Contributor Spotlight - Christine Choi
Hi! My name is Christine Choi, and I’m a senior at Alameda High School! I’m also a climate activist and an avid code and film nerd!
I initially discovered Okapi Reusables in 2023 through a friend who was interning for them. I was excited to download the app, because it was such a straightforward yet impactful approach to the plastic crisis.
As a climate activist, I’ve always looked for innovative approaches to our pressing environmental issues. At school, I’m the president of the environmental conservation club, Amplify, and am also president and founder of my school’s award-winning computer science club for minorities (but welcome to all!), WeCode Club. I’m also an award-winning artist and grant-winning filmmaker. Previously, I had combined my passions to help the environment, such as programming data reports for school district trash audits. That’s why I was so excited to utilize my skills again to help Okapi Reusables succeed!
Not only did I apply as an intern for Okapi Reusables and market the app, but I also decided to put my tech and storytelling passions to use. I am currently co-directing an educational documentary about the life cycle of disposable cups, which will help promote Okapi Reusables’ mission. Additionally, I am leading WeCode Club to program for the Okapi Reusables app.
My passion for the environment stems from my love for nature growing up in the Bay Area, but also from the simple fact that we live in an absolute climate emergency. I live in a town called
Alameda Island that will be covered with 36 inches of water above today’s high tide by 2030.
That’s why I am such an adamant supporter of Okapi Reusables, which not only reduces the actual disposable cups used, but also vastly mitigates the waste and emissions from every aspect of the cup’s excessive life cycle. It’s also a solution to the reduction of boba plastic that won’t negatively impact hard-working boba tea store owners, as they represent an upcoming Asian culture phenomenon that should not be criticized for their lack of sustainability.
Together with Okapi Reusables, I am thrilled to be part of a movement that doesn’t just mitigate the effects of our consumerist waste but actively offers a solution, paving the way for a healthier planet for generations to come.