Anna Yip
University of California, Berkeley, MS
EREF Scholar 2020
UC-Berkeley Plastics System Analysis
Single-use plastics have come under scrutiny with many cities and states initiating policies and goals to reduce or prohibit single-use plastics. The plastics narrative typically revolves around encouraging recycling; however, Yip’s work aims to flip this narrative, asking not how can we encourage recycling, but how can we reduce plastic waste altogether. Yip’s research project can be separated into two parts: (1) to offer a more in-depth, responsible and transparent look at UC-Berkeley’s plastic consumption and waste, and (2) to calculate the impacts of the newly proposed policy to “eliminate all non-essential single-use plastics for which there are viable alternatives by end of calendar year 2030”.
Biography:
Yip is a graduate student in the Energy and Resources Group at UC-Berkeley studying the environmental impact of human consumption and waste. In 2017 she received a dual B.S. in Environmental Science and Environmental Economics & Policy from UC-Berkeley, and spent her time as an undergrad analyzing and working on the campus’ zero waste goal. Between her undergrad and graduate studies, Yip worked for a Resource Conservation District coordinating volunteer and citizen science events, programs and outreach as well as the National Parks Service studying and communicating climate science.