Panel: The Story of Plastic

With Dianna Cohen & Hannah Testa & Yvette Arellano
Hosted by Renee Vogelsang

Respected plastic pollution experts join us for a discussion about the severity and scale of the global plastic crisis. They reveal the roots of our systemic addiction to single-use plastic and excess packaging, the strategies we can take to counter industry manipulation, and offer a hopeful glimpse of our planet beyond plastic.

Dianna Cohen

Co-founder and CEO of Plastic Pollution Coalition

Dianna Cohen is co-founder and CEO of Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) and a passionate advocate against plastic pollution. PPC is a growing global alliance of nearly 700 organizations, businesses, and notable thought leaders working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impact on humans, animals, and the environment. A Los Angeles based visual artist, Dianna has shown her work internationally at galleries, foundations, and museums. She uses plastic in her artwork to make a visual and social impact. With plastic bags as her primary material for the past 27 years, Cohen is interested in exploring its materiality through modifications and the material’s relationship to culture, media, toxicity, and the world at large and shared this in her 2010 TED talk “Tough Truths About Plastic Pollution.

Dianna is a frequent speaker and guest and has spoken at the UN and international conferences and symposia, and has been interviewed by Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, The Guardian, USA Today, Martha Stewart Living, and many others. Dianna studied Biology, Art, and Film at the University of California, Los Angeles and holds a BA in Fine Arts.

Hannah Testa

Sustainability Advocate, Speaker, Author, & Founder of Hannah4Change

Hannah Testa is a sustainability advocate, international speaker, author, TEDx speaker, politico, and founder of Hannah4Change, a non-profit dedicated to fighting issues that impact the planet. She is a vegan who enjoys healthy living and loves to share her passion with others. Hannah excels at partnering with businesses and government to influence them to develop more sustainable practices. Hannah has received numerous honors and awards, including the People Magazine's "10 Girls Changing the World", TEEN Vogue's "21 Under 21", Teen Earth Day Hero by CNN, the Action for Nature International Young Eco-Hero Award, and many others.  She is a board member for several organizations including Captain Planet Foundation and The HAPPY Org., and a youth ambassador for several other organizations.

Yvette Arellano

Founder & Executive director of Fenceline Watch

Yvette Arellano is Mexican American gulf coast organizer based in Houston, Texas. They are the founder & executive director of Fenceline Watch, an environmental justice organization dedicated to the eradication of toxic multigenerational harm on communities living along the fenceline of industry. In 2015, Yvette led a campaign against H.R. 702, which opened the floodgates to U.S. crude oil exports. They were instrumental in the Center for International Environmental Law ‘Plastic and Health: The Hidden Cost of a Plastic Planet’.

Yvette has testified before EPA, state and federal legislative bodies about public health impacts from toxic exposure and potential solutions. In their advocacy they have aided in crisis response post chemical disasters and contributed to efforts to stop fossil fuel expansions, new export terminals and offshore drilling. Currently they are leading efforts in Texas to remove historical language barriers that limit public participation of migrant communities in oil, gas, and petrochemical expansion process.

Hosted by Renee Vogelsang

Climate Activist, Campaign Consultant

Renee Vogelsang is a climate activist and campaign consultant currently working on advancing large-scale renewables and electrification in New York State. Renee has been an advocate for the environment and clean energy since 2003, working with grassroots, state and national organizations. Most notably, Renee is a co-founder of the New Yorkers Against Fracking coalition which mobilized thousands of residents, organizations, elected officials, businesses and health professionals to achieve the historic ban on fracking in New York. Her recent work has centered on helping non-profit organizations and industry leaders win campaigns and develop projects that will shift the state off fossil fuels and scale up solar, wind, ground (geothermal) and air-source heat pumps, and electric transportation.

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Dianna Cohen & Hannah Testa & Yvette Arellano
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