In this episode, hosts Saturn Salama and Joceleen (Joce) Oxley share exciting on-the-scene interviews at the opening ceremony for San Diego Climate Week at the Coronado Community Center. The Week kicked off with a performance art opening ceremony on the shoreline to honor the water-sport culture and protest the pollution that keeps us out of the water, and a Tri-National Expert Panel on the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis. At the event, our podcast hosts sit down with Charles Riley of the Sierra Club and Sara Davidson of the Surfrider Foundation, who share critical information about climate change and its impact on our waters in San Diego and across the Mexico border.

Guests: Charles Riley & Sara Davidson

Hosts: Saturn Salama & Joceleen (Joce) Oxley

Script: Saturn Salama  & Joce Oxley

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Social Media Content: Joce Oxley

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Cherie Hill

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is advised by faculty from the Dance Studies Department in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center and is usually recorded at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

In this episode, hosts Saturn Salama and Joceleen (Joce) Oxley celebrated Molly Saruwatari's Spring 2026 graduation with a conversation about her contributions to the CSUSM community as a student leader, climate advocate, researcher of infectious diseases, and of course, host of the Climate to Action podcast. The conversation culminated on her next steps as a Master's student of public health. The Climate to Action team was overjoyed to highlight Molly's many accomplishments in her academic career at CSUSM as a passionate student of political science and environmental science. We wish her all the best in every future endeavor and hope you will join us in celebrating her.

Guest: Molly Saruwatari 

Hosts: Saturn Salama & Joceleen (Joce) Oxley

Script: Saturn Salama  & Joce Oxley

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Social Media Content: Joce Oxley

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Cherie Hill

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is advised by faculty from the Dance Studies Department in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center and is recorded at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

In this episode, hosts Molly Saruwatari and Joceleen (Joce) Oxley talk with Sierra Fowler, Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Climate Impact Partners, about carbon markets, climate justice, and community-centered climate action. Sierra helps us understand how carbon credits work, what kinds of projects can generate them—from forest protection and renewable energy to clean cookstoves and methane capture—and why community engagement matters when evaluating whether a climate project truly delivers on its promises. We also discuss career paths in climate strategy, sustainability, and carbon markets, along with the skills students can build to enter these fields. The episode closes with a conversation about climate anxiety, hope, and a call to action: Connect with your community, stay informed, and vote for climate-conscious leaders and policies.

CREDITS  

Guest: Sierra Fowler, VP of Strategic Accounts with Climate Impact Partners

Hosts: Molly Saruwatari  & Joceleen (Joce) Oxley

Script: Molly Saruwatari  & Joce Oxley

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Social Media Content: Molly Saruwatari  & Joce Oxley

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb  

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is advised by faculty from the Philosophy Department and the Environment Studies Program in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center and is recorded at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.


In this episode of Climate to Action, host Molly Saruwatari welcomes Dr. Roni Kay O’Dell, professor of political science at California State University San Marcos, for a conversation about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and their importance for climate action. Dr. O’Dell explains what the SDGs are, how they were developed through the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and why they matter as a shared global framework rather than just an international policy document. The episode also explores how governments, organizations, and diverse stakeholders helped shape the goals, and why inclusive global cooperation is essential in responding to climate change. Focusing on SDG 13, Climate Action, this conversation highlights the connections between climate, public health, migration, economic development, and global stability. Tune in to hear why meaningful climate action depends on working across nations, sectors, and disciplines—and why the SDGs continue to matter for building a more just and sustainable future.

CREDITS  

Guest: Dr. Roni Kay O’Dell

Host: Molly Saruwatari 

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Social Media Content: Molly Saruwatari 

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb  

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is advised by faculty from the Philosophy Department and the Environment Studies Program in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center and is recorded at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

In this episode of Climate To Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast, hosts Joce and Saturn speak with Scarlett, co-president of the Environmental Stewards Association (ESA), about building sustainability and climate action at CSUSM. Scarlett shares her environmental passions, explains ESA’s mission, and discusses how the club helps care for campus spaces like the pollinator garden. The conversation also explores how ESA shapes student experience, what gets students excited about climate justice, and how campus communities can be part of the solution. Tune in for inspiration, community-centered action, and a reminder that climate leadership can start right where you are.

CREDITS  

Guest: Scarlett Moon

Hosts: Joceleen Oxley and Saturn Salama

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Social Media Content: Molly Saruwatari 

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb  

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is advised by faculty from the Philosophy Department and the Environment Studies Program in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center and is produced at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

In this episode of Climate to Action, host Molly Saruwatari kicks off a new series spotlighting CSUSM students who are actively taking climate action—starting with guest Tyler Weinstock, an Environmental Studies major and intern at Plastic Beach, a local North County nonprofit.

CREDITS  

Guest: Tyler Weinstock

Host: Molly Saruwatari

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Social Media Content: Molly Saruwatari 

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb  

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is advised by faculty from the Philosophy Department and the Environment Studies Program in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center and is produced at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

In this episode, we dive into environmental literature and climate fiction (Cli-Fi) with Professor Dylan Winchock. We discuss what counts as ‘environmental lit,’ how stories can change how we think and act, and how Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake helps students grapple with the ethics of technology and climate justice. We unpack how literature differs from news and social media disaster narratives and explore how good stories can help us process feelings of dread and grief and move us from fear to agency. 

CREDITS  

Guest: Dylan Winchock 

Host: Saturn Salama 

Producers: Elden Cadena and Saturn Salama 

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Research & Script: Saturn Salama 

Social Media Content: Molly Saruwatari 

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb  

Climate to Action: A CSUSM Student Podcast is an initiative of the CSUSM Climate Action and Sustainability Center. The podcast is advised by faculty from the Philosophy Department and the Environment Studies Program in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. Climate to Action is produced at Inspiration Studios on the campus of California State University, San Marcos.

CSUSM’s own Dr. Elizabeth Ridder joins us to talk about what first drew her to geography and conservation work and why the Mediterranean basin is such a vital—and vulnerable—hotspot for biodiversity and climate resilience. We explore what makes this region unique, the climate pressures it’s facing, and how her fieldwork connects to the bigger picture of global environmental change.

From U.S. national parks to protected areas around the world, Dr. Ridder breaks down what funding cuts really mean on the ground and how conservation can support communities.

CREDITS 

Guests: Dr. Elizabeth Ridder

Host: Molly Saruwatari

Producers: Elden Cadena and Saturn Salama 

Editor: Elden Cadena 

Research: Molly Saruwatari and Saturn Salama

Script: Molly Saruwatari

Social Media: Molly Saruwatari

Music: Marios Panousos 

Faculty Advisor: Anne Dabb