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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They claim it's about food. But this initiative is funded by Big Soda
Soda companies have poured $4.7 million into an anti-tax measure in Washington state, enough for the initiative to pop up on the November ballot.
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Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks hangover: air and water pollution
Two major industrial fires darkened the skies over Seattle’s Duwamish Valley in recent weeks and added soot and other pollutants to the area with the...
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Seattle bans plastic straws, but the alternatives aren't perfect either
There’s a rising tide of concern over the plastic junk flowing into the world’s oceans. So starting July 1, restaurants and bars in Seattle won’t be...
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‘South Park and Georgetown have shouldered the burden of environmental injustice for decades’
A plume of black smoke stretched across South Seattle on Tuesday night as a fire burned on a barge of scrapped cars on the Duwamish River.
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Seattle calls it recycling. China calls it ‘foreign garbage smuggling’
With China no longer importing many recyclable materials, recycling programs up and down the West Coast are in turmoil.
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After whale goes missing, endangered orca population drops to 30-year low
An endangered killer whale has gone missing and is presumed dead, but it's not the only orca in trouble in Washington waters. Eight local orcas have...
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Deeper harbor would bring world's biggest ships to Seattle
The world's biggest cargo ships, some a quarter-mile long, could be docking regularly near downtown Seattle before long. After four years' study, the...
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Despite complaints, most of Seattle likes those neon-colored rental bikes
Complaints have poured in over the yellow, green and orange bikes that have sprouted like mushrooms across Seattle, yet 74 percent of Seattleites have a...
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Gas-guzzling cities, state blow past deadline for electric vehicles
Washington state’s electric vehicle law is being widely ignored, according to a new report.
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Canada's oil feud could spill down to Washington state
Two Canadian provinces’ feud over an oil pipeline could boost gasoline prices and oil tanker traffic here in Washington state.