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SEJournal is the weekly digital news magazine of the Society of Environmental Journalists. SEJ members are automatically subscribed. Nonmembers may subscribe using the link below. Send questions, comments, story ideas, articles, news briefs and tips to Editor Adam Glenn at sejournaleditor@sej.org. Or contact Glenn if you're interested in joining the SEJournal volunteer editorial staff.

TipSheet | Reporter's Toolbox | Backgrounders | WatchDog |

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January 31, 2024

  • With the world in the midst of wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, it’s time for journalists to appraise — and report on — the intersection of conflict and the environment, argues the new Backgrounder. That means considering the environment not only as a victim of war, but also as the cause of war and a means of carrying it out.

  • To better understand progress in the U.S. energy transition, some of the best nonpartisan data comes from the Energy Information Administration. And, as the latest Reporter’s Toolbox explains, EIA has an effective dashboard tool for exploring state-by-state variations in clean energy performance, among other things. Here’s how to use it smartly. Plus, a few caveats.

January 24, 2024

  • Nothing may seem more personal than a home flooded by heavy rains. But the latest TipSheet points out that for local environmental reporters, there’s a bigger story to be told: how your community regulates stormwater and storm sewers, especially in the face of climate change-driven extreme precipitation. More than a dozen reporting ideas and resources.

  • What environment stories will matter most in 2024 to communities of color and Indigenous communities? Columnist Yessenia Funes sheds light on concerns ranging from the environmental damage in Gaza and extreme weather across the United States to the fallout from the U.S. presidential election to the local impacts of the clean energy transition. Insights in the latest Voices of Environmental Justice.

January 17, 2024

  • Climate change is fueling the frequency and severity of wildfires, but a little-known Clean Air Act rule lets environmental agencies downplay the impacts of wildfire smoke. A collaborative investigation into this loophole connected dots that even the experts didn’t know about. Journalists Dillon Bergin and Molly Peterson explain their reporting process and offer advice for following your own local leads.

  • If you find yourself covering local waterways and are not a numbers geek but still want good-quality, easy-to-use data to inform your reporting, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox has a handy web app for you. “How’s My Waterway” uses numerous authoritative government datasets in a straightforward format that’s super easy to explore. Get started with intro videos, webcasts, widgets and a ZIP code-based map.

  • For environmental journalists who recall the first Trump administration’s hostility toward media, the prospects of a second Trump presidency are troubling. But not nearly as worrying, WatchDog Opinion writes, as what a Trump reelection would mean for press freedom as a whole, nor for the democracy that hinges on that freedom. Read why the risks of journalists being targeted are real.

January 10, 2024

  • Health and environmental concerns about some beauty items — like the use of formaldehyde in certain hair straighteners — have started to emerge as a focus for federal regulation. But as the latest TipSheet points out, the response has been slow and fitful. Meanwhile, here are story ideas and resources to help reporters find local angles for this environmental and public health hazard.

  • When freelancer Rachel Nuwer decided to tackle a controversial story about trophy hunting and wildlife conservation she confronted not only tricky logistics and demanding field work, but last-minute publication conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic. But with a grant and an understanding editor, she got her clip and a new commitment to continue covering similarly challenging topics. Nuwer shares her experience in the new FEJ StoryLog.

January 3, 2024

  • Toilet-to-tap water jokes aside, the technology and economics of turning sewage into potable drinking water is increasingly seen as a remedy for water-stressed communities. The new BookShelf review of “Purified: How Recycled Sewage is Transforming Our Water,” explains how water shortages, climate change, unsustainable growth and other factors have led some communities, most recently Los Angeles, to consider going “all in” on purified wastewater.

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