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TipSheet is a biweekly source for story ideas, background, interview leads and reporting tools for journalists who cover news of the environment.

For questions and comments, or to suggest future TipSheets, email the TipSheet Editor Joseph A. Davis at sejournaleditor@sej.org.

Journalists can receive TipSheet free by subscribing to the SEJournal Online, the digital news magazine of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Subscribe to the e-newsletter here. TipSheet is also available through the searchable archive below and via RSS feed.

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Latest TipSheet Items

August 23, 2023

  • The Spread of Harmful Algal Blooms Makes News in Multitude of Locales

    As algal blooms (think “red tides” or “dead zones”) grow larger and more frequent, they are emerging not just on the coasts and major estuaries, but in inland lakes and streams. And they cause all kinds of harm, to humans and to the environment. The latest TipSheet has details on how to cover the problem locally, including story ideas and reporting resources.

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July 26, 2023

  • Dangerous Inland Flooding in Reporters’ Forecast

    While much attention is paid to hurricane flooding along the coasts, recent disasters in the Northeast United States brought home the dangers of flooding inland. The latest TipSheet has the basics, plus more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources for local journalists to prepare for coverage of inland floods.

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June 28, 2023

  • Wildfire Smoke — Now a Local Story in Unaccustomed Places

    The harms of air pollutants created by wildfires are clear. What’s lost in the haze, though, is that wildfire smoke can carry those pollutants vast distances, threatening communities that are unfamiliar with the risks. The latest TipSheet explains the dangers and how far-flung wildfire smoke travels, then offers a dozen story ideas plus reporting resources.

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June 14, 2023

  • As Bird Populations Crash, Local Reporting Can Help Untangle Why

    A precipitous decline in bird populations worldwide and in North America has numerous causes and is, at least in part, the result of human activity. But the complexity of the problem doesn’t mean that it can’t be reported on the ground by environmental journalists using nearby resources. The latest TipSheet has more, along with a dozen-and-a-half story ideas and reporting resources.

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May 31, 2023

  • Heat Warning — Expect Extreme Temps To Be Local Story This Summer

    Some areas of the United States are hot and getting hotter, thanks to climate change and now the coming El Niño. But some areas have little history with extreme temperatures — and those places are among the ones to watch this summer for local and regional reporting. Plus, who are the most vulnerable in your community when it comes to heat waves?

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May 17, 2023

  • When Extreme Weather Amplifies Hazardous Waste Threats

    Toxic waste is bad enough when it’s in one spot. But it can be even more dangerous when it is made mobile by climate-induced natural disasters. The latest TipSheet looks at just a few of the problems that can arise — or have already arisen. Plus, story ideas and reporting resources to cover this issue in your locale.

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May 3, 2023

  • Funding Initiative May Help Surface Overlooked Environmental Justice Stories

    A new government-organized network of environmental justice assistance centers may not only assist the community groups applying for billions in federal funds but could also help point environmental journalists toward undercovered stories on the beat. The latest TipSheet explains how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiative will work and how to locate the centers for your reporting.

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April 26, 2023

  • Reporters Can Address Uncertainty Over Local Risk of Rising Seas

    U.S. coastal counties are home to 127 million people, making the risk to life and property of flooding from sea level rise a serious one. But how great that risk is varies widely from place to place. So the latest TipSheet makes the case for environmental journalists to explain the local reality to their audiences. Get context, story ideas and resources to do just that.

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April 12, 2023

  • Seasonal Fishing Stories Reflect a Changing Environment

    As fishing season begins in many parts of the United States, climate change and pollution can make the sport a, well, can of worms. For the latest TipSheet, though, that means insights and stories for environmental journalists. A thumbnail on key issues, with story ideas and reporting resources. Plus, for those going to #SEJ2023 Boise, famed fishing spots.

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March 29, 2023

  • Bring Home Cyber Risks to Water Supply, in Wake of EPA Tightening

    With the federal government now requiring that states pay closer attention to cybersecurity risks in their regular audits of public drinking water systems, environmental journalists should be doing the same, suggests the latest TipSheet. Here’s how to gauge the cyber risk and to understand the current safe drinking water regulatory regime, plus story ideas and resources to bolster your local reporting.

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SEJournal Online is the digital news magazine of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Learn more about SEJournal Online, including submission, subscription and advertising information.