Tony Spagnoli got involved in Philadelphia’s drinking water testing campaign after seeing a Facebook post on a group he’s part of called “UrbanPHL.” Someone posted about testing lead in their home’s water, and Jonathan King and Tony offered to help organize a community-wide initiative. Tony has worked in the nonprofit field for eight years and focuses on addressing urban issues through the use of alternative transportation and design. Currently, he works for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council on transportation issues such as developing the East Coast Greenway. He grew up in Athens, PA and now lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Sarah, and two small children. Tony is an avid home cook, cyclist, and urban enthusiast. He says, “I live in a house that was built in 1905. I knew there was a pretty high likelihood that we have a lead pipe or lead solder. I think there’s no harm in double-checking the science. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.” While Philly Unleaded began with unbridled enthusiasm and energy, Tony and his associates soon realized that citizen science requires substantial time and effort, although - as can be seen in CROWD & CLOUD Episode 2 - he has no regrets about committing weekends to distributing test kits and sharing information.

www.phillyunleaded.org