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
Philadelphians will soon face 10-cent paper bag fee at grocery stores, markets and more
Plastic bags are already banned in Philadelphia. Paper bags will come with a fee.
8 months ago
Listen 0:55
Chester to Philadelphia: ‘Find somewhere else’ to send your trash
A bill would prevent Philadelphia from signing new contracts for waste incineration, forcing the city to send all of its waste to landfills.
8 months ago
Listen 0:58
LIHEAP is delayed in Pa. due to the government shutdown. Here are other resources for energy bills
With the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program delayed, over 300,000 Pa. households will wait longer for help heating their homes.
8 months ago
How Philadelphia seniors are tracking microplastics in streams and working to ‘leave a better world’
Members of the Senior Environment Corps wade into streams, peer through microscopes and teach kids how to identify aquatic critters.
8 months ago
Listen 5:03
Republican lawmakers from Pa., N.J., Va. and Md. weigh solutions to rising electricity bills
Republican lawmakers want to see faster permitting and an end to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
8 months ago
‘Philly ain’t playing’: City steps up anti-dumping enforcement efforts
Forty additional city employees have been given authority to issue notices of violation against illegal dumpers. They hit the streets next month.
8 months ago
Listen 0:47
LIHEAP is delayed in Pa. due to the federal government shutdown. Here’s what to know
State officials say Pa. has not received its federal allocation for LIHEAP. Assistance could open on Dec. 3, if the funds begin to flow before then.
9 months ago
Listen 0:58
Philadelphia mayor and council members at odds over 10-cent paper bag fee bill
The fee is meant to encourage Philadelphians to bring their own bags. Parker’s administration worries it could hurt low-income residents.
9 months ago
Listen 1:08
Philadelphia Land Bank buys 35 garden lots, advancing land preservation plan
The lots were once tangled up with privately held tax liens. The Land Bank can now transfer them to gardeners and land trusts.
9 months ago
Listen 1:06
The Philadelphia region faces hurricanes, floods and house fires. Here’s how to pack a go-bag
Packing a go-bag ahead of time can help your family during an evacuation.
9 months ago
Listen 1:13
Can Phoenixville’s sewage become ‘guilt-free coal’?
The municipality has invested millions to pressure cook sewage sludge, in hopes of cutting its climate pollution.
9 months ago
Listen 1:12
North Philadelphia nonprofit offers vouchers to help would-be dumpers dispose of waste legally
Advocates say minimum fees at private disposal centers can push contractors to illegally dump waste. A new voucher program aims to fill the gap.
9 months ago
Listen 1:17