Cristina Barrera

Make it stand out

What do you do outside OPF?

Like many of us at OPF, I love spending time in nature, especially hiking, biking, and kayaking. I also love live music and would go to shows most weekends before the pandemic. Soccer is another passion of mine and I enjoy playing pickup games with my classmates every week.

What is rewarding about being at OPF?

The best part of working with OPF is that no matter what projects I am working on, I know my efforts will tie into either real world climate impact or will help others get more involved in the environmental space. People who share a passion for sustainability should join OPF because climate change cannot be solved alone; it requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Whatever skills and knowledge one person brings could be a gap for someone else -- OPF unites people's strengths and superpowers for a common purpose to learn, grow, and take climate action.

What is your favorite climate or sustainability resource?

My favorite sustainability book is still The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. This book was my favorite book as a child and was what first got me interested in sustainable business at a really young age. The book provided a warning over 50 years ago that we could not exploit the environment forever and showed the consequences if we did. Today, I gravitate towards its message of hope -- that caring and taking action is always the only way to make things better.

What type of expertise do you have?

My expertise is centered on waste management, circular economy, and industrial ecology. I have also spent much of my academic career diving into the environmental implications of various sectors including transportation, energy systems, and consumer goods.