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
'Like Covid every year': doctors, nurses urge fast action to save the climate
More than 4,000 U.S. doctors and nurses are urging their patients to push for action on climate change.
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Environment
Get on up: In a landslide, it might save your life
Rainy season is also landslide season in the Northwest. A few simple actions can dramatically boost your chances of survival.
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Health
Third Covid-19 surge hits western Washington
Public health officials say a third surge of coronavirus cases is hitting western Washington.
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Environment
Climate choice 2020: Trump’s 'wrecking ball' vs. Biden’s mixed record
Three days in from the trailhead, we weren’t sure what to do when the wildfire smoke got thick. Hiking deeper into the Olympic wilderness, toward the apparent source of the smoke, seemed a bad idea.
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Environment
Where there’s a whale, there’s a way. Keeping field science going in a pandemic
Whale researchers reengineer their work to keep critical science going despite the life-or-death need for humans to avoid each other.
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Environment
September smoke may have led to nearly 200 deaths in Washington
Researchers say nearly 200 people in Washington died in September as a result of wildfire smoke.
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Government
Trump admin retreats from Postal Service overhaul
Postal workers in Tacoma say mail is being delivered faster in recent weeks as the Trump administration retreats from its efforts to overhaul the U.S. Postal Service.
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Environment
Smoke in the water: wildfire soot doesn’t just disappear once it rains
Rain has knocked down the smoke plaguing the Northwest, but smoky hazards linger.
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Environment
Grief-stricken orca has a new baby in Salish Sea
"I definitely cried."
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Health
Covid cops do thousands of undercover ‘spot checks’ to protect public health
A small squad of inspectors go undercover into businesses that people have complained are not taking Covid-19 seriously.