Finding Environment stories.

By Angeline Nekesa

Some of the best local sources of environmental stories are non-governmental organizations, universities and research institutions, and government agencies but all these tend to have an agenda of their own, so watch out for biasness. Also these bodies tend not to be geared up for dealing with media enquiries and sometimes positive publicity to favor their organizations.

To really take the pulse of an environmental story you need many varied sources. And for a journalist in need of color and context, along with strong quotes and a direct connection with audiences, you need to build rapport with people and find out about their environmental issues.

People leaving in the slums, overpopulated and rural areas know better than most people what is happening in their environment. They depend more directly on the environment than most other people for their food, water and livelihoods and they have tremendous knowledge about what is good and bad.

Talk especially to old people, who may be carrying around generations of traditional knowledge in their heads. The elders are often better placed than scientists to explain things like deforestation trends and climate change in terms your audiences will understand. Talk also to young people. It is their environment too. And they will be inheriting what we leave behind, so it is worth reminding audiences that our planet is not just for us but for future generations too.

If you can’t find a story to follow, then look to the international scene to find out what is going on then use your local sources to make the story relevant to your local audiences.For international stories, follow the intergovernmental negotiations of rules to address climate change and biodiversity loss by reading the Earth Negotiations Bulletin http://www.iisd.ca/ Also track what the best international journalists are writing about. Try the Dot Earth blog at the New York Times http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/; or the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment and BBC Online environment pages http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/default.stm.

Make international contacts too. You can meet people and share ideas at the Research and Media Network http://researchandmedia.ning.com. Contact international environmental organizations such as WWF, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth and asked their press officers to put you on their mailing list for press releases.

Courtesy of the Kenya Environment and Science Journalists Association