Episode 51: Creating a climate action plan that works

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L-R: Serafin Fernandez, Jonathan Eldridge

Community colleges are emerging as powerful climate leaders, and this episode explores how institutions at different stages are turning vision into action. Host Dave Karlsgodt talks with leaders from Gavilan College and College of Marin about how financial stewardship, campus modernization, and sustainability planning are shaping resilient, future-ready campuses.  

From bond-funded infrastructure upgrades and on-the-ground implementation to the collaborative process of developing a Climate Action Plan, the conversation highlights practical lessons, shared challenges, and opportunities for regional leadership. Get an insider’s look at how community colleges are advancing climate action in ways that directly benefit students and the communities they serve. 

Guests:
Jonathan Eldridge
Superintendent/President
College of Marin
LinkedIn

Serafin Fernandez
Director, Capital Projects
Gavilan College
LinkedIn

Host:
Dave Karlsgodt
Vice President, Infrastructure, Energy & Sustainability
Brailsford & Dunlavey

Production Team:
Executive producer and host: Dave Karlsgodt
Producer, sound editor: Kristan Crawford
Producers: Karmela Lejarde, Allison Bruns

Music courtesy of the Gio Washington-Wright Big Band

Episode Transcript:

The following is an AI-generated transcript of this episode and may contain errors or omissions: Transcript

Episode 40: Carbon neutrality should not be the end goal with Alex Barron and Aaron Strong

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Alexander Barron (left) and Aaron Strong (right)

Guests:
Alexander Barron, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Environmental Science & Policy
Smith College
LinkedIn | Bio

Aaron Strong, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Hamilton College
LinkedIn | Bio

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Director of Energy and Sustainability at Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc.

In this episode we interview two professors and researchers discussing a recently published paper in the peer-reviewed journal One Earth entitled: “Carbon neutrality should not be the end goal: Lessons for institutional climate action from U.S. Higher education.” You’ll hear lead author Alex Barron of Smith College and co-author Aaron Strong from Hamilton College discuss their study of U.S. schools that have announced that they have achieved carbon neutrality. This work was co-authored with Maya Domeshek and Lucy Metz (recent Smith College graduates who worked on the paper) and Laura Drauker (formerly of Amherst College, now at the Boston-based non-profit Ceres), and reflects feedback and input from many other sustainability practitioners.

Resources:

Production Team:

Episode Transcript:

The following is an automated transcription of this episode which will include errors and omissions. You can listen and follow along with the text here: Otter Transcript

You can find a text-only version of the transcript here: Episode 40 Transcript