As someone in the early stages of activism with the Sierra Club, I am honored to be considered for a Chapter ExCom at-large position. My environmentalism stems from a belief that fact-based decision-making is necessary to mitigate climate change, and to ensure a more equitable society. My scientific training and outreach experience have left me well-poised to bridge environmental facts with public awareness and policy change.
I completed undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College, and I am currently a graduate fellow at The Rockefeller University earning a PhD in cellular biomechanics. At Rockefeller, I have initiated a program aimed at bringing science outreach to older adults to explore how seniors can play active roles in fighting climate change, and am helping start a sustainability-themed blog that will debut later this year.
With the Sierra Club NYC Group’s Plastic Pollution Committee, I have been outlining the ways that microplastics – including those shed from clothing – impact human health. Recently, I have also been working to keep the media and advertising industries on-task regarding climate change with the 350NYC Media Task Force. Moving forward, I would like to expand upon the Chapter’s efforts in two areas: plastics and agriculture. I see an opportunity to forge partnerships with local, organic fiber producers in the NYS region, to lobby for legislation that provides financial incentives for local fiber harvesters and processing factories, and to reduce plastic usage in textiles. This will reduce harmful plastic pollution, and revitalize economically depressed, fiber-producing farms. At the same time, I would like to expand our efforts to understand how microplastic pollution in NY-area waterways invades adjacent crop beds and impacts crop performance and carbon sequestration.