. Weihsueh Chiu of Texas A&M will be available from 10 a.m-noon ET for 15-minute 1-on-1 Zoom interviews. He can discuss types of hurrican-damage pollution; how preparations for hurricanes and damage to infrastructure lead to pollution; environmental remediation; and how hurricane-related pollution impacts human health.

Visibility: 

Future of Justice40 Program Hangs in Balance

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: 
Visibility: 

Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals

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: 
Visibility: 

Looking for Environmental Justice Through the Smog

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: 
Visibility: 

Coequal Catastrophes — Quammen on Climate Change, Extinction and Epidemics

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: 
Visibility: 
October 30, 2024

DEADLINE: The Mycoskie-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship

This fellowship aims to empower a new generation of filmmakers exploring the burgeoning field of psychedelics. Apply for one of three $10,000 Student Fellowships or one of two $25,000 General Fellowships. Deadline is Oct 30, 2024.

Visibility: 
Topics on the Beat: 

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Health