Campus Energy and Sustainability Podcast

This episode was recorded live during a session at the 2024 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit co-sponsored by Second Nature and the Intentional Endowments Network in Long Beach, California, in February 2024. Guests from higher education and the private sector discuss the evolving nature of climate action planning and the emergence of decarbonization planning on college and university campuses. If you are a higher ed. sustainability professional trying to make sense of the alphabet soup of plans, strategies, roadmaps, and reports, this episode is for you!

In this episode, we feature guest host and recent Lewis & Clark graduate Lena Essak. Lena interviews regular host Dave Karlsgodt and two other guests: Dr. Lisa Benjamin, Associate Professor at Lewis & Clark Law School, author and climate negotiator, and Tim Swinehart, a social studies teacher from Lincoln High School in Portland, OR. The topic is climate communication.

In this episode, you'll hear a session recorded earlier this year at the 2023 Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit hosted by Second Nature and the Intentional Endowments Network. The next frontier in campus decarbonization is the transition of thermal systems away from fossil fuels. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. This expert panel shares experiences in decarbonizing campus thermal systems - from antiquated steam to efficient low temp hot water, from fossil fuels to the stable temperature of the ground. The panel will feature how to engage and collaborate with institutional constituents in the beginning stages all the way through complete projects covering planning, financing, implementation.

In this episode, you'll hear a session recorded earlier this summer at the 2023 Appalachian State University energy summit in Boone, North Carolina. This panel included my B&D colleague, Kevin Mara, and two industry experts, Chris DePodesta and Carolyn Arida, from the infrastructure investment group at Harrison Street. The topic evolving Energy public-private partnerships or energy P3s for higher education.

In this episode we interview two professors and researchers discussing a recently published paper in the 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 Baron of Smith College and co-author Aaron Strong from Hamilton College. We also want to recognize key collaborators and co-authors the who each made significant contributions the paper we discuss including Maya Domeshek and Lucy Metz who were students at Smith at the time of publication and Laura Drauker from the Boston-based non-profit Ceres.Link to the paper: https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(21)00472-3Alexander 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

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?

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.

In this episode, we talk with Kenny Seeton, central plant and energy manager at California State University Dominguez Hills. The wide-ranging conversation spans everything from LED retrofits to solar powered golf carts. Kenny talks about how to safely take risks and how to connect systems seeking continuous improvement. He offers up sound advice for energy managers on metering, sensors, occupancy controls, valves, dampers, trend analysis and even phase change materials. This engaging episode is perfect for anyone looking for creative energy solutions for their campus, whether this is your first introduction to energy management or, like Dave and Kenny, you geek out over topics energy efficiency, storage, and more.

In this special episode of the podcast, we present a recording of Podcasting for Sustainability in Higher Education from AASHE’s 2020 Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education. Dave Karlsgodt, Katie Boyle and Brian Campbell talk about what it’s like to run a podcast and how they utilize their shows to further the conversation on energy and sustainability. All three delve into the missions behind their podcasts, as well as how and why they pick topics to cover. In this episode that explores podcasting as a tool for sustainability in higher education, our hosts aim to aid participants and listeners in learning how to frame their sustainability efforts in stories, making them compelling to a variety of audiences, from students to senior leaders, academics to alumni.

What can a higher education institution learn from an international bank? In this episode, we talk to Brailsford & Dunlavey’s own Ron Herbst, whose long and varied career in energy eventually led him to work with Deutsche Bank establishing and managing their Eco Performance Management Office (PMO.) An EcoPMO is a team that coordinates all of the functions needed to achieve an organization’s sustainability goals.As the son of a blue-collar inventor, Ron felt drawn to the energy and sustainability world from a young age and wanted to be what he calls a “building energy efficiency doctor.”Ron discusses his time at Deutsche with Dave how he applies what he learned about balancing institutional needs with sustainability goals to colleges and universities. In addition, we also discuss how to balance the needs of various institution stakeholders in order to reach those goals.

Co-executive directors of the Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET), Zeyneb Magavi and Audrey Schulman both entered the climate change fight as mothers concerned for the futures of their children. In this episode, they share the history of their work on fixing super-emitting natural gas leaks in their neighborhood and across the state of Massachusetts. They tell the story of building relationships with natural gas utility executives to make a meaningful reduction in GHG emissions which led to the next major challenge: What is the future of a natural gas systemin a world that needs to eliminate the use of fossil fuels? We discuss HEET’s role in developing the geo micro district, a neighborhood-scale renewable energy network for heating and cooling buildings. They explain the technology but also how its alternative business model offers a cost-effective path forward for our utility companies and their workers as we replace our aging natural gas infrastructure.

In this episode, Kaia talks with Abena Sackey Ojetayo, chief resilience officer and director for the City of Tallahassee, Florida. We talked about her childhood in Ghana and her sustainability projects in Florida. We also discussed code-switching and the ways that age, race and gender can place pressure on people in the workforce.

Krista Murphy has long had a passion for engineering. She studied architectural engineering in school, honed her skills in project management and now works as a principal at Affiliated Engineers, Inc., in San Francisco. Her experience as a leader in the engineering field led her to take on leadership in another aspect of her life, one where she speaks up for other women in the workplace.In this episode, host Kaia Findlay and Krista talk about the challenges that women and other minorities face in the field, how to deal with the uncomfortable situations that arise because of those challenges, and how mentors that advocate for their mentees can play a crucial role in keeping women in the field.

With the new year in full swing and a new decade ahead, what better time to explore a cache of sustainability-related podcasts? In this episode, the Campus Energy and Sustainability Podcast partners with the Modern Energy Management Podcast to highlight some of the great stories being shared about the climate, energy and sustainability in the podcast world. This episode features interviews with sustainability podcast hosts Chris Nelder of the Energy Transition Show and Stephen Lacey of The Energy Gang and The Interchange. We also feature several recommendations from our listeners, including Brian Campbell of Central College, Kori Armstrong of University of Southern Mississippi, and Spencer Turk of 3P Partners. Recommendations from other listeners who reached out to us can be found as a PDF in the show notes. We hope you come out of this episode inspired to explore and learn what podcasters across the nation have to share about sustainability.

As an engineer, there’s nothing Kayla Dawson finds more frustrating than seeing a problem and being unable to solve it. But in an environment where biases influence behavior, she sees this happening all too often.In this episode, Kayla and host Sarah Barrr discuss how dominant, “status quo” leadership and mentorship styles favor certain groups of people, and how breaking down that status quo can pave the way for women and other minorities to relax and feel comfortable in the workplace and leading the change necessary to address climate change. Kayla also talks about embracing personal limitations and using them to strengthen communication and collaboration with a work team instead of letting them turn into liabilities.. In this second episode of our ‘Changing the Climate for Women’ series, Kayla gives the insight that it’s not only diversity that matters at the workplace table -- it’s making sure diverse voices are heard, accepted and uplifted.

If you travel by car to visit the University of Washington, your transportation choice will be a minority of those on campus. About 81 percent of the university community travels by transit, by foot, by bike and by carpooling. Even with a high number of people taking sustainable transportation, director of transportation services Anne Eskridge has big hopes for an even more sustainable future at the university.In this episode, host Dave Karlsgodt interviews Anne about her more than twenty years of sustainability experience. Anne reflects on waste, water, electric vehicles, electric bikes and regional transportation partnerships. She discusses how to benefit both the planet and the pocketbook and gives advice to future sustainability leaders. She shares not only her sustainability knowledge, but entertaining and powerful anecdotes about her father’s experiences with salmon fishing in the Puget Sound, the role of psychology in the field of sustainability and her background as an auctioneer (listen all the way to the end of the episode to get a sample of her auctioneering talent).

The United State’s transportation sector lays claim to 29 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Cars, buses, trucks and airplanes, used as a part of daily life, present sustainability challenges that college and university sustainability officials feel poised to tackle.In this episode, host Dave Karlsgodt sits down with Arjun Sarkar, Sustainable Transportation Coordinator for the University of California, Santa Barbara, to discuss low-carbon alternatives for transportation. In California, transportation accounts for 41 percent of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The discussion ranges from electric vehicles and renewable fuels to the economics of alternative fuel vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell technology. Arjun speaks specifically of UCSB and California as well as themes with national scope.

What if, to get ahead at work, you were told that you not only had to work hard and show up to your desk on time, but that you also had to wear pastels and not stand in doorways? This is some of the strange advice Bonny Bentzin, deputy chief of sustainability at UCLA, has received as a woman working in her field. In this episode, Bonny discusses her experiences and her observations of gender at play in the workplace with host Sarah Barr. Their conversation sheds light on the challenges and triumphs women experience in teamwork, communication and leadership.

Carleton College has been getting into hot water — but in the best way possible.Listen to this episode to hear Martha Larson, Carleton’s manager of campus energy and sustainability, discuss the college’s process for replacing its 20th century steam system with a geothermal-based district energy system. The new system will allow the campus to use heat pumps and the earth’s consistent 50 degree Fahrenheit temperature to help regulate heating and cooling on campus more efficiently. Larson dives into the physics that make the system work, the planning and approval process for the project, and how the new system will help Carleton meet its future sustainability goals in a discussion with host Dave Karlsgodt.

Guests:Claire LorchGarden Manager and Education Coordinator, Carolina Campus Community GardenLaura MindlinCoordinator, Edible Campus UNCScott MyersDirector of Auxiliary Services, UNC-Chapel HillHost: Kaia FindlayPodcast and Communications Manager, Campus Energy and Sustainability PodcastIn this episode, the Campus Energy and Sustainability Podcast’s new manager, Kaia Findlay, explores what makes food systems sustainable at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill with three interviewees, each working with a different food-related organization on campus: Laura Mindlin, coordinator for Edible Campus UNC; Claire Lorch, garden manager and education coordinator for the Carolina Campus Community Garden; and Scott Myers, director of auxiliary services for UNC. The interviewees discuss the role their organization plays in the food system on campus and their efforts in sustainability, and as a group they reveal how the campus has addressed a variety of food-related issues and challenges.

Guest: Mary Annaïse HeglarDirector of Publications, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)Guest Host: Nicholas McCrearySustainability Coordinator, Indiana State UniversityTurn 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.

Guests:Timm MuthDirector, Jackson County Green Energy ParkDillsboro, North CarolinaHost: Sarah BarrThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillIn this episode, we’ll travel to rural Dillsboro, North Carolina nestled in the southern Appalachian Mountains, where a small county landfill and a passionate engineer are transforming the community’s perspective on waste by using methane to power the Jackson County Green Energy Park, an arts facility offering glassblowing, metalworking, and ceramics classes and studio spaces. From reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to revitalizing heritage arts and stimulating tourism, to offering educational opportunities for children, college students, and even retirees, the Jackson County Green Energy Park is truly a centerpiece of its community. Join myself and guest Timm Muth this week to explore a variety of ways small communities and college campuses can make the most their waste resources, simultaneously achieving environmental, educational, and social equity goals.

Guests:Jillian BuckholzDirector of Sustainability, California State University — East BayMackenzie CriggerEnergy Conservation and Sustainability Manager, Chapman UniversityJoseph FullertonEnergy and Sustainability Manager, San Mateo County Community College DistrictNurit KatzChief Sustainability Officer, University of California — Los AngelesHost: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCProduction Assistant: Kaia FindlayIntern, Campus Energy and Sustainability PodcastIn this episode, you'll hear a live recording of a panel discussion at the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference, which took place earlier this summer at the University of California, Santa Barbara. It was great to be back at this conference again. Regular listens may remember Episode 13 which we recorded at CHESC in 2018. While that episode focused on Aggressive Climate Action, this year, we focused on the idea of institutionalizing sustainability. We tried to deconstruct some of the tactics, traits and tricks that our panelists, who are all rockstar sustainability professionals, use to move beyond running pilot projects and underfunded awareness campaigns to leveraging the full power of the world-class institutions that they work within.

Julian DautremontDirector of Programs, AASHEHost: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCProduction Assistant: Sarah BarrFrom energy use to purchasing decisions, waste management to community engagement, it’s no secret that sustainability is a notoriously broad and difficult to measure concept.Creating a comprehensive sustainability rating system was exactly the challenge guest Julian Dautremont and colleagues from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) were tackling when the STARS program was born. STARS is short for the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System and is the most widely used sustainability reporting system among colleges and universities in the United States. (It’s also the sole metric used to determine the Sierra Club’s “Cool Schools” ranking each year, in case you were wondering).If STARS still stumps you or if you’re simply curious about how a broad concept like sustainability can possibly be quantified and compared, join us this episode as Julian guides us through STARS’ creation, current function and challenges, and goals for the future.

Guests:Claire VeutheyDirector of ESG & ImpactOpenInvestMike FiorioTrusteeNorthland College Board of TrusteesHost: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCRemember the old adage, Put your money where your mouth is? Or maybe, vote with your wallet?No matter which way you say it, money talks. In this episode, Claire Veuthey of OpenInvest and Mike Fiori of Northland College’s Board of Trustees discuss sustainable investments, and how to make financial choices that reflect planet-forward values. Claire, the director of ESG & Impact at OpenInvest, a startup devoted to socially responsible investing, walks through the management of funds and investments and how they can become more sustainable. Mike discusses how Northland’s Board of Trustees reached their decision to divest from fossil fuels, and the importance of listening to student voices in balance with the university’s financial interests.

Guests:Andrea Trimble, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, O+MOffice for Sustainability DirectorUniversity of VirginiaJesse Warren PE, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, O+MSustainability Program Manager for Buildings & OperationsUniversity of VirginiaHost: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCThe focus of this episode is the University of Virginia’s Delta Force, a self-funded building energy efficiency and sustainability program. You’ll hear how UVA has taken a $400,000 seed fund to yield $42M dollars in energy related cost savings to the University. We get into the nuts and bolts of the program but also zoom back to talk more generally about their sustainability programs and collaboration with their city and regional governments.

Guests:Devin Kleiner Senior Project Architect, Senior AssociatePerkins+WillChris MeekAssociate Professor of ArchitectureUniversity of WashingtonKyle McDermottCampus Sustainability Fund CoordinatorUniversity of WashingtonChris HellsternLiving Building Challenge Services DirectorThe Miller Hull PartnershipHost: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCIn this episode you will hear a live recording made during the 2019 Washington Oregon Higher Education Sustainability conference on the campus of the University of Washington. The session was entitled: “Building a Sustainable Future: Intersections of Energy, Infrastructure, Student and Community Engagement in Campus Design with Global Reach.” We discuss two new cutting-edge buildings on the University of Washington campus. We also talk about how students were able to affect the design and sustainability features incorporated into these buildings through engagement and through funding provided by the Campus Sustainability Fund, a program funded through student fees.Resources:UW Campus Sustainability FundUW Center for Integrated DesignLife Science BuildingPerkins+Will: University of Washington Life Sciences Building Designed for Next-Generation of Research, Teaching, and OutreachUW - Biology: Life Sciences Building wins DJC Building of the YearUW Life Sciences Building MicrositeUW Sustainability BlogUW News VideoPopulation Health BuildingMiller Hull: Population Health Facility, University of WashingtonUW breaks ground on new Population Health building

Guests:Julie CahillaneSustainability Associate DirectorNorthwestern UniversityGarry Cooper, PhDCo-founder/CEORheaply, Inc.Host: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCIn this episode you’ll hear my interview with Julie Cahillane, Sustainability Associate Director at Northwestern University and Dr. Garry Cooper, adjunct professor at Northwestern’s Fineberg School of Medicine and CEO/Co-founder of Rheaply, Inc.In our conversation you’ll hear how Garry has leveraged his experiences working in research laboratories, to start up a company that is helping institutions better manage their laboratory surplus supplies and under-utilized equipment.Julie will discuss how Northwestern University is piloting Rheaply’s platform as part of their broader sustainability efforts to reduce waste and increase reuse in labs at Northwestern University.

Guest: Brian CampbellDirector of Sustainability EducationCentral College of Pella, IowaSpecial Guest and Co-host: Rob McKennaPrincipal, Fovea, LLCHost: Dave KarlsgodtPrincipal, Fovea, LLCIn this episode you’ll hear an interview with Brian Campbell, Director of Sustainability Education at Central College in Pella Iowa. Joining me in this episode is Fovea, Principal, Rob McKenna. Together we discuss Central College’s recent climate action plan with a focus on a unique landfill-gas flaring project that came out of that planning effort.

Guests:Wolfgang BauerUniversity Distinguished Professor and Associate Vice President for Administrative ServicesMichigan State UniversityGary FarhaFounder, President and CEOCustomerFirst RenewablesThe focus of this episode is a large, on-site solar carport installation that recently came online on MSU’s campus. At the time it came online, this was the largest carport solar installation in the United States. As background, Wolfgang shares the rich history of the MSU energy system dating back to the 19th century. We discuss the role of MSU’s Energy Transition Plan as a catalyst for this project. This plan lays out aggressive goals for the use of renewable energy and the reduction of GHG emissions. We talk through the decision-making process that led up to this project and end by discussing possible next steps in MSU’s energy transition.

Guests:Eric EberhardtDirector of Energy ServicesEnergy & Facilities Management ServicesUniversity of California, Office of the PresidentLindsey KalkbrennerDirector, Sustainability, University OperationsDirector, Center for SustainabilitySanta Clara UniversityFletcher AlexanderSustainability Programs Manager, Institute for Sustainable DevelopmentCalifornia State University, ChicoTyler Durchslag-RichardsonSenior Analyst, Facilities Services and Integrated PlanningCalifornia Institute of TechnologyHost: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCThis episode was recorded live on July 10th at the 2018 California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC) which took place on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dave Karlsgodt moderated the session: “The Challenges and Opportunities of Aggressive Climate Action.” Panelists from a cross-section of California institutions answered questions about their climate action efforts. You’ll hear both success stories from these leading institutions, but also some honest discussion on where they have more work to do. Topics include the nature of their climate action strategies, making the business case for sustainable practices, the dual role of higher ed. to lead and to educate, carbon neutrality, 100% renewable energy and more. Audience members bring up some challenging questions including how to consider equity, social justice, and the stratification of resources to address these challenges. The discussion includes a combination of inspiring success stories and honest self-reflection from sustainability professionals working in the trenches.

Guest: Lee F. Ball Jr., PhDChief Sustainability Officer, Appalachian State UniversityHost: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCIn this episode you’ll hear my interview with Dr. Lee Ball. Lee is the Chief Sustainability Office at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. While our goal for this conversation was to talk about his podcast, “Find Your Sustain Ability” we also get into a myriad of other topics. Lee will explain the robust sustainability program at Appalachian State and how he works to help people find their connection to sustainability. We’ll touch on the connections and disconnections of rural and urban communities with the natural world. Lee will describe how he has approached working in sustainability in the heart of “Trump Country.” We’ll end with an overview for the App State solar powered racing team.

Guest: Nathan GrafClimate Action Senior Fellow, Swarthmore CollegeHost: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCMy guest in this episode is Nathan Graf from Swarthmore College, a small liberal arts college located just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nathan and I discussed Swarthmore’s carbon charge program. Nathan explains the origin of their policy, the nuts-and-bolts of how the charge is calculated, and how the funds from the program are used. We go on to discuss how putting a price on carbon has impacted students, faculty and staff as well as the reputation of Swarthmore as a leader in sustainability. We explore Swarthmore’s use of a shadow price on carbon when evaluating larger capital projects and the challenges of calculating a specific cost for impacts of carbon emissions on society at large. Nathan explains how Swarthmore’s program compares to alternative approaches used by other institutions that are also working to put a price on carbon emissions.

Guest: Sandra GoldmarkDirector, Sustainability and Environment and Associate Professor of Professional Practice in Theatre at Barnard College;Co-Founder of Fixup.Host: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCIn this episode you’ll hear my Feb 26th, 2018 interview with Sandra Goldmark. Sandra is the Sustainability Director at Barnard College in New York City. She is also a teacher, a theater set-designer a parent and the founder of Fix-up, a social enterprise repair service. As you’ll hear, Sandra is a 21 Century renaissance woman combining the disciplines of campus sustainability, the art and social entrepreneurship. You’ll hear about her journey as she’s explored the humanity within our material culture. Her story ebbs and flows between small-scale object like shower radios to big-scale ideas like how we might repair our global economic systems to better in-tune with our innate human values.

Guest: Mark "Puck" MyklebyCo-Founder, Chief Strategy OfficerLong Haul Capital GroupHost: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCIn this November 2017, interview I’ll talk with retired Marine Colonel Mark Mykleby about a book he recently co-authored with Patrick Doherty and Joel Makower, called “The new Grand Strategy, Restoring America’s Prosperity, Security and Sustainability in the 21st Century.” Our discussion covers a wide range of topics including the history of Grand Strategy in the United States including the lead-up to World War II, the Post-war recovery and the Cold War. He talks about how our current systems are based on a now obsolete grand strategy and goes on to outline a vision for how America can reinvent itself using sustainability as a core, organizing concept.

Guests: Liska Richer, Manager of SEEDs Sustainability Program at the University of British ColumbiaRachelle Haddock, Project Coordinator Campus as a Learning Lab at the University of CalgaryCaroline Savage, Campus as a Lab Director at PrincetonHost: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCIn this episode you’ll hear a round-robin interview with three different thought leaders who run programs focused on using their campuses as a test-bed for sustainability. They all facilitate the use of campus resources to connect students, faculty and staff to hands-on, sustainable projects at their universities. They discuss the many common terms used for these programs including "campus as living lab", "campus as a learning lab", "applied learning." Each guest talks about the logistics of how their programs are structured, funded and evolving. They also share their insights on the major challenges and opportunities related to Campus as Lab projects in the broader picture of sustainable development and higher education.

Guests: Merry Ranking, Director of Sustainability and Jeff Witt, Director of Utilities at Iowa State UniversityHost: Dave Karlsgodt, Principal, Fovea, LLCIn this interview, we get an inside look inside look at the decision-making process for an on-site power plant and how a land grant institution pursues sustainable energy while balancing institutional energy demands and fiscal responsibility. Merry and Jeff describe the roles on campus and how they work together to advance the three facets of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social) on their campus.Web Resources:https://www.livegreen.iastate.edu/contact

In this interview, we’ll discuss a recent report Bronte co-authored with the Frontier Group. We also discuss an ongoing campaign by her organization Environment America, that aims to move colleges and universities to commit to 100% renewable energy. We’ll talk through some of the examples from this report but also how students, faculty and staff can get involved with this campaign at their own campus.

In this episode, Dave interviews Allison Paradise, Executive Director at My Green Lab. Allison explains the history of the organization, their recent efforts to get an ENERGY STAR designation for Ultra-low temperature (UTL) freezers, an exciting new nutrition-like labeling program for research products and equipment as well as My Green Lab's broader work promoting sustainable practices in the scientific research community.

During this interview, Melinda helps to unpack what went wrong during the recent water distribution crisis in Flint, MI as well as laying out some of the friction she runs into between the goals of water conservation with water quality and safety.

Part 2 of a two-part series based on a conversation with Dr. Krista Hiser, the interim sustainability curriculum coordinator for the ten campuses of the University of Hawaii system and a professor of Composition and Rhetoric at Kapiʻolani Community College. Part 1 focuses on Krista’s work to create the S-Designation or Sustainability Designation for college courses in the University of Hawai’i system. Part 2 picks up where we left off with a deeper dive into how we can teach sustainability concepts without devolving into green rhetoric and without falling victim to green fatigue.

Part one of a two-part series based on a conversation with Dr. Krista Hiser, the interim sustainability curriculum coordinator for the ten campuses of the University of Hawaii system and a professor of Composition and Rhetoric at Kapiʻolani Community College. Part 1 focuses on Krista’s work to create the S-Designation or Sustainability Designation for college courses in the University of Hawai’i system. Part 2 picks up where we left off with a deeper dive into how we can teach sustainability concepts without devolving into green rhetoric and without falling victim to green fatigue.

In this interview, Jason and Peter explore the relationship between campus energy systems and the local utility provider, including the impact of demand-side management, peak demand charges and how utilities recoup their capital investments, the impact of co-generation, and the rapid rate of change in how energy is delivered to campuses.

Rachel is an innovator that sits at the intersection of Food, Health, the Economy and the Environment. Rachel is the director for sustainable and innovative food systems at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.