Building Berkeley’s Clean Energy Campus, with Sally McGarrahan

Building Berkeley’s Clean Energy Campus, with Sally McGarrahan

Author: Berkeley Law July 14, 2026 Duration: 1:45
At UC Berkeley, electricity and steam are generated by burning natural gas - but a renewable energy future is right around the corner. This week, we spoke to Sally McGarrahan, Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Services, about how the university is advancing towards a carbon free campus through clean energy innovation.

While headlines often focus on climate disruption, a quieter story of tangible action is unfolding worldwide. Climate Break, from the researchers at Berkeley Law, focuses squarely on that narrative of solutions. Each concise episode, always under two minutes, introduces you to the people and projects making a difference right now. You’ll hear directly from scientists in the field, policy innovators crafting new regulations, and entrepreneurs developing practical technologies. This podcast moves past the overwhelming scale of the problem to highlight specific, working examples of progress. The conversations span from local initiatives in California to global efforts, all grounded in the intersecting realms of science, policy, and natural systems. Tuning in offers a regular, manageable dose of insight into how communities, companies, and citizens are actively reshaping our approach to the planet’s most pressing challenge. It’s a resource for anyone seeking a clearer understanding of the actionable ideas emerging from the front lines of climate response.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Climate Break
Podcast Episodes
Used Cooking Oil for Aviation Fuel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44
An innovative approach to addressing oil waste proposes using spent cooking oil as airline fuel. This week, we talked to Dr. Colin Murphy, co-director of the ITS-Davis Low Carbon Fuel Policy Research Initiative, about th…
Green Silicon Valley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Green Silicon Valley is a student-led 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to bringing free environmental education to K-8 schools in order to improve climate education interest and outcomes, and provide training for future…
Native Seed Restoration, with Patrick Reynolds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Native seed restoration is an ongoing project meant to scale up the collection, cultivation, and distribution of native plant seeds to meet California’s goal of conserving 30% of its land by 2030 and help ecosystems beco…
Aquaculture and the Seaweed Industry with Kaira Wallace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44
Seaweed has many environmental benefits, including providing ecosystems for marine biodiversity and carbon sequestration. This week, we spoke with Kaira Wallace about the benefits of farming this valuable resource throug…
Photosynthesis Through Artificial Leaves, with Dr. Peidong Yang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Carbon dioxide is both a potent greenhouse gas and a necessary input into the natural process of photosynthesis in plants. This week, we spoke with UC Berkeley researcher Dr. Peidong Yang, whose artificial leaves replica…
Advanced Air Mobility, with Adam Cohen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Airplanes are a significant source of emissions and air pollution, but are increasingly critical to many of the functions of our everyday lives. This week, we spoke with Adam Cohen, a researcher from the UC Berkeley Inst…
Rerun: Reframing Climate Action as Creation Care, with Becca Boyd [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
This week, we spoke with Becca Boyd, a young evangelical leader and college student, who is helping to reframe climate action as creation care. Through faith-based language and community engagement, she is building bridg…