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

June 29, 2022 by David Karlsgodt in Justice, Electrification, Carbon Emissions, Scope 3 Emissions, Renewable Energy, Student Engagement, Sustainability Curriculum

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:

Link to the paper: https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(21)00472-3
Alexander R. Barron, et al. "Carbon Neutrality Should Not Be the End Goal: Lessons for Institutional Climate Action From U.S. Higher Education." One earth, v. 4 ,.9 pp. 1248-1258. doi: 10.1016/j.oneear.2021.08.014
Drs. Barron and Strong along with Smith student Lucy Metz also summarized their findings for an op-ed "Five ways colleges should respond to the climate crisis" in Inside Higher Ed.
A different paper by Dr. Barron and others on internal carbon pricing in higher education that may be of interest to some listeners:
Barron, A.R., Parker, B.J., Sayre, S.S, Weisbord, D.J. and S.S. Weber. 2020. Carbon pricing approaches for climate decisions in U.S. higher education: Proxy carbon prices for deep decarbonization. Elementa.
Information about the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitments.

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Episode 39: The Cutting Edge with Peter Kelly-Detwiler

June 10, 2021 by David Karlsgodt in Energy Efficiency, Carbon Emissions, Energy Management, Energy Storage, Community, Investing, Wicked Problems, Utilities, Systems Thinking, Water, Justice, Electrification, Design, Solar, Gas, Thermal Energy, Hydrogen

Guest:
Peter Kelly-Detwiler
Cofounder, NorthBridge Energy Partners, LLC

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Director of Management Advisory Services, Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc.

In this episode we will talk with journalist, author, and energy consultant Peter Kelly-Detwiler. Our topic: Cutting Edge Campus Climate Tech.

Our mission: help campus decision makers and stakeholders understand "cutting edge" campus decarbonization / reliability / resilience technologies. How can they take advantage of new and emerging technologies while avoid wasting time on ideas that are either empty hype or operationally irrelevant for their campus context?

Resources:

NorthBridge Energy Partners website: https://www.northbridgeep.com
The Energy Switch: How Companies and Customers Are Transforming the Electrical Grid and the Future of Power at Buttonwood Books and Toys: https://www.buttonwoodbooksandtoys.com/book/9781633886667

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Episode 38: The Political Economy of Higher Ed with Dr. Katrina Kelly-Pitou

February 27, 2021 by David Karlsgodt in Energy Efficiency, Carbon Emissions, Student Engagement, Energy Management, Energy Storage, Community, Investing, Renewable Energy, Wicked Problems, Utilities, Systems Thinking, Water, Justice, Electrification, Education, Design

Guest:
Dr. Katrina Kelly-Pitou
Energy Systems Strategist -
SMITHGROUP

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Director of Management Advisory Services, Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc.

In this episode, we talk with with Dr. Katrina Kelly-Pitou, Energy Systems Strategist at SmithGroup. The discussion focuses on what higher education can expect from federal, state and local governments in the near term, but also a broader discussion about the politics and business model of higher ed. itself. She both challenges conventional ideas and paints a compelling vision for a sustainable future for higher education and the communities in which they operate.

Resources:

SmithGroup website: https://www.smithgroup.com/

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Episode 32: Resilient Campuses, Resilient Communities with Cal State - Chico and Central Community College

April 13, 2020 by David Karlsgodt in Systems Thinking, Community, Education, Justice, Wicked Problems, Resilience

Cheri Chastain, Sustainability Programs Manager, Cal State-Chico, Gayle Hutchinson, President, Cal State-Chico, and Ben Newton, Environmental Sustainability Director, Central Community College — **Cheri Chastain,** Sustainability Programs Manager, Cal State-Chico, **Gayle Hutchinson**, President, Cal State-Chico, and **Ben Newton,** Environmental Sustainability Director, Central Community College

Guests:
Cheri Chastain
Sustainability Programs Manager, California State University - Chico Company

Gayle Hutchinson
President, California State University - Chico

Ben Newton
Environmental Sustainability Director, Central Community College

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Director of Management Advisory Services, Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc.

Climate change spares no city, town or state from new, and often threatening, environmental challenges. How are campuses responding to natural disaster in ways that keep their students and communities safe? What plans are they making to prepare for an uncertain future?

In this episode, host Dave Karlsgodt talks with Cheri Chastain and Gayle Hutchinson of California State University - Chico and Ben Newton of Central Community College about these questions. You’ll hear their stories about dealing with fires, floods and truck-sized icebergs, and how these events have shaped their campuses as they look ahead to the next “unnatural disaster”.

Resources:

Resources from Central Community College
- Environmental Sustainability Action Plan: https://www.cccneb.edu/esap
- Energy Technology AAS Program: https://www.cccneb.edu/energy
- Ben Newton contact: benjaminnewton@cccneb.edu
PBS Documentary And The Floods Came Nebraska 2019: http://pivotal.netnebraska.org/nebraska-floods/
Resources from Cal State - Chico
- Sustainability at Chico State: https://www.csuchico.edu/sustainability/
- Cheri Chastain contact: cchastain@csuchico.edu

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Episode 32: Resilient Campuses, Resilient Communities - Transcript

Episode 23: Social Justice and Sustainability - with Mary Annaïse Heglar

September 13, 2019 by David Karlsgodt in Education, Communications, Community, Wicked Problems, Justice

Mary Annaïse Heglar, director of publications at the National Resources Defense Council, & Nick McCreary, sustainability coordinator at Indiana State University — **Mary Annaïse Heglar**, director of publications at the National Resources Defense Council, & **Nick McCreary**, sustainability coordinator at Indiana State University

Guest: Mary Annaïse Heglar
Director of Publications, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Guest Host: Nicholas McCreary
Sustainability Coordinator, Indiana State University

Turn off lights when you’re not using them. Take shorter showers. Bike to work. These three actions are all recommendations for people trying to make sustainable decisions. But why not also volunteer for a human rights organizations, or go to a protest?

In this episode, guest host Nicholas McCreary, sustainability coordinator for Indiana State University, talks with Mary Annaïse Heglar, director of publications at the National Resources Defense Council, about why it’s important to move sustainability conversations beyond recycling and conserving water and into the realm of social justice. They discuss the similarities between the roots of climate change and racial injustice, climate change disproportionately impacts minority communities and how the climate movement can move forward by embracing a climate justice approach.

We hope this episode will challenge you to think about why climate issues exist and deeper your understanding of the social pillar of sustainability.

Resources:

Mary Annaïse Heglar on Medium, Twitter: https://medium.com/@maryheglar // https://twitter.com/MaryHeglar
National Resources Defense Council: https://www.nrdc.org/
Book and Reading Recommendations by Mary Annaïse Heglar
- Letters from a Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King, Jr. - https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
- Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler
- If Beale Street Could Talk, by James Baldwin

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Episode 23: Social Justice and Sustainability - Transcript