TED Conversations

Sarah Shewey
Los Angeles, CA
United States

Producer - Events, TEDActive

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

How can we help the sustainability community maintain its growth? A TEDActive Sustainability Project question

http://on.ted.com/projects

The TEDActive Sustainability Project will look at best practices in community organizing, and explore radical solutions to push the sustainability movement forward.

At TEDActive2011 in Palm Springs, an amazing group of individuals came together as a group to come up with a simple micro-action solution for helping the sustainability community continue to grow. After a quick 36 hour period of time, they recommended that we move the sustainability TEDTalks into TEDWalks by starting TED Conversations that include an action item attached to a TEDTalk. If you'd like to join them in doing so, please add the tag TEDActiveSUS in the "topics" section of the conversation form.

What would be your micro-solution to growing the sustainability community?

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

Ted Ning 20+
- +1
TED Attendee

Apr 20 2011: I agree with you Naz. The fact that term sustainability comes from a history of 'compliance' or 'measurment' which both in itself are not very inspiring puts it behind the eight ball from the get go. I think we all have seen the picture of gloom and doom if we don't address the issues facing the world today soon and it is so hard to understand what to do when there is no silver bullet (another reason why this is so elusive).

I was part of the sustainability task force at TEDActive and we grappled with this as well as many other issues surrounding sustainability and we all agreed that it is not only a matter of coming up with a correct answer (see silver bullet reference above) but also what is the right questions that provide specific directions for people or businesses to take - even if they are small. The definition of sustainabilty needs to come from the individual whether it be a student, a citizen or a CEO. Education on impacts of decisions give people more awareness of how they affect their environments. Providing education and information on our current situation is imperative. TED can provide this via their network which they are doing via their topic choices.

I also feel that TED can go deeper - go beyond just the talks but walk the talk too. How sustainable is TED itself? Has that been considered? What information can be provided to the participants of TEDx events to make them zero waste or carbon neutral? Is this being considered for the larger TED events? These are low hanging fruit in my mind.

We all know that 'whats in it for me' reigns in society today. Leverage this to provide TEDcred to those who provide insightful solutions or avenues of sustainability awareness and promotion via the TED network.

Spreading the knowledge base to schools using some of the TED talks on sustainability is an excellet way to engage in discussion that can lead to micro actions for that community.

These are but a few ideas that I think could enhance the conversation
- Sarah Shewey 50+
  - +1
  TED Attendee Associate
  
  Apr 20 2011: Here's a "Greening your event" resource page for the TEDx community, would love your input:
  
  http://www.ted.com/pages/greening_your_tedx_event
  - Lewis Humphreys 500+
    
    +1
    TED Attendee TEDx Organizer
    
    Apr 20 2011: We use the "Greening your event" as a guide for our activities here, very useful. I encourage others to check it out, its common sense really.
  - Jean Paul Chevalier
    
    0
    Apr 21 2011: For the Food theme: Do arrangements with local growers. TED is an extraordinary event to communicate not only within the event walls or the computer screen. Inviting local food growers to participate and give them the guidelines to be a provider of this kind of events will also give them new tools and knowledge and experience in a world where more and more people are worrying about green events.
  - Rodrigo Cunha 500+
    
    +1
    TED Attendee TEDx Organizer
    
    Apr 23 2011: Hello, Sarah, I like it.
    Maybe you can use some references like this below so anyone who wants can go deeper.
    http://www.sustainable.org/living/responsible-buying-a-consumption/473-how-to-plan-a-sustainable-event
- Naz Beykan 30+
  - 0
  TED Translator Associate
  
  Apr 20 2011: Not just TED, in any event -at least the ones- on sustainability the organizators should be more careful about the choices they make. For instance, just today I've been to a day-long conference of sustainability and carbon footprint, and the only water available was in plastic bottles... that aside there was no recycle bins or whatsoever... and the speakers while explaining how life cycle should be assessed used the example closest to them... yes, the plastic water bottle... pretty ironic, isn't it?!

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

Sign In

To join or start a conversation, you'll need to sign in. Not a member? Register Now (it's free and fast).

Live Conversations

Live Conversations are hosted by TED speakers and TED Fellows. Ask your questions and participate in the discussions on the following dates and times: