Journalists as scientists
Here are tips for doing your own environmental testing and links to news stories where journalists did just that
Dina Cappiello, Houston Chronicle
Dina Cappiello, environment writer for the Houston Chronicle, analyzed her community's air quality in a series called "In Harm's Way." Be sure to read the "How we did it" section. .
Chris Bowman, The Sacramento Bee
Chris Bowman, environment reporter for The Sacramento Bee, commissioned testing of naturally occurring asbestos. See: Projects in El Dorado churning up asbestos: Potential cancer hazard in unearthed bedrock. Here's how that testing was done.
Here is another story by Chris Bowman where testing commissioned by the newspaper found high levels of tungsten in trees: Core tests of trees as environmental sentinels in neighborhood with cancer cluster concerns.
Related Links:
Graphics: Pollution testing in Calvin-Florin
Testing reveals pollutant hot spot
Bill Moyers, PBS
Bill Moyers had his own blood tested for his documentary on the chemical industry. Check out the web site to find content for the show including details about the chemicals they found in Bill's blood. Included in this is info on chemical body burden in a group of volunteers from the Environmental Working Group.
Douglas Fischer, The Oakland Tribune
Douglas Fischer, a reporter with the Oakland Tribune, did a three-part series on tests the newspaper commissioned to measure the contaminants in the bodies of a local family.
