WEBVTT 00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:06.679 Hey, this is Climate to Action, a California 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:09.099 State University San Marcos student podcast. 00:00:09.699 --> 00:00:12.300 We're here to amplify voices and empower solutions 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:14.839 in the fight against climate change and to address 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:17.260 climate justice for all living things. We are 00:00:17.260 --> 00:00:19.559 committed to incorporating discussions on indigenous 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.579 knowledge in addressing the climate crisis and 00:00:22.579 --> 00:00:24.839 to providing a call to action in every episode. 00:00:25.140 --> 00:00:27.320 My name is Eldon. I'm the production engineer 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:29.879 at Climate to Action. And I'm excited to share 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:31.579 more discussions that will make you think about 00:00:31.579 --> 00:00:33.700 our world, climate action, and climate justice. 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:37.359 First, we'd like to acknowledge that our recording 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.700 studio is located on traditional territory of 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:43.920 the Luceño -Payamkawichan people. CSUSM and its 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:47.100 surrounding area are still home to the six federally 00:00:47.100 --> 00:00:49.780 recognized bands of the La Jolla, Paula, Palma, 00:00:49.939 --> 00:00:52.920 Pechanga, Rincon, and Cebu -Luceño -Payamkawichan 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:55.460 people. It is also important to acknowledge that 00:00:55.460 --> 00:00:57.619 this land remains a shared space among the Kupeno, 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:00.759 Kumeyaay, and Epi peoples. Today we have a special 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:03.219 episode. This is an excerpt taken from our Climate 00:01:03.219 --> 00:01:06.060 Change 101 episode with CSUSM chemistry professor 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:09.659 Dr. Hale Keshkar, who is an expert in green chemistry. 00:01:09.859 --> 00:01:12.040 This bonus episode will focus on knowledge she 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:14.420 shared on that subject. So without further ado, 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:20.150 let's hear what Dr. Keshkar had to say. something 00:01:20.150 --> 00:01:22.769 about green chemistry. Can you explain what green 00:01:22.769 --> 00:01:28.689 chemistry is for our guests? Yes. Well, you know, 00:01:28.769 --> 00:01:33.480 everything around us involves chemistry. As you 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:36.019 and I are talking, there's chemistry going on 00:01:36.019 --> 00:01:39.620 in our bodies. Chemistry is in our natural systems 00:01:39.620 --> 00:01:43.459 everywhere. Chemistry is a big part of our industry. 00:01:43.579 --> 00:01:49.099 Without chemistry, we would not have the industries, 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.730 everything that we use as we have them. humanity 00:01:53.730 --> 00:01:56.950 would not be able to have everything that we 00:01:56.950 --> 00:02:00.549 have today without chemistry. So chemists have 00:02:00.549 --> 00:02:05.930 done a lot of good for us, for humanity. But 00:02:05.930 --> 00:02:11.689 so far, the focus on chemistry and what we wanted 00:02:11.689 --> 00:02:18.150 to do with it was on economic development and 00:02:18.150 --> 00:02:24.069 some human development. Green chemistry is looking 00:02:24.069 --> 00:02:31.150 at chemistry with a sustainability lens. So what 00:02:31.150 --> 00:02:34.729 is sustainability? Sustainability, as you might 00:02:34.729 --> 00:02:38.569 know, has three pillars. Economic development, 00:02:39.210 --> 00:02:44.009 societal development, and protecting the environment. 00:02:44.370 --> 00:02:47.069 So that protecting the environment was pretty 00:02:47.069 --> 00:02:51.919 much what was missing before. did not really 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:56.340 focus on the fact that everything that we do 00:02:56.340 --> 00:03:01.500 has an impact on the environment. So sustainability 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:06.199 basically acknowledges that we humans are part 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:12.240 of the environment. We are part of what we call 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:20.599 biosphere, living part of our environment. We 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:24.159 need the environment for everything we do, from 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:29.120 the food we consume, from the food that we produce, 00:03:29.300 --> 00:03:32.919 all the way to everything that you and I have 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:40.939 today, from your phone to clothes you're wearing, 00:03:41.180 --> 00:03:44.659 desk you're using, the chair you're sitting on, 00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:49.300 everything. has some elements that come from 00:03:49.300 --> 00:03:52.080 the environment. The raw material comes from 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:55.460 the environment. So we need the environment for 00:03:55.460 --> 00:04:00.139 everything we do. And then from the other side, 00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:04.719 everything we do has some impact on the environment. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:13.699 From breathing, living, eating. Our waste, all 00:04:13.699 --> 00:04:16.879 the way to everything we do in industry has some 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:21.199 environmental impact. And again, we need that 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:28.420 environment for our lives to thrive. So sustainability 00:04:28.420 --> 00:04:34.620 is allowing us or helping us acknowledge that 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:39.279 protecting the environment means protecting ourselves. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:44.899 And in order to protect ourselves and guarantee 00:04:44.899 --> 00:04:49.480 that our future generations can also have the 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:53.199 quality of life that we have, and we can have 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:58.759 a just society, all of that means that we need 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:02.040 to protect the environment. All the resources 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:06.699 that we need come from the environment. So green 00:05:06.699 --> 00:05:17.000 chemistry basically... helps us design chemistry 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:22.560 and do chemistry again with acknowledging that 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:25.639 we need the environment and we need to protect 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:30.040 the environment and how can we protect the environment 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:34.959 we have to reduce our impact on the environment 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:40.920 and how can we reduce the impact Again, how can 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:45.000 we design any chemistry we do in industry or 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:52.060 in other aspects of our lives to reduce our human 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:55.959 impact on the environment and reduce the hazard? 00:05:56.120 --> 00:06:02.019 Anything that can harm us and the environment, 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:06.620 other species, other living beings. Because again, 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:11.279 we know that this all comes back to us. At some 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:15.279 point, we or our future generations or people 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.459 on the other side of the world need to use the 00:06:18.459 --> 00:06:21.420 environment that we're impacting. And when it 00:06:21.420 --> 00:06:25.639 comes to using it and using resources or basically... 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:33.199 When I say resources, I mean anything from air, 00:06:33.300 --> 00:06:38.160 from water, energy. We get our energy also from 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:41.519 the environment. So all of those, we need to 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:47.680 have our environment at its best so that it can 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:56.579 serve us. So green chemistry is same chemistry, 00:06:56.699 --> 00:07:00.920 but with the focus. on protecting the environment, 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:07.800 using chemistry for a just society, and sustainability. 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:11.560 Thank you for clarifying that. I hope our listeners 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:19.939 got a quick glimpse of that. Hey, Eldon again. 00:07:20.180 --> 00:07:23.319 I hope this excerpt from our conversation shed 00:07:23.319 --> 00:07:25.740 some light on a subject you may not have known 00:07:25.740 --> 00:07:28.519 about. The climate crisis is worsening as we 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:30.579 speak and discussions on the climate are needed 00:07:30.579 --> 00:07:33.439 more than ever. Climate to Action is dedicated 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:36.000 to hosting more discussions like this one. Look 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.160 out for more unfiltered honesty on the climate 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.319 crisis. Our call to action for this episode is 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:43.220 to talk to a friend about what you've learned 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:46.459 and think about how your studies or career relates 00:07:46.459 --> 00:07:49.699 to the environment also. Climate to Action is 00:07:49.699 --> 00:07:52.639 recorded at Inspiration Studios on the California 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:56.029 State University San Marcos campus. This podcast 00:07:56.029 --> 00:07:58.290 is supported by a generous donation from the 00:07:58.290 --> 00:08:01.290 Rosemary Kramer Raitt Foundation. Want to hear 00:08:01.290 --> 00:08:03.790 more from Climate to Action, a CSUSM student 00:08:03.790 --> 00:08:07.050 podcast? Follow us on our socials at Climate 00:08:07.050 --> 00:08:10.470 to Action. Visit for updates, behind -the -scenes 00:08:10.470 --> 00:08:14.149 content, and more. Until next time, this is Eldon 00:08:14.149 --> 00:08:15.930 from Climate to Action, signing off.