I’m running to serve on the Society of Environmental Journalists board because I want to help support programming that expands opportunities for environmental reporting and addresses the many challenges that prevent reporters — especially in smaller and under-resourced newsrooms — from covering issues vital to their communities, topics ranging from extreme heat to water quality.
For the past six years, I have reported on water, public land, mining and other environmental issues for The Nevada Independent, a digital nonprofit newsroom. I strongly believe that everyone should be able to access information about the complex forces and systems that shape our world. I see environmental reporting as a way to provide transparency and accountability about how natural resources are managed, and how they feed into the water, energy, land and food systems that we interact with on a daily basis. But the reality is there are often more stories than there are reporters to cover them, and essential coverage can fall through the cracks. I know that I have often had to prioritize one story over the other, even when I knew both were worthy of reporting out.
One of the reasons why I’m running for the board is because I’m passionate about expanding community, local and statewide environmental coverage. As an SEJ board member, I would work to ensure that we are promoting, highlighting local work, and listening to the needs of local members and freelancers. I would also emphasize outreach and membership campaigns that attempt to support and expand environmental journalism in “news deserts,” especially within communities that have been historically overlooked by traditional media outlets.
I’m also running to be a strong advocate for our profession. For the past two years, I’ve served as a board member of the Nevada Press Association, most recently as board president. On the SEJ board, I would bring past journalism advocacy experience, thinking of creative ways to promote environmental journalism and educate the public on the value it brings to communities. With my previous board experience, I would also bring an understanding of how to realistically execute on the organization's goals and long-term strategic plan, while balancing capacity issues and remaining responsive to the varied needs of members.
I am based in Reno, and I am currently working on a book about water in the Great Basin. In addition to my reporting for The Nevada Independent, my environmental work has been published in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Sierra, Ensia and High Country News.
If you have any questions, feedback or ideas, email me (rothbergdaniel@gmail.com). Look forward to chatting more! - Daniel
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