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| Photo courtesy of Environmental Health News. |
Peter Dykstra, who joined the Society of Environmental Journalists in 1992, passed away on July 31, 2024.
Peter loved SEJ and gave generously of his time and talents. He chaired the 1998 annual conference, in Chattanooga, Tennessee and graced the pages of SEJournal. He also served on the SEJ Board of Directors, 1997-99, and as a judge for SEJ's Awards for Reporting on the Environment.
- "Environmental Journalism Loses a Hero," Environmental Health News, August 1, 2024, by Brian Bienkowski.
SEJ members reminisce about Peter:
"Peter was a wise, witty, wonderful force in environmental journalism for many years. He always seemed to enjoy SEJ conferences to the max, with an extra kick of sauce. His smile was offered generously, with bear hugs for so many colleagues. I have always admired Peter's enormous optimism, his smarts and his dedication to many people and causes that were important to him, including SEJ. His stories about CNN days were epic and insightful. I will miss him so much!" — Emilia Askari, University of Michigan
"I worked with Peter for about two years. He was the most knowledgeable person I knew about environmental history and a great supporter and advocate of environmental journalism and SEJ. He personally experienced unimaginable tragedy and rose above it as much as possible and always kept his wicked sense of humor." — Marla Cone, CalMatters
"Peter was a big, bold, magnificent spirit, an inspiration as a reporter and as a human being. We won’t see his like again. How lucky we were to know him." and "He was so important to SEJ. He was there from very near SEJ’s beginning and helped create our culture: serious, smart and realistic, but also fearless, warm and relentlessly funny. I hope we never lose the spark he brought to SEJ." — Heather Dewar, Author, Developmental Editor, Storyteller
"Peter and I collaborated on EHN, environmental history and (in the 1980s) stories about Greenpeace. I brought him to my university one year, around 2000, and he showed amazing interviews from CNN's science unit. Throughout his career, Peter made a major contribution to public understanding of science and the environment, and we were privileged to know him. He will be missed." — Bill Kovarik, Radford University
"Peter also had perhaps the best environmental, end-of-the-world, dark humor of anyone I've ever known. I will surely miss that." — Jay Letto, SEJ Annual Conference Director
"Another gift from Peter is that I can’t help but celebrate his life and feel lucky to have known him. His brilliant wit, unforgettable personality, deep knowledge, unique contributions, dedication, and ultimately his courage, were unparalleled. We met at a conference in Minneapolis in the late 80s: ‘Early Warnings,’ organized by Eric Utne where I, and maybe he, first learned about SEJ from a notice on a bulletin board, posted by Tom Meersman. Friends thereafter and forever. Rest in peace, Peter." — Beth Parke, SEJ Founding Executive Director
"A brilliant and charismatic fellow. The last I heard from Peter was after I posted a note about him once upon a snowstorm referring to the "snowball arm" of the recently departed Sen. James Inhofe." — Charles P Quirmbach, WUWM - Milwaukee Public Radio
"Peter hosted the Atlanta regional conference and a Chattanooga national SEJ conference. He was bold and capable and one of those fun folks I looked forward to seeing at any SEJ conference." — Bruce Ritchie, POLITICO Florida
"My friend, mentor, hero, Peter Dykstra, has passed away. He was a beaming light for environment journalism, including his time at CNN, and his service to SEJ. May his memory be a blessing." — Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate
"What heartbreaking news. The Earth has lost one of its best friends. But what a legacy he leaves. Peter's fearless journalism, and his tenacity, bravery and sense of humor in the face of adversity were inspirations to me and countless others." — Tim Wheeler, Bay Journal
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