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Cultivating uncertainty through science reporting

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Image: Mike Gifford, Flickr.
By Marie Orttenburger
SACRAMENTO – Science is integral to environmental reporting, but it’s also a source of the field’s biggest dilemmas.
Science reporters often find themselves crafting imperfect metaphors, navigating complex findings, trying not to overwhelm the reader with data. And they’re doing all of that while struggling to understand the science themselves.
The “EJ Reporting: Don’t Forget the Science” panel at the Society of Environmental Journalist’s recent 26th annual conference tackled this challenge.  The discussion, featuring science reporters Sarah Zielinski, Dan Fagin, Janet Raloff and Christopher Joyce, opened with some reassurance. 
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Baba Brinkman brings beats to SEJ conference

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By Marie Orttenburger
SACRAMENTO – Baba Brinkman uses rap to communicate about otherwise esoteric subjects.
The Canadian artist peformed recently at the 26th annual conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists in Sacramento and even wrote a rap about the meeting and about outgoing executive director Beth Parke while he was there.
His most recent album, The Rap Guide to Climate Chaos, will be released September 30.
It focuses on climate change and the science and politics behind it. Reporter Marie Orttenburger caught up with him at the conference to learn more about his craft. Listen to the interview and to his performance of IPCC – a reference to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Beth Parke reflects on 26 years at helm of Society of Environmental Journalists

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By Marie Orttenburger
Beth Parke has been the Society of Environmental Journalists’ executive director from the 26-year-old organization’s beginning. This year, she will step down from that position. Reporter Marie Orttenburger talked with her at the organization’s national conference in Sacramento about her proudest achievements, where the organization is headed and her advice for the next executive director.