New reporting models
EarthBeat received a grant from Solutions Journalism, providing the financial backing to create An Estate Plan for the Earth, a joint project with Global Sisters Report. This multi-media feature series by Brian Roewe and Chris Herlinger focused on how Catholic congregations choose to conserve some of their lands permanently as part of their commitment to care for creation, rather than selling it for commercial development.
The series received 2021 Honorable Mentions at both the Catholic Media Association Awards and the Church Press Association awards.
Awards
Catholic Media Association Awards
Awards received by EarthBeat at the 2022 Catholic Media Association Awards and the Church Press Awards reflect the breadth of the subject matter covered by EarthBeat.
- Environment Correspondent Brian Roewe's coverage of the international environmental conference COP26 was awarded First Place.
- Campos Lima’s article Illegal gold mining booms in Brazilian Amazon, harming environment, health was awarded First Place.
- Roewe’s article Inside the campaign to divest the Catholic Church from fossil fuels was awarded second place.
Honorable mentions were:
- Whitney Bauck's essay How to bring Laudato Si' into your wardrobe
- Nushin Huq's report As temperatures rise with climate change, how can Houston beat the heat?
- Roewe’s profile Hazel Johnson, the mother of environmental justice
- An Estate Plan for the Earth, a joint project with Global Sisters Report, Brian Roewe and Chris Herlinger
Associated Church Press Awards
- An Estate Plan for the Earth, a joint project with Global Sisters Report, Brian Roewe and Chris Herlinger
Online growth
In March of 2020, EarthBeat reached one million page views; as of June 30, 2022 EarthBeat has had 4.2 million page views. Readers from 151 countries read EarthBeat articles, and approximately 12,735 receive EarthBeat’s newsletters.
Our social media channels continue to grow. At the conclusion of 2020, the first full year of EarthBeat publishing, EarthBeat had a total of 1,175 followers on our three social media channels - Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Twitter had the most followers at 464. As of June 30, 2022 EarthBeat has increased followers by 111%, for a total of 2,487 followers. Twitter remains in the lead with the number of followers; Instagram demonstrated the strongest growth, leaping 202%.
Most read stories 2022
- Jan. 7, 2022: One of God's Failed Expirements, Thomas Reese, Religion News Service
- Nov. 15, 2022: As COP27 talks stall, Catholics smash tablets, pray for divine intervention on Siani, Doreen Ajiambo
- Feb. 26, 2022: Young Catholics deliver critique of US church leaders' climate silence straight to the pope, Brian Roewe
- Mar. 17, 2022: What St. Patrick's prayer song teaches us about connecting with the land, Damian Costello
- Aug. 16, 2022: Synod report details US Bishops' avoidance of Church teaching on creation care, Brian Roewe
- June 18, 2022: My generation needs to apologize to the class of 2022, Thomas Reese, Religion News Service
- Feb. 17, 2022: As Build Back Better stalls, faith leaders call Biden, Senate to 'moment for courage' on climate, Brian Roewe
- Aug. 25, 2022: Cardinal designate McElroy has long commitment to Laudato Si' environment, Brian Roewe
- Mar 19, 2022: A pastor finds joy through the Lenten practice of birdwatching, Courtney Ellis
- Feb 5, 2022: Re-Indigenize your faith by recognizing sweetgrass, all things as kin, Damian Costello