Selected work

Jennifer has written for audiences of all ages across print, web and radio. Her writing has appeared in Science News Explores, Highlights for Children, TIME magazine (as a contributing reporter), Capital Public Radio, Comstock’s, Orion, Fodor’s Travel, E-The Environmental Magazine, Wildlife Conservation, Univision and Public Radio Exchange programs, among others. 

Features

Agriculture and food systems

• First place in Coverage of the Environment in CNPA’s 2022 California Journalism Awards — What a Waste – (PDF) Californians throw more than 11 billion pounds of food in landfills each year. In 2022, a new food recycling law aims to reuse it.

• First place in Agricultural Reportingin CNPA’s2020 California Journalism Awards — Promise for New Proteins – Advancements in the alternative-protein space ignite in the Sacramento area and forge a global footprint.

• Fourth place in Agricultural Reporting in CNPA’s 2021 California Journalism Awards — Regenerating our Soil (PDF) – A shift in agricultural practices can help the planet — and the bottom line.

• A Change in the Grapevine (PDF) – Wineries and vineyards in the Capital Region are cultivating an environmentally friendly way of life.

• A New Deal for School Meals (PDF) – Providing food to school children is big business and Sacramento City Unified School District aims to make it healthier.

• The Eco Report: Zero is the Hero in Restaurant Waste – Sacramento chefs pair good business with environmental stewardship, while one begins conversations with Bay Area-based ZeroFoodprint, which works with restaurants worldwide to reach a zero foodprint.

Conservation

• Protecting Open Land (PDF) – California Rangeland Trust monetizes the environmental value of ranches.

• California Plans to Conserve 30 percent of land and coastal waters by 2030 – Climate change poses unprecedented threats to California’s threatened biodiversity and degraded habitat. The state’s 30x30 plan aims to protect against it. Will it work?

• Pass the Salt – Winter road maintenance practices have evolved but salt is still the primary product used to melt snow and ice, despite environmental concerns. Scientists in the Sierra Nevada are looking to study the impacts to help public agencies better balance public safety and environmental health.

Environmental justice

• Energy Justice for All – Efforts to secure an equitable clean energy revolution are making headway, but there’s still a long way to go.

• Year-Round Affordable Housing for Farmworkers – The City of Woodland’s first net-zero energy certified rental complex in the nation serves as a model for other jurisdictions to develop affordable, sustainable housing for farmworkers. (Spanish translation for Univision)

• Understanding environmental justice in Sacramento – What is environmental justice means and what organizations are addressing EJ in the Capital Region?

Energy and technology

• Second place (division 5) in Technology Reporting in CNPA’s 2024 California Journalism Awards — Speaking Out – Neurotechnology developed at UC Davis enables a man who lost his ability to speak due to ALS to communicate again.

• Third place in In-depth Reporting in CNPA’s 2021 California Journalism Awards — Energy Revolution (PDF)– Emerging technologies in the Capital Region are driving efforts toward electrification of the two most polluting sectors — mobility and buildings.

• Breaking Ground (PDF)– Women in the Capital Region are founding biotech companies with a global reach and working to overcome the gender and equity gaps.

Art, science and the environment

• STEAM Engine (PDF) Proponents of adding art to STEM education say it develops creativity that bridges the sciences with the development of personal expression, emotional intelligence and social awareness: the human factors that define how we relate to the world.

• Vocalist Majel Connery performs in Sacramento as a call to action for environmental activism – Blending classical music with modern technology, Majel tells the story of a tree from its perspective, from birth to death, using her music and its influence to move the environmental conversation forward.

Health and wellness

• The Rise of Alternative Health and Wellness – Health and wellness go beyond the physical body. Businesses and health systems in the Capital Region are embracing an integrative approach, addressing our interconnected body, mind and spirit.

Radio

Wildlife and nature

• Wildly Magical — Animal Encounters in the Galapagos — Travel with me to the Galapagos Islands into the wild world of the animals that inhabit this remarkable archipelago.

• How to Love the Stars – Remembering some of my fondest memories of my dad — my first and most influential environmental mentor — and his love of astronomy.

• Midtown Coyote – A portrait of a mother coyote unfolds as she tries to eke out a living and raise her two pups in the heart of midtown Sacramento.

• Legends of the Forest – Discover the sacred giant Sequoias on a day trip to Northern California’s Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Environmental Education

Wildlife

• King of the River – Enter the fascinating world of the Pacific salmon — the largest of its kind and king of Sacramento’s watershed.

• Alley Cats – Wild and unsocialized, the feral cats of Sacramento are at the center of a battleground between residents, but responsible management practices can help.

• Meet Your Neighbor: Virginia Opossum – Fascinating, beneficial and often misunderstood, possums are neighbors worth getting to know!

• Springtime Babies – Learn how you can help wildlife stay safe — and in the wild — if you encounter young this spring.

• 10 Amazing Animals to See in the Galápagos Islands – Meet 10 of the world’s most fascinating species through an unforgettable up-close-and-personal experience in one of the world’s most magical destinations.

Agriculture

• Flower Power – Small farmers and agricultural giants are turning toward regenerative agriculture to restore the health of our planet’s soil after decades of destructive practices. You can, too!

Environment and climate

• TIME (contributing reporter to this climate crisis series for TIME.com and C02.com — a division of TIME):

  • Here’s How the Ocean is Being Harnessed As a Climate Solution – In the race to slow the impact of climate change, the ocean is one of our best allies.

  • Trees Help Protect the Planet From Climate Change. But The World Isn’t Doing Enough to Protect Forests – Forests play a major role in reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere, but intensifying wildfires and agricultural demands complicate the equation.

  • Soil’s Power as a Climate Solution Has Often Been Overlooked. Until Now – Soil. It’s the second largest carbon sink on the planet. How we tend the land will determine how powerful it can be.

News Stories

Environment

• California’s freshwater ecosystems are in urgent peril: new report suggests a portfolio of tools may help – A new report sponsored by the Public Policy Institute of California calls for a comprehensive set of tools to revamp management of the state’s watersheds before its too late.

• The City of Roseville Restores Its Crown Jewel – After years of erosion, the city secures funds to restore a section of Dry Creek that serves as valuable salmon habitat and draws visitors for recreation.