We are Jessica and Chris, two Ph.D.’s in Earth System Science on a mission to reduce the amount of plastic waste from groceries in our community.

Jessica grew up in Orange County, and spent her summers as a Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard, where she not only learned to respect the beach but to also take care of it. From a young age, she observed the plastic litter that plagued our beaches. She went to UC Santa Cruz for their Marine Biology program, and later received a Master’s degree in Oceanography at the Sorbonne in France.

Chris grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, spending as much time as he could on the shores of Lake Tahoe. He served in the Marine Corps for 10 years, where he spent ample time aboard ships looking for pirates, but hoping to spot whales. He turned his mindset for service into environmental action by getting his Bachelor’s degree at UCI in Earth System Science, where he met Jessica. Together, they joined the Ph.D. program in 2018 and graduated in 2023.

And so, Amis de la Terre is born from years of research on the ocean. We have spent countless hours looking at water samples from our local beaches and finding micro plastics in every single sample. One of the best ways to make a difference is through action! So we present to you an easy, affordable, and enjoyable environment in which you can get what you need without contributing to the waste cycle. Come and visit us soon!