TED Talks
Morgan Vague: These bacteria eat plastic
Humans produce 300 million tons of new plastic each year -- yet, despite our best efforts, less than 10 percent of it ends up being recycled. Is there a better way to deal with all this waste? Morgan Vague describes her research with...
TED Talks
TED: When I die, recompose me | Katrina Spade
What if our bodies could help grow new life after we die, instead of being embalmed and buried or turned to ash? Join Katrina Spade as she discusses "recomposition" -- a system that uses the natural decomposition process to turn our...
TED Talks
Alex Steffen: The route to a sustainable future
Worldchanging.com founder Alex Steffen argues that reducing humanity’s ecological footprint is incredibly vital now, as the western consumer lifestyle spreads to developing countries.
TED Talks
Lisa Margonelli: The political chemistry of oil
Speaking one month after the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Lisa Margonelli shows how drilling moratoriums and executive ousters make for good theater, but distract us from the issue at heart: our unrestrained oil consumption. She...
TED Talks
TED: The energy Africa needs to develop -- and fight climate change | Rose M. Mutiso
In this perspective-shifting talk, energy researcher Rose M. Mutiso makes the case for prioritizing Africa's needs with what's left of the world's carbon budget, to foster growth and equitably achieve a smaller global carbon footprint.
TED Talks
TED: How to transform apocalypse fatigue into action on global warming | Per espen Stoknes
The biggest obstacle to dealing with climate disruptions lies between your ears, says psychologist and economist Per espen Stokes. He's spent years studying the defenses we use to avoid thinking about the demise of our planet -- and...
TED Talks
TED: The fastest way to slow climate change now | Ilissa Ocko
Cutting methane is the single fastest, most effective opportunity to reduce climate change risks in the near term, says atmospheric scientist Ilissa Ocko. That's because, unlike carbon dioxide, methane's warming power doesn't come from a...
TED Talks
Kelly Wanser: Emergency medicine for our climate fever
As we recklessly warm the planet by pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, some industrial emissions also produce particles that reflect sunshine back into space, putting a check on global warming that we're only starting to...
TED Talks
Rob Harmon: How to keep rivers and streams flowing
With streams and rivers drying up because of over-usage, Rob Harmon talks about a clever market mechanism to bring back the water. Farmers and beer companies find their fates intertwined in the century-old tale of Prickly Pear Creek.
TED Talks
Paul Gilding: The Earth is full
Have we used up all our resources? Have we filled up all the livable space on Earth? Paul Gilding suggests we have, and the possibility of devastating consequences, in a talk that's equal parts terrifying and, oddly, hopeful.
TED Talks
Enrique Peñalosa: Why buses represent democracy in action
"An advanced city is not one where even the poor use cars, but rather one where even the rich use public transport," argues Enrique Peñalosa. In this spirited talk, the mayor of Bogotá shares some of the tactics he used to change the...
TED Talks
TED: How I turned a deadly plant into a thriving business | Achenyo Idachaba
The water hyacinth may look like a harmless, even beautiful flowering plant -- but it's actually an invasive aquatic weed that clogs waterways, stopping trade, interrupting schooling and disrupting everyday life. In this scourge, green...
TED Talks
Diébédo Francis Kéré: How to build with clay ... and community
Diébédo Francis Kéré knew exactly what he wanted to do when he got his degree in architecture... He wanted to go home to Gando in Burkina Faso, to help his neighbors reap the benefit of his education. In this charming talk, Kéré shows...
TED Talks
Elora Hardy: Magical houses, made of bamboo
You've never seen buildings like this. The stunning bamboo homes built by Elora Hardy and her team in Bali twist, curve and surprise at every turn. They defy convention because the bamboo itself is so enigmatic. No two poles of bamboo...
TED Talks
TED: Would you live in a floating city in the sky? | Toma_s Saraceno
In a mind-bending talk that blurs the line between science and art, Tomas Saraceno exhibits a series of air-inspired sculptures and installations designed to usher in a new era of sustainability, the "Aerocene." From giant, cloud-like...
TED Talks
Jaime Lerner: A song of the city
Jaime Lerner reinvented urban space in his native Curitiba, Brazil. Along the way, he changed the way city planners worldwide see what's possible in the metropolitan landscape.
TED Talks
Mohammad Modarres: Why you should shop at your local farmers market
The average farmer in America makes less than 15 cents of every dollar on a product that you purchase at a store. They feed our communities, but farmers often cannot afford the very foods they grow. In this actionable talk, social...
TED Talks
El presente en llamas, ¿crisis ecológica o conceptual?
El presente en llamas, ¿crisis ecológica o conceptual? Cuidar nuestros recursos naturales no solo mejorará nuestra sociedad económicamente, sino también social y políticamente, propone Gonzalo del Castillo. Somos parte de los ciclos...
TED Talks
TED: Nuclear power is our best hope to ditch fossil fuels | Isabelle Boemeke
Nuclear power is one of the safest, cleanest forms of energy -- yet to most people, it might not feel that way. Why is that? Isabelle Boemeke, the world's first nuclear energy influencer and creator of the social media persona Isodope,...
TED Talks
TED: Sustainable seafood? Let's get smart | Barton Seaver
Chef Barton Seaver presents a modern dilemma: Seafood is one of our healthier protein options, but overfishing is desperately harming our oceans. He suggests a simple way to keep fish on the dinner table that includes every mom's...
TED Talks
Écologie : comment commencer ?
Écologie : comment commencer ? L’être humain est reconnu comme l’espèce la plus intelligente qui existe sur terre mais nous mesurons mal l’impact de nos actions sur l’environnement et ne savons pas bien le protéger. Edouard se consacre à...
TED Talks
Jonathan Trent: Energy from floating algae pods
Call it "fuel without fossils": Jonathan Trent is working on a plan to grow new biofuel by farming micro-algae in floating offshore pods that eat wastewater from cities. Hear his team's bold vision for Project OMEGA (Offshore Membrane...
TED Talks
Ashwin Naidu: The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation
Mangrove forests are crucial to the health of the planet, gobbling up CO2 from the atmosphere and providing a home for a diverse array of species. But these rich habitats are under continual threat from deforestation and industry. In an...
TED Talks
Noah Wilson-Rich: Every city needs healthy honey bees
Bees have been rapidly and mysteriously disappearing from rural areas, with grave implications for agriculture. But bees seem to flourish in urban environments -- and cities need their help, too. Noah Wilson-Rich suggests that urban...