Sophia Schmidt covers the environment for WHYY’s PlanPhilly. Before coming to Philadelphia in 2021, Sophia reported on her home state of Delaware for Delaware Public Media and produced interviews for NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” Sophia was a 2021 Metcalf Fellow.
More from the Contributor
What is community solar, and why do lawmakers want to bring it to Pennsylvania?
Community solar lets renters and people who can’t afford large upfront costs go solar. A bipartisan group of Pa. lawmakers back it.
2 years ago
Listen 1:08Philly Zoning Board delays FDR Park tree-cutting decision
At issue are 48 mature trees, which the Fairmount Park Conservancy proposes cutting down to make way for athletic fields.
2 years ago
Listen 1:01Philly launches training program to grow and diversify electric vehicle workforce
A pre-apprenticeship program will aim to help people become electricians focused on electric vehicle chargers.
2 years ago
Listen 1:08New EPA soot standard could bring healthier air to parts of the Philly region
Officials predict Delaware County, Pa., and Camden County, N.J., will fail to meet the new standard without further action to reduce pollution.
2 years ago
Listen 1:14Young climate activists arrested at Biden’s Wilmington campaign headquarters: ‘We want a future’
Members of the Sunrise Movement were urging President Biden to declare a climate emergency.
2 years ago
Pa. home repair and energy efficiency program resuscitated in Shapiro’s budget proposal
The program can pay for improvements that help Pa. homes adapt to climate change and lower their carbon emissions.
2 years ago
Listen 0:57Extreme rain and rising tides threaten Philly’s Revolutionary War-era Fort Mifflin
Fort Mifflin sits right along the Delaware River. It’s one of many historic sites across the country at risk from climate change.
2 years ago
Listen 5:44Councilmembers Isaiah Thomas and Rue Landau plan to evaluate whether the city is on track to meet its 2050 goal, and how to get there faster.
2 years ago
Listen 1:14Your Pa. utility is calling. Double check that it’s really them
An increasingly common scamming tactic is a phone call from a number with a fake caller ID that reads “PECO,” the company said.
2 years ago
Parker promises change on litter and dumping in Philly. What will that take?
Advocates are encouraged by the new mayor’s early plans to clean up the city. But some are skeptical about her pick to lead the efforts.
2 years ago
Listen 1:08Advocates urge Parker administration to let small waste haulers dump at city-run sites
The idea is to give small haulers an affordable, legal disposal option — so they don’t dump construction debris on empty lots around the city.
2 years ago
Listen 1:16The program, geared toward people impacted by the justice system, teaches solar panel installation and electric work. It pays $15 an hour.
2 years ago
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