Remembering Environmental Journalist Jim Bruggers
Air Date: June 26, 2026
James Bruggers, who passed away in June, was a champion of environmental justice reporting who helped build the Society of Environmental Journalists with 13 years on its board and another two as its president. As a reporter for Inside Climate News, Jim appeared on Living on Earth over the years, and we remember his inspiring impact.
- 1Remembering Environmental Journalist Jim Bruggers
Transcript
CURWOOD: A giant of our field is now also “going to infinity”. James Bruggers was a champion of environmental justice reporting who helped build the Society of Environmental Journalists with 13 years on its board and another two as its president. His beat was not easy as an environment reporter for the Courier Journal as he was working in Kentucky, a state that was a major coal producer for decades. As a reporter for Inside Climate News, Jim Bruggers appeared on this program discussing environmental racism, so-called “chemical” or “advanced recycling,” and the climate dimensions of key elections.
Jim passed away on June 16th at the age of 68 after a battle with thyroid cancer and pneumonia. We are sad and Jim, you will be deeply missed. But the many journalists you mentored will carry on your spirit of ensuring environmental injustice is brought to light and remedied.
