Trash Free Anacostia: Policy options for plastic bottle legislation

Anacostia Riverkeeper worked with students from George Washington University’s MA Program in Environmental Resource Policy on a pro bono research project to analyze different types of plastic bottle legislation such as bans, bills, and taxes to assess which options would work best at preventing plastic bottle pollution in the Anacostia River. They considered criteria such as political feasibility, efficacy, environmental equity, and cost when conducting their analysis. This webinar will be an opportunity for the students to share their recommendations and discussion will be moderated by Anacostia Riverkeeper staff.

Speaker bios:

All team members are second-year students in GW’s MA program in Environmental Resource Policy (ENRP). As such, they have completed a core curriculum that includes environmental science, public policy analysis, research methods, environmental economics, and environmental law.

Lily Anna Segalman holds a BA in Environmental Studies from the George Washington University, with a minor in Geography. After graduation, Lily Anna worked as an Environmental Educator for the Anne Arundel County Public School system, where she taught fourth graders about environmental topics such as climate change, Chesapeake Bay conservation, and energy. Lily Anna is focusing her studies on advocacy and government relations in the realm of environmental policy. While at ENRP, Lily Anna completed an internship with Senator Benjamin Cardin, focusing on legislation for The Environment and Public Works Committee.

Tyler Phillips holds a BS in Interdisciplinary Social Science from Florida State University, with concentrations in Economics, Sociology, and Political Science. Throughout his coursework, he conducted analysis through an interdisciplinary lens. In addition to this, he co-founded the Seminole Clean-up Project and served as the Political Affairs Director in which he worked closely with the Tallahassee City Council and Leon County Council to help coordinate park cleanup, park restoration, and better living conditions for those around the park. Currently, Tyler is the Legislative Fellow/Executive Assistant for Congressman Adriano Espaillat where he handles issues on the Environment and works with stakeholders to find solutions to Environmental issues within NY-13th District.

Nicole Eckerman holds a BA in International Studies from the University of Alabama, with a concentration in European Relations and a minor in French. Throughout her undergraduate degree, Nicole held summer internships as an environmental educator at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center where she taught visitors of all ages about marine ecosystems, conservation, and the coastal effects of climate change. Back at school, she participated in a number of environmental student organizations, holding a position as Sustainability Coordinator in the Student Government Association’s Environmental Cabinet, and membership in the Environmental Council. At GW, Nicole is focusing her studies on climate change mitigation, and climate-induced migration.

Grace Gonzalez holds a BA in Environmental Studies from American University(AU) with minors in Business Administration and Business Sustainability. During this time she worked on sustainable urban gardening and waste management. Her research covers the environmental benefits of green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure in relation to energy efficiency, water efficiency/quality, and biodiversity. She is currently enrolled in George Washington University’s (GWU) ENRP Masters program to learn more about federal environmental policies and regulations focusing on green business and engineering. While at ENRP, Grace has worked as a compliance assistant for a manufacturing company in Puerto Rico where she implemented two recycling programs to effectively reduce waste through reuse and recycling methods that saved money for the company.

Lauren Calhoun holds a BA in Environmental Science from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a concentration in conservation. While an undergrad, she was the president of a university-affiliated non-profit focused on educating students on the importance of honeybees. Her senior thesis applied the mathematical “no-envy” theory to climate change adaptation and mitigation costs globally. After graduation, Lauren went directly into George Washington’s ENRP Master’s program seeking to further her knowledge of environmental policy. While at ENRP, Lauren has focused her studies on water policy, including stormwater run-off mitigation and the PFAS water crisis in North Carolina.