Is it better to use plastic or glass for milk bottles? Are there environmental benefits to lab grown meat? How do the climate change benefits of renewable energy compare to the impacts of increased mining?
Explore answers to these and more on Tuesday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. with environmental consultant Tessa Lee. Her presentation on “Circular Economy” is part of the Branford Land Trust Winter Speaker Series and will be held at the Blackstone Memorial Library.
Tessa will introduce the concept of a ‘circular economy’ and explain how ‘systems thinking’ is critical in answering any question on ‘Is X better than Y.’ Tessa will also discuss recycling and reuse systems, providing a toolkit for weeding out greenwashing from robust environmental claims and sharing research on a case study on the circularity of wind turbines and solar panels. Please bring your questions about the circular economy and join our conversation!
Tessa is an environmental consultant with 8 years’ experience focusing on circular economy, life cycle assessment (LCA), and recycling systems across the EU and US. She works for Industrial Economics (Cambridge, MA) calculating carbon footprints for private companies such as Papa John’s, and supporting the EPA and New York State agencies on recycling data collection, renewable energy siting, and low carbon building products. Tessa previously held life cycle modelling research positions at Yale’s Yao Lab and Idaho National Laboratory on additive manufacturing and flexible plastic recycling. Tessa also worked at Eunomia, a waste specific consultancy based in the UK, where she supported city governments in the procurement of waste collection services, and EU policy development, such as recycled content targets for plastic water bottles. Tessa has a Master of Environmental Science from Yale University and a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Cambridge.
This event and the Winter Speaker Series events are free and open to the public. It will be held in-person at the Blackstone Library (758 Main St, Branford).
The Branford Land Trust Winter 2025 Speaker Series is made possible by a grant from the Branford Community Foundation and Guilford Savings Bank. Save the Date for these upcoming events: “Forest Health & Climate Change” with David Irvin (April 22); and our Annual Meeting presentation: “Insects and Water” with Julie Michaelson (May 12).
