John Ryan
Environment Reporter
About
John Ryan joined KUOW as its first full-time investigative reporter in 2009 and became its environment reporter in 2018. He focuses on climate change, energy, and the ecosystems of the Puget Sound region. He has also investigated toxic air pollution, landslides, failed cleanups, and money in politics for KUOW.
Over a quarter century as an environmental journalist, John has covered everything from Arctic drilling to Indonesian reef bombing. He has been a reporter at NPR stations in southeast and southwest Alaska (KTOO-Juneau and KUCB-Unalaska) and at the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.
John’s stories have won multiple national awards for KUOW, including the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi awards for Public Service in Radio Journalism and for Investigative Reporting, national Edward R. Murrow and PMJA/PRNDI awards for coverage of breaking news, and Society of Environmental Journalists awards for in-depth reporting.
John welcomes tips, documents, and feedback. Reach him at jryan@kuow.org or for secure, encrypted communication, he's at heyjohnryan@protonmail.com or 1-401-405-1206 on the Signal messaging app.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English, some Spanish, some Indonesian
Professional Affiliations: SAG-AFTRA union member and former shop steward; Society of Environmental Journalists member and mentor
Stories
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Environment
Northwest glaciers are melting. What that means to Indigenous ‘salmon people’
Up and down the I-5 corridor, people noticed something odd when they looked to the east this summer.
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Environment
Seattle mayor proposes new climate measures to tackle pollution from traffic and buildings
At the global climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced policies she says will take a big bite out of Seattle’s climate-harming emissions from buildings and cars.
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Environment
Ship that spilled 100+ containers could have ridden out the storm in sheltered waters
The ship that spilled more than 100 shipping containers off the Washington coast was in a holding pattern on the open ocean when it could have ridden out the storm in sheltered waters.
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Environment
Big shippers promise zero carbon by 2040. Too late, say climate activists
Major shippers including Amazon and Ikea say they will stop putting their stuff on ships that burn fossil fuels in the next 20 years.
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Environment
Ship that spilled 40 containers off Olympic Peninsula catches fire. Spills 2 more
“You have been advised to evacuate the entire vessel,” a coast guard official radioed the captain. “All crew members and captain included. Over.” “Negative, sir,” the captain replied from the burning ship.
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Environment
Cargo ship spills 40 shipping containers off Washington’s Olympic Peninsula
A cargo ship heading from South Korea to Canada hit rough seas and spilled about 40 shipping containers off the Olympic Peninsula Friday morning.
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Worried about the air in your packed light rail car? Don't, Sound Transit says
Traffic in Washington is once again about as bad as it was before Covid-19 kept many people off the roads. And as more people head back to the office, some are switching up their commute and choosing to travel by light rail. Sound Transit says if you're worried about safety in a crowded rail car during a pandemic, you shouldn't be.
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Environment
Heat-loving bacteria kill thousands of Washington salmon
An estimated 2,500 Chinook salmon died before they could reach their spawning grounds in Whatcom County in September.
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Government
State attorneys sue to stop postal service from slowing the mail
Attorneys general from 19 states and the District of Columbia have filed a legal challenge to stop the U.S. Postal Service from slowing down the mail.
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Business
Microsoft: We’re on track to stop polluting this decade. Then we’ll undo all the climate harm we’ve ever done
The tech giant says, by 2025, its operations will use only clean energy.
