Hosted by Michigan State University, October 18-22, 2000
DRAFT: All Information Subject to Change
All events in Kellogg Conference Center except as noted

Wednesday, October 18:

Registration: 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

SEJ Talk-and-Listen: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Heritage Room.
Get acquainted with your colleagues before the start of the annual conference. Join with a small group of your peers in sharing stories as environmental journalists. In a facilitated session, each participant will have the opportunity to share thoughts and tales with one another. New members warmly welcomed! This is a sure-fire way to get to know more of your fellow SEJ'ers, while sharing a little of yourself. The connections you make here will last through the course of the conference -- and perhaps beyond. Afterwards, we'll adjourn to dutch-treat dinner and informal conversation at a dining establishment nearby. SEJ members only, please. Facilitator: Brian Lavendel, freelance writer.

SEJ Board Meeting: 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Centennial Room.

Thursday, October 19:

Ecology of Lake Michigan Tour: 7:00 a.m. departure, lunch provided.
Lake Michigan is the world's sixth largest lake and is the largest lake entirely within U.S. borders. It is one of the five Great Lakes, which collectively make up 20 percent of the freshwater on the planet. This tour will feature an interpretive hike through the sand dunes at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park near Muskegon. The east coast of Lake Michigan features the world's largest assemblage of freshwater dunes, and Hoffmaster State Park is one of Michigan's most spectacular forested dune systems. We will also visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Lake Michigan Field Station in Muskegon. Leading Great Lakes scientists will discuss a variety of issues, such as chemical and biological contaminants, problems associated with fluctuating Great Lakes water levels and dramatic changes recently in the Great Lakes food web. NOAA officials also will lead a tour of the Lake Michigan Field Station and a discussion of Great Lakes issues aboard one of the agency's research vessels, the R/V Shenehon. Tour leaders: Jeff Alexander, Muskegon Chronicle; John Flesher, Associated Press. Speakers: Steve Brandt, NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillmam, P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, and co-author of Discovering Great Lakes Dunes; Tom Nalepa, NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; Chuck Pistis, Michigan Sea Grant Program. Note: Participants on this tour should wear comfortable hiking shoes, bring rain gear and motion sickness medicine if seasickness is a problem. The hike at Hoffmaster State Park and brief ride aboard the Shenehon research vessel will take place rain or shine. Sponsored by the Muskegon Chronicle.

Bird Watching, Wildlife Refuge Management and Ecotourism: 7:15 a.m. departure, lunch provided.
Visit MSU's Kellogg Biological Station and Michigan Audubon Society's Baker Sanctuary near the height of the fall bird migration. Bring binoculars! We should see sandhill cranes, waterfowl, and other birds. Wildlife biologists will discuss refuge management challenges and ecotourism. This trip involves moderate hiking, so please dress accordingly. Tour Leaders: Cheryl Hogue, Chemical & Engineering News; Eric Friedman, Michigan State University. Speakers: Mike Boyce, Baker Sanctuary; Robert Thomas, Loyola University; Michael Klug, W. K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary & Kellogg Biological Station; Gail VanderStoep, Department of Park, Recreation & Tourism Resources, Michigan State University.

Lake Huron Sailing Adventure Tour: 7:30 a.m. departure, lunch provided.
From amphipods to zebra mussels, discover the creatures inhabiting the "Sweet Sea" from the deck of the 85-foot schooner Appledore. Analyze plankton, sediments and water that you sample yourself from Lake Huron's depths. Learn what prompted the International Joint Commission to list the Saginaw Bay/River among 42 binational areas of environmental concern. Discover how the nation's largest, contiguous freshwater coastal wetland is a critical indicator of Great Lakes health. Dress for possible inclement weather. Tour Leaders: Dave Poulson, Booth Newspapers; Tom Henry, Toledo Blade. Speakers: Charles Bauer, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; Charles Curtiss, Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy; Tom Hickner, Bay County Executive; George Kapp, Saginaw Environmental Compliance Manager; Sue Matlock, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; Joe Medved, General Motors, Realm Trailer; Terry Miller, Lone Tree Council; Cynthia L. Smith, BaySail. Sponsored by the Bay City Times.

Michigan Motorcar Tour: 8:00 a.m. departure, lunch provided.
Architect William McDonough will explain his environmental vision of Ford's River Rouge Complex during this tour of one of the world's largest manufacturing facilities. The plant built by Henry Ford once set the standard for 20th century industrial America. Now McDonough is redesigning it into a 21st century model of sustainable manufacturing. The trip includes a visit to the Detroit Institute of Arts to see Diego Rivera's famous Detroit Industry murals, and to EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Lab in Ann Arbor, one of the nation's premier research centers for clean car technology. Tour Leaders: Julie Edelson Halpert, freelancer; Neil Strassman, Ft. Worth Star Telegram. Speakers: Jane Armstrong, Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality; William McDonough, environmental architect; Tim O'Brien, Environmental Quality Office, Ford Motor Company.

Dow Chemical Company Tour: 11:00 a.m. departure, lunch provided.
The Dow Chemical plant in Midland, Michigan, is headquarters for the world's second-largest chemical company, after its merger with Union Carbide. Attendees will tour the 1,900-acre manufacturing complex, where bulk chemicals and the raw materials for plastics are made; visit the laboratories where Dow researchers devise the latest version of Styrofoam and other plastics; and see its wastewater settling ponds, where the company is removing dioxin deposits that were escaping into the Tittabawassee River. Visitors also will hear how Dow is viewed in the community and from environmentalists with whom Dow cooperated in a yearlong effort to reduce waste. Tour Leaders: Janet Raloff, Science News; Carrie Spencer, freelance writer. Speakers: Jeff Feerer, Dow Chemical Company; Eric Grates, Dow Chemical Company; Diane Hebert, Dow Dioxin Watch; Marty McGuire, Public Services for the City of Midland; Terry Miller, Lone Tree Council; Mary Sinclair, environmental activist.

Digesting the Food Safety Issue Tour: 12:30 a.m. departure, lunch provided.
Visit Michigan State University's National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, followed by a visit to a nearby organic apple orchard. Special emphasis will be given to the status of the national Food Quality Protection Act and the Agriculture Department's much-delayed organic standards. Tour Leaders: Wayne Falda, South Bend Tribune; Lester Graham, Great Lakes Radio. Speakers: Barbara Duff, Organic Alliance; Edward Mather, National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Michigan State University; James Pestka, Michigan State University.

Great Lakes Research Poster Session: 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Centennial Rooms B&C.
Is it safe to eat fish caught in the Great Lakes? What's new about exotic invaders into the Great Lakes? Is red wine good for you? Scientists from the Great Lakes region will display some of their latest studies about key environmental problems and their impact on human health. More than 50 researchers from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, the Great Lakes Science Center, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and other institutions will display about 20 research posters. Many of the scientists will also be available to answer questions. Among the studies are new findings about the impact of mosquito spraying on health, PCB contamination levels in Great Lakes fish and new ways to clean up mercury contamination in water and soil. Mike Kamrin, an emeritus professor of environmental toxicology at Michigan State University, is organizing and overseeing this session. A list of presenters will be included in the registration packet.

Critter Alley: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Room 103.
Bugs, bats and birds of prey will be on display for SEJ members who like to observe wildlife. Come see giant hissing cockroaches and other intriguing insects from the MSU Bug House. Observe bats from the Organization of Bat Conservation in Haslett, Michigan. And view the popular birds of prey exhibit from the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. Presenters: Laura Palombi and Jordan Harris, MSU graduate students.

SEJ Welcome Reception: 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Big Ten Ballrooms B&C.
Greet old friends, meet new ones, and celebrate the start of the Tenth National Conference of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Cash bar. Speaker: Jim Detjen, SEJ Founding President and 2000 Conference Chair, Knight Chair of Environmental Journalism, Michigan State University.

Great Lakes Presentation: 9:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Auditorium.
The Third Coast: What's So Special About the Great Lakes? Join us for two 45-minute, eye-opening, multi-media presentations about the Great Lakes. The first show, Lake Superior: Story and Spirit, explores the world's largest freshwater sea and its rocky shores and cliffs, wetlands and rivers, forests and islands. The second show, Wild Lake Michigan, is a portrait of an inland sea, and its famous dunes, still alive with wildness. Introduction: Rae Tyson, Past President and Founding Vice President of SEJ. Presenters: John and Ann Mahan, writers and photographers, Sweetwater Visions.

Friday, October 20:

Registration: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Ballroom Area.
Non-members are advised that SEJ members will be given preference during question and answer sessions. Some small-group interview sessions may be limited to SEJ members only. Sign-up sheets for Saturday mini-tours, Sunday walking tours and members-only small group sessions may be found near the registration tables.

Great Lakes Research Poster Session: 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Centennial Rooms B&C.
Is it safe to eat fish caught in the Great Lakes? What's new about exotic invaders into the Great Lakes? Is red wine good for you? Scientists from the Great Lakes region will display some of their latest studies about key environmental problems and their impact on human health. More than 50 researchers from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, the Great Lakes Science Center, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and other institutions will display about 20 research posters. Many of the scientists will also be available to answer questions. Among the studies are new findings about the impact of mosquito spraying on health, PCB contamination levels in Great Lakes fish and new ways to clean up mercury contamination in water and soil. Mike Kamrin, an emeritus professor of environmental toxicology at Michigan State University, is organizing and overseeing this session. A list of presenters will be included in the registration packet.

SEJ Reading Room: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Centennial Room A.
News stories published or aired by SEJ members over the last year will be on display, along with winners and entries from the Scripps Howard Foundation's Edward J. Meeman Awards for Excellence in Environmental Journalism.

Technology Exposition: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Kellogg Center Parking Ramp Level C.
This exposition will highlight transportation issues through exhibits, speakers, literature, technology demonstrations, and test drives from automakers, component developers, mass transit, energy firms, vanpool suppliers and others.

Literature Display Tables: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Ballroom A.
Materials of interest to environmental journalists will be provided by a variety of organizations, businesses and government agencies. Note: Table reservations required. Literature shipped to SEJ's conference without prior arrangement will be refused.

Welcome and Introductions: 8:45 a.m.
Speakers: Jim Detjen, Conference Chair; MSU Provost Lou Anna Simon; Peter McPherson, MSU President.

Opening Plenary: Cars and the Environment: 9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Big Ten Ballrooms B&C.
Is the greening of the auto industry real or hype? Automakers have talked about alternative fuel cars for years. Meanwhile, they've racked up record profits selling gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles. Now, many in the industry say they're serious about replacing the internal combustion engine over the next 20 years. Just how hard is the auto industry trying to solve pollution problems? And how much progress will industry leaders make in the next few years? Join industry heads and leading critics in this ongoing debate about people, cars and the environment. Moderator: Emilia Askari, Detroit Free Press. Speakers: William Clay Ford, Jr., Chairman of the Board, Ford Motor Company; Jane Holtz Kay, author, Asphalt Nation: How the Automobile Took Over America, and How We Can Take It Back; Katie Kerwin, Detroit Bureau Chief, Business Week; Roland Hwang, Transportation Program Co-Director, Union of Concerned Scientists; Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute; Firoz Rasul, CEO, Ballard Power Systems.

Small-group Session: William Clay Ford, Jr., Chairman of the Board, Ford Motor Company: 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
William Clay Ford Jr. answers questions about cars, SUVs, tires, the environment and whatever else is on the minds of journalists attending the conference. Facilitator: Emilia Askari, Detroit Free Press. Open to SEJ members only. Sign up in advance near registration table.

Concurrent Sessions 1: 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

The Water: Non-Point-Source Pollution: Cradle to Grave
To improve water quality, the first generation of pollution laws and regulations focused primarily on large, individual sources of contaminants such as factories, industries and wastewater treatment plants. But those who monitor rivers, lakes and estuaries realize that water quality is degraded from thousands of smaller sources: animal feedlots, individual septic systems, parking lots, streets, construction sites and farms. Water can even be its own enemy, as when highly efficient farm drainage systems flush too much of it too quickly into streams and rivers, causing major erosion and sediment buildup. This panel will feature experts who can answer questions about the sources, effects and possible solutions for non-point source pollution in two of the nation's largest freshwater systems: the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Moderator: Tom Meersman, Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Speakers: Michael Donohue, executive director, Great Lakes Commission; Pat Lindemann, Drain Commissioner, Ingham County, Michigan; Nancy Rabalais, Professor of Marine Science at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.

The Land: Uncovering the Secrets of Nuclear Weapons Production
Although the Cold War is over, the nuclear weapons age and its anti-democratic characteristics are far from finished. Secrecy, which breeds lies and deception, still dominates the past records and present behavior of the nuclear weapons establishment. This panel of experienced journalists will discuss how to penetrate this secrecy and educate the public about past horrors and the continuing threat posed by weapons of mass destruction. Moderator: Len Ackland, University of Colorado, and author of Making a Real Killing: Rocky Flats and the Nuclear West. Speakers: Sam Roe, Toledo Blade; Joby Warrick, Washington Post; Eileen Welsome, author, The Plutonium Files.

The Car: Reinventing the Car: Hybrids Hit the Road, With Fuel Cells Waiting in the Wings
Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are achieving 60-mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, too. Will American drivers, still enamored of sport-utility vehicles, embrace the new technology? Meanwhile, fuel cells and other green technologies promise to revolutionize personal transportation in the near future, with cars that are faster, more economical and nearly-emission free. The car of tomorrow has been promised before: should journalists swallow the bait this time around? Moderator: Jim Motavalli, E Magazine. Speakers: Robert Beinenfeld, American Honda; Charles Griffith, Ecology Center, Lesley Hazleton, Detroit Free Press.

The Nation: WTO: Global Trade and the Environment
Why did thousands take to the streets in Seattle last fall to protest what had been an obscure trade meeting? Is free trade a threat to our environment? Or can trade help protect our planet by easing poverty and creating a sense of community? One thing's for sure. Trade has emerged in a hurry as a hot-button environmental issue. Moderator: Scott Miller, KING-TV, Seattle. Speakers: Jennifer Haverkamp, Assistant US Trade Representative for Environment and Natural Resources, Executive Office of the President; Dan Seligman, Sierra Club.

The Globe: Global Warming's Regional Impacts
Scientists are finding that a warming trend in the atmosphere could spread coastal waters over houses, send crop pests into new areas and cause wacky weather across the globe. Three experts will discuss how climate change is expected to hit home in different regions of the U.S. and other parts of the world. Moderator: Perry Beeman, The Des Moines Register. Speakers: Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security; Frank Quinn, NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab; Eugene Takle, Iowa State University.

The Craft: Entrepreneurism: Creating Your Own Environmental Media
In this rapidly changing technological world, the barriers between news mediums (TV, radio, Internet, print) are breaking down. People are consuming more information, from more sources, than ever before and environmental journalists are having to think creatively about how to reach those audiences. On this panel, several industry leaders will share their entrepreneurial experiences, look at industry trends, and examine the opportunities and dangers of this technological shift. Moderator: David Hammond, Great Lakes Radio Consortium. Speakers: Eliene Augenbraun, Science and Technology News Network; Chip Giller, Grist Magazine; Sunny Lewis, Environmental News Service.

The Computer: Getting Information from the Internet
Step-by-step instructions on how to use the net to find accurate facts, credible experts and comprehensive context for your stories. Presenters: Russell Clemings, Fresno Bee; Heather Newman, Detroit Free Press.

SEJ Network Lunch: 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Big Ten Ballroom B&C.
A perennial favorite. Plant yourself at a table or move around as you like and sample a variety of informal discussion tables centered on the craft of environmental journalism. Organizers: Amy Gahran, content consultant for online media; Brian Lavendel, freelance writer.

Chat with the Chiefs: An SEJ First! 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Make history at SEJ. It's the first time ever that chiefs of the U.S. and Canadian Forest Services have come together to discuss binational forestry issues before a group of journalists. Learn about issues of common concern to both forest agencies and about differences in the U.S. and Canadian forest agencies and their policies at this lunch and small-group discussion. Preregistration required. SEJ members and working journalists only. Attendance limited to 25. Sign up at the registration desk. Moderator: John Flesher, Associated Press. Speakers: Mike Dombeck, Chief, U. S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service; Yvan Hardy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada. (Note: This small-group panel is concurrent with the Network Lunch. As a special bonus, both chiefs have agreed to stay after the lunch for a short time to respond to journalists' individual questions.)

Critter Alley: 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Room 103.
Bugs, bats and birds of prey will be on display for SEJ members who like to observe wildlife. Come see giant hissing cockroaches and other intriguing insects from the MSU Bug House. Observe bats from the Organization of Bat Conservation in Haslett, Michigan. And view the popular birds of prey exhibit from the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. Presenters: Laura Palombi and Jordan Harris, MSU graduate students.

Concurrent Sessions 2: 2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

The Water: The Coming Water Wars
With clean drinking water in short supply in many parts of the world, nations are battling for the last drops. Where are the current battles, and what can we expect for the future? Moderator: Jacques Rivard, CBC. Speakers: Michael Keating, freelance writer; Aaron Wolf, Oregon State University; Peter Gleick, Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security.

The Land: The Urban Frontier: How the New Pioneers Hope to Tame the City Environment
More than half of humanity now lives in cities, many surrounded by pavement and steel and besieged with environmental problems. This panel will discuss solutions to help make cities more livable. From brownfield redevelopment and environmental restoration to neighborhood revitalization and tree planting in parks, some communities are giving their cities a major face lift. Moderator: James Patterson, Indianapolis Star. Panelists: Angela Blackwell, PolicyLink; Richard Hula, Department of Political Science and Urban Affairs, Michigan State University; Paul Rosenthal, National Tree Trust.

The Car: Fuels, Emissions and the Future of the Corner Gas Station
As alternative fuel cars appear in showrooms over the next few years, big changes are in store for local gas stations. Preview those changes and learn how new fuels may reduce transboundary air pollution around the world. Moderator: Jeffrey Ball, Wall Street Journal. Panelists: Joanna Underwood, INFORM, Inc; Greg Ruselowski, General Motors' Global Alternative Propulsion Center; Kathleen Daniel, U.S. Department of Transportation; Douglas Durante, Clean Fuels Development Coalition.

The Nation: The World Wide Web of Life
The Web may still be in its infancy -- but it already rules so many of the ways we live, learn, and do business. Two experts who have closely examined its societal repercussions will deliver an Environmental Impact Statement for cyberspace. How much energy do the Web and computers consume? Will e-commerce supplant the growing wave of new malls, megastores, and sign forests? Or will it trigger a new wave of retail consumption -- more "stuff" for everyone? Or will the talk of a "New Economy" dissipate in a cloud of hot gas? Moderator: Peter Dykstra, CNN. Speakers: Bette Fishbein, Senior Fellow, Sustainable Products and Practices Program, INFORM, Inc.; Joseph Romm, Center for Energy and Climate Solutions.

The Globe: Species Without Borders: How Political Boundaries Affect the Management of Endangered Wildlife
What a difference a border makes in the treatment of wildlife. A number of animals in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico -- such as grizzly bears, wolves, jaguars, woodland caribou, spotted owls, bobwhite quails, bull trout -- are vulnerable to unequal treatment, creating one of the challenges of managing endangered species. How do the differences in biological status, legislation, and management practices in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico affect the survival of species shared by the three countries? Moderator: Shawn Thompson, University College of the Cariboo. Speakers: Stewart Elgie, Sierra Legal Defence Fund; David Green, Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and McGill University; Susan Jewell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Mark Shaffer, Defenders of Wildlife.

The Craft: Spinners, Fibbers and Pseudo Journalists: Tales from Public Relations' Dark Side
Think tanks and special interest groups of all political stripes seem to be generating ever more work that tries to pass for journalism, while articles by freelance writers with conflicts of interest have embarrassed some major news outlets. Meanwhile, serious journalists are encountering more corporations willing to play hardball to stop an embarrassing article. Are these threats to journalism's traditional roles in society, or part an inevitable evolution that is democratizing the flow of information. Moderator: Kevin Carmody, Austin American Statesman. Speakers: Jane Akre, independent broadcast journalist; Sheldon Rampton, PR Watch; Bonner Cohen, The Lexington Institute.

Membership Meeting: 3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Auditorium.
How good are you at predicting what the world will be like in 2050? What environmental stories will dominate the news 50 years from now? Join us at SEJ's 10th anniversary membership meeting, where the winners of an SEJ competition to predict the environmental future will be announced and several founding board members will be on hand to help us bury a time capsule to be opened in 2050. SEJ members will also cast their votes for active and associate membership positions on SEJ's board of directors, and the David Stolberg Award for outstanding SEJ volunteerism will be awarded.

Keynote speaker: David Suzuki: From Hotshot Geneticist to Science Popularizer to Eco-Activist: 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Auditorium.
Introduction: Jacques Rivard, CBC. An invitation from David Suzuki: "In 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring and like millions of people around the world, I was transformed by it and moved to work on environmental issues. When I was asked to host the television series, Science Magazine, in 1972 and then The Nature of Things in 1979, I was grappling with the fact that while science and technology are incredibly powerful, our knowledge of how the world works is so limited, our capacity to anticipate all the consequences of what we do Is extremely limited. Thus, while the inventor of DDT earned a Nobel prize, it was only years later that we discovered biomagnification; years after the first nuclear explosion, we found out about radioactive fallout, electromagnetic pulses and nuclear winter; the effects of CFCs, heralded as miracle compounds, on ozone were found years later. There is no doubt in my mind that GMOs will also prove to have all kinds of unanticipatable deleterious consequences. So the dilemma is how do we deal with human inventiveness and consumptive demand when we lack the knowledge base to manager our impact? This problem was resolved for me when I did a program on a battle over clearcut logging in the Queen Charlotte Islands and met a Haida who revealed a fundamentally different perspective. I realized that we have framed the entire environmental crisis in the wrong way. I will discuss this further in the talk."

International Wildlife Film Festival: 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Back by popular demand, the International Wildlife Film Festival, based in Missoula, Montana, is the world's longest-running juried wildlife film competition and festival. Founded by wildlife biologist Charles Jonkel, the festival's mission is to foster knowledge and understanding about wildlife and habitat through excellent and honest wildlife films. Tonight's program comes from the 2000 festival, and will presented in two parts, with an intermission. Night owls are encouraged to sit through all five films. Presenter: Lisa "Kersch" Kerscher, International Wildlife Film Festival.

Turtle World (8 minutes)
Life on the half-shell.

Hokkaido -- Garden of the Gods (49 minutes)
Best of festival, best narration, soundmix, photography, use of music, best long television program. We think of Japan as a highly populated, ultramodern society, yet this film presents a refreshing perspective of an otherworldly wilderness seen through the eyes of a mystical race of people.

Intermission

Possum's Rest (5 minutes)
Biological Pest Control.

The Shrinking Bears (16 minutes)
Finalist, merit awards for presentation of ecosystem relationships and environmental reporting. The polar bears of Hudson's Bay, Canada, are shrinking -- literally. With falling body weight and a declining birth rate among their population, scientists are concerned that something could be very wrong.

Spiders from Mars (29 minutes)
Best use of music (2nd place), best short television program; merit awards for innovative approach, good communication to a young audience, photography. See the world through the eyes of jumping spiders, a group so bizarre that they might as well have evolved on another planet, and you will never think about spiders in the same way again.

Saturday, October 21:

Registration: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Ballroom Area.
Sign-up sheets for Saturday mini-tours, Sunday walking tours and members-only small group sessions may be found near the registration tables.

MSU Scientists' Poster Session: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Centennial Rooms B&C.
This informal, interactive poster session will present the work of environmental scientists from MSU and other key research centers in the Great Lakes region. Sponsored in part by Michigan Sea Grant.

SEJ Reading Room: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Centennial Room A.
News stories published or aired by SEJ members over the last year will be on display, along with winners and entries from the Scripps Howard Foundation's Edward J. Meeman Awards for Excellence in Environmental Journalism.

Technology Exposition: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Kellogg Center Parking Level C.
This exposition will highlight transportation issues through exhibits, speakers, literature, technology demonstrations, and test drives from automakers, component developers, mass transit, energy firms, vanpool suppliers and others.

Literature Display Tables: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Ballroom A.
Materials of interest to environmental journalists will be provided by a variety of organizations, businesses and government agencies. Note: table reservations required. Literature shipped to SEJ's conference without prior arrangement will be refused.

SEJ Network Breakfast: 8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. Big Ten Ballroom B&C (and adjacent rooms).
Couldn't get enough at the network lunch? You'll have another chance with our "Beat Breakfast." Get up to speed and share your experience covering some of the hottest topics in environmental journalism. What are the issues? Who are the key sources? Where is the issue headed? Why is the issue relevant? And how can you sell your audience, colleagues, and editors on it? Learn and share in a participatory discussion moderated by the table leader. Arrive early so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the conversation. Topic table lists will be included in registration materials and posted at the breakfast.

Concurrent Sessions 3: 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

The Water: Water Diversions: Who Owns It? Who Wants It? What's the Price?
Panelists will discuss the growing push to treat water as a commodity with the ultimate prospect of moving it around the world -- like oil -- from the haves to the have not, drought areas. The particular emphasis will be on recent actions, such as diversion attempts in the Great Lakes and other points in Canada resulting in a report by the U.S./Canadian International Joint Commission to halt such shipments while economic, ecologic, environmental, consumption and other aspects are studied. Moderator: Paul MacClennan, Buffalo News. Speakers: Thomas Baldini, U.S. Chairman, International Joint Commission; Reg Gilbert, Great Lakes United; John Jackson, independent Canadian consultant; Sarah Miller, Canadian Environmental Law Association.

The Land: Genetically Modified Food and the Environment
No longer is pollution merely the stuff that gets spewed out of smokestacks, drainpipes, automobile tail pipes, or that washes off cities and farms during rains. As journalists cover the promise and possible perils of genetically engineered foods, they must also understand new concerns about "genetic" pollution. Moderator: Jim Bruggers, Louisville Courier-Journal. Speakers: Dave Cheney, farmer, Mason, Michigan; Mark Lipson, Organic Farming Research Foundation; Mariam Sticklen, Michigan State University.

The Car: The Smart Growth Debate
If constricting urban sprawl is smart growth, what is its opposite? Three panelists with distinct perspectives on the issue go to the mat trying to define the issues for journalists, with an American Planning Association senior researcher refereeing the debate. Find out about what matters and why, especially in a presidential election year. Moderator: Jim Schwab, American Planning Association. Speakers: Bill Rustem, Public Sector Consultants; Keith Schneider, The Land Institute; Randall O'Toole, The Thoreau Institute.

The Nation: Covering State Environmental Agencies
The broad policy initiatives come from Washington -- the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and others -- but in most states it's up to state regulators to provide the enforcement. How well that mission is carried out is a source of constant debate and frequent litigation -- all of which makes for great copy. Speakers will debate the success of delegated authority and federal oversight. Moderator: Randall Edwards, The Columbus Dispatch. Panelists: Christophe Tulou, Environmental Council of the States; John Nagy, Stateline News Service; Jeff Ruch, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

The Craft: 2000 Award Winners
Hear from winners of some of the top honors in national and regional competitions for print journalism last year, in both the U.S. and Canada. Through these outstanding examples of investigative reporting, readers gained new understanding of taxpayer-subsidized leasing of U.S. federal lands for grazing, community problems and government blunders with regard to a private sewage lagoon, and workers' exposure to the toxic metal beryllium in the U.S. defense industry. Moderator: Christy George, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Marketplace. Speakers: Amy Cameron, Maclean's (local reporting, Canadian National Newspaper Awards, Atlantic Press Award, while on staff of The New Brunswick Telegraph); Kevin Carmody, Austin-American Statesman, (local reporting, George Polk Award, while on staff of The Daily Southtown, metro Chicago); Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News (Best of the West); Sam Roe, Toledo Blade (Edward J. Meeman Award).

The Computer: GIS: How to Use Maps in E Reporting: Auditorium.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide environmental reporters a valuable new graphics and reporting tool in telling complex stories on environmental, natural resources, natural disasters, and other important issues. With some essential background on spreadsheet and data base applications, reporters now can turn this new desktop tool to a powerful resource in the next wave of computer assisted reporting. Using natural disasters as a backdrop, this special session will explore the potential challenges to be overcome before reporters start including GIS in their quiver of reporting tools and techniques. The program is jointly sponsored by the National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center (EHC), publisher of Environment Writer; and by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation (RTNDF). Moderator: Debora Halpern, WFLA-TV, Tampa, Fla. Speakers: Charles (Chip) Groat, Director, U.S. Geological Survey; Max Crandall, ESRI, Inc.; Bruno Tedeschi, The Record (Bergen County, N.J.).