Earth Island

Full details

Earth Island Journal is always looking for compelling and distinctive stories that anticipate environmental concerns before they become pressing problems — stories that scan the horizon for the next big threat to our environment. We want articles that will surprise, provoke, and entertain our readers and that explore new territory overlooked by other publications.

We cover the entire spectrum of environmental issues, including, wildlife and lands conservation; innovations in science and technology; public policy and the politics of environmental protection; climate and energy; animal rights; public health; environmental justice and cultural survival; and environmentally related film, music, and books.

Whenever possible, we seek to tell the stories of individuals and communities who are successfully defending and restoring the Earth. On-the-ground reports from outside North America are especially welcomed. These pieces should be appropriate for an educated, environmentally savvy readership. We do not consider technical or academic reports.

Our readership is international, so please don’t pitch stories on local issues unless they have broader (read: national or international) interest or implications. Please read through our magazine’s current and back issues (archives are available online) to get a better idea of the kind of stories we publish before you send a query.

We pay writers 25 cents/word for print stories. You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story (about 4,000 words).

For online reports, the fee is $100. Online reports are a great way to get into the Journal, especially if you are new to reporting and writing. We publish online five days a week and are always looking for fresh ideas.

We prefer that writers query us before submitting a story. Please describe why you believe the story is newsworthy, specific angles you will investigate, and whom you will interview. The more details you can provide, the better. Please also include two or three of your most relevant published writing samples.

We cannot guarantee to run unsolicited submissions. Decisions about what material to publish are at the sole discretion of the editors. The Journal does not respond to unsolicited queries or manuscripts unless the material is considered for publication. We are unable to return submissions sent by regular mail.

All queries, for both print and online articles, should be sent to: submissions@earthisland.org.
The Journal has content sharing agreements with several other publications. We also share our stories under creative commons, as our core mission is to educate the public about environmental issues.