Meet Sarah Spicer, The Wichita Eagle’s first climate change reporter
After a short tenure away from Kansas to get my master’s degree, I am humbled to return to my home state and begin writing about climate change, its unique ramifications on our state and, most importantly, to tell essential stories from people experiencing its effects.
First and foremost, I believe in telling truthful and accurate stories and finding narratives from people, or in the case of climate change, animals, land and ecosystems, that otherwise don’t have a voice.
My focus will be a mix of short-term stories, long form narratives and solutions-driven investigative stories that may delight, but may also enlighten Kansans to the natural world around them.
One of the things I love about being a reporter is that I never stop learning. Climate change reporting has had a controversial history, but I believe the future is bright.
We will learn from and use a wide range of sources and opinions, take a holistic approach to reporting on the problems and focus on actions that the government, nonprofits and individuals can make towards developing solutions.
The Wichita Eagle and Report for America have a proud reputation for focusing on local stories, which is one of the many reasons why I chose to devote my time to this program. We cannot ignore, however, the larger political, economic and environmental situations that have played a part in our current situation. Context is incredibly important and without it we cannot understand the problems or the solutions.
I’ve been working at The Wichita Eagle for a few weeks now and have spoken with farmers, ranchers, conservationists, state and national researchers, nonprofit organizations and activists. While everyone has an opinion on climate change, it is undeniable that it is real and is changing our everyday lives.
I love being a reporter because I get to talk to people I wouldn’t know otherwise, read things I wouldn’t know about and write every single day. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to hearing from you and about you and what you are interested in.
Here are a few ideas that I’m starting on:
- COVID-19: How will Midwest agriculture change after COVID-19 and climate change have affected the markets?
- Animal Changes: How are animals in Kansas changing their behavior due to climate change? What will we see more of? What will we see less?
- Renewable Energy: How accessible is solar, wind and other renewable energy to Kansans and what does their development mean for our state?
- Extreme Weather: Hotter days, hotter nights and unpredictable rainfall are all in store for Kansas. How will this affect Kansans across different lines? What can be done to mitigate it?
Please share your thoughts, ideas and notes in this questionnaire:
This story was originally published July 12, 2020 at 5:01 AM.
