SUPER® Interview with Dr. Desiree LaBeaud
Doctor of pediatric infectious diseases,
professor at Stanford University, and
Co-Founder of HERI-Kenya
What initially moved you, as a medical professional, to become an advocate for reducing plastic pollution?
I have been interested in reducing waste from as far back as I remember. As a child I was always told, “waste not, want not.” It was part of our family values- more out of necessity than planetary anxiety, but it resonated with me. I even started a “Green Club” at high school in San Francisco. During two decades in global health research and medical practice, I found myself continually frustrated with the amount of waste generated in research and clinical care. Also, serendipitously my research on vector- borne diseases led me directly to the plastic crisis- the plastic trash where the mosquitoes were breeding. We constantly seek ways to use less, waste less and find alternatives to plastic.Can you share with our readers the mission of your non-profit, HERI-Kenya?My long-term Kenya research collaborators and I launched the Health and Environmental Research Institute (HERI) 4 years ago to inspire collective action toward healthier communities and more sustainable environments. We do this by bringing together community members, policy makers and scientists to work toward a shared vision of an environmentally conscious community thriving in health and sustainable living. We recently launched a women-led women-run black soldier fly farm as a nature-based solution for compostable waste.
What tips do you have from your personal life for protecting yourself and your family from PFAS?
I try to avoid plastic- use glass or metal instead. I also try to avoid nonstick surfaces for cooking and eat fresh food that doesn’t come in packaging.
For more information on Dr. LaBeaud’s work, check out the websites below!
