Recent UCI Graduate, Ashlyn Villarreal (BA in Environmental Science and Policy, minor in Global Sustainability), shares her experience working with the Amigos de Bolsa Chica’s FLOW program.

This article first took shape after a long-time volunteer from Amigos de Bolsa Chica shared the importance of plastic-free holiday gift giving, especially in a world where plastic has become the default. It truly made me reflect on my own holiday experience where the living room floor is covered in crumpled wrapping paper, plastic packaging, ribbons, and containers that were used once and then tossed away.