Alex Steffen: The shareable future of cities

[NextStarfish]

Great TED talk - used it as the basis for a blog post on 'sharing stuff' on Nextstarfish

[jasanpahaf]

Great cities also have the greatest levels of crime, unhealthy conditions, and unhappiness

[ScyL0n]

@jasanpahaf how do great cities have higher levels of crime??

[khepri]

DO NOT WANT BEE CROSSINGS

[fsufan850]

Well all the data I've read says people are moving out of cities into suburban areas because it's becoming to expensive for them. Are the suburban areas going to become urban anytime soon so poorer Americans can start living this green life that more well off Americans are getting in the cities? I'm not trying to be mean but there seems to be a lot of assumptions and flaws in Steffen's thinking by looking at simple migratory patterns in the US.

[ukendcx2000]

@fsufan850 suburban areas are already urban, if you are speaking of density. the transportation infrastructure of suburban areas needs to be improved in order to keep pace with the increasingly density, which is where most suburban areas fail miserably.

[sgtmcwallace]

best environmental talk ive seen, up there with amory lovins and juan enriquez

[llViperStrikerll]

FINALLY someone that makes sense!

[JaredHutcheson1]

When is TED going to have someone who has the guts to tell everyone (primarily Americans) that one of the biggest ways for us to curb environmental damage is to curb our meat consumption?

[rahulcart]

@JaredHutcheson1 There is a TED talk about being a weekday vegetarian. A great concept for those addicted to meat. It is by Graham Hill.

[JaredHutcheson1]

@rahulcart I think I saw that one come to think of it.

[ScyL0n]

@JaredHutcheson1 i dont think not eating meat is gonna help environmental damage. just recycling or emitting less carbon dioxide

[JaredHutcheson1]

@ScyL0n That's exactly why I suggested it. Farm animals and the industry contribute massively to our emissions, and considering the amount of acreage that must be devoted to crops solely for feeding to the animals to produce an amount of meat or dairy that provides less sustenance than if we just ate the crops, its just uneconomical in the long run.

[1schwererziehbar1]

07:06 lol "mafia hits". that's pretty tongue in cheek for a ted talk.

[austpom333]

All people need to do is develop the battery - self generating power hybrid type. The fossil fuel industry is to blame for most pollution and climate change - yes if you spill or dump 1000 litres etc in my world you change my climate

[elchafa]

I don't get it, man-made global warming is bullshit right?

[sdrawkcabgnipytmi]

@elchafa

Nope it isn't bullshit. But a of people think it is because of the ridiculous amount of propaganda from oil companies and the like. They would gladly make the world a much worse place for additional billions of dollars.

[elchafa]

@sdrawkcabgnipytmi hmm I recommend you watch this video and then draw your own conclusions:

/watch?v=YtevF4B4RtQ

And I'm not being sarcstic, cause according to that doc the propaganda made by governments and oil companies is actually the other way round, they want us to think we are causing the global warming. But enough of my comment, watch it and let me know what your thoughts are.

[sdrawkcabgnipytmi]

@elchafa

I'm aware of that film. It's a bunch of anti global warming propaganda is filled with half-truths and lies (like grossly distorting what the experts they interviewed actually said). I suggest that you look up some online refutations on the film.

[161803]

we're stealing the future? I thought we won the future!

[elchafa]

@161803 I think he's talking about interest rates

[161803]

@elchafa and I'm talking about a preemptive attach and resultant victory...over the future

[antoshahorosha]

Brilliant.

[xjustamem0ryx]

this bodes well for brothels.

[atmark666]

sounds gay

[SEThatered]

0:15 to skip overly loud intro ;)

[fuunguus]

While Europe is decreasing their emissions and pushing for fusion research America is occupying the middle east and stealing their oil. Lets see who lasts the longest :D

[Nerdsugi]

*dislikes*

[abduhzelda]

Even tho my mind says: "SUBSCRIBE TO TED FOR ME".

My ears say: "YOU IDIOT, TED WILL KILL ME".

[CapMurd]

Want energy efficient city? Level every single city in the world and rebuild them with actual plan, not randomness.

[khatack]

@CapMurd

Tell me, how is demolishing and rebuilding every single city in the world energy efficient?

[CapMurd]

@khatack Cos it is cheaper to build something actually thought out instead of trying so hard to patch up a lost cause.

[khatack]

@CapMurd

You better run your math again then buddy, and this time take into account the temporary relocation of the whole urban population, all the services, industry, the complete eradication of infrastructure such as water and electricity, road networks... Think about the huge effort required to even police such an operation.

In other words, you didn't think your idea through before uttering it, resulting in nonsense.

[CapMurd]

@khatack Oh I'm very well aware of all the "inconvenience" it would do, but keep in mind that we haven't reached to the point of civilization yet, so your concerns are noted. However I doubt anything will happen in the world we live in now, cos quite frankly nothing works if everything is surrounded by artificial chains. Just wait for the collapse that everybody is anticipating in silence and then begin to experience something profoundly unheard of.

[khatack]

@CapMurd

"Artificial chains?" "Collapse?" You sound like some good for nothing hippie, unaware of what can be done, waiting for either someone else to do things for them or the world to collapse. Get a backbone please, and then get a grip on reality.

[AngilasGuy]

@CapMurd

The destruction, cleaning, and reconstruction using new materials would be incredibly energy intensive and inefficient.

[CapMurd]

@AngilasGuy Not necessarily if you don't build the city to the same location.

[AngilasGuy]

@CapMurd

How so? If you plan on ditching the area and not cleaning up rubble, maybe. But that's a colossal waste of material. If you plan on reusing building material from the cities we've bulldozed, then that takes heavy duty transportation, and moving hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble requires a LOT of energy. Constructing an entire city from scratch also takes a lot of energy. It is far more efficient to build on top of what we have, retrofit with upgrades and conduct energy audits.

[CapMurd]

@AngilasGuy I understand building will obviously take more energy, but in long run it is far more cheaper (forget about the money, think in resources) than trying to patch up "old" cities around the world. It really is not worth an effort to try to fix current ones we already have, they simply are way too outdated and can hardly take in any advanced technologies that could be easily used on the new advanced cities from the ground up. Obv recycle everything and give the land back to the nature.

[Viridiann7]

People are finally spreading the word that sustainability isn't about planting a few trees or finding new energy - it's about a necessary structural overhaul for our society.

[4gnostic]

Climate Change? Oh, not again -> close.

[mrkdui]

@4gnostic No. The video has nothing to do with climate change. Its about energy efficient cities.

[THECOMMENTER10000]

GO VANCOUVER

[MedicalMarijuanaMini]

see also: agenda 21 and tragedy of the commons.

[EskilNaige]

"8 billion people living in cities or within a day's travel of one". A day's travel by what means? By foot? I can pretty much reach any city in the world within a day if you allow for any means of transportation.

[Radjehuty]

@EskilNaige I'm guessing by either bike or car. Because if you think about it, airports are generally within cities or urban areas and if you live in Rural areas, you have to be able to get to those airports that you're referring to which could take a day if you're really that far out there?

[johndoe77774444]

@Radjehuty No one is more that a days car ride from an airport. Few people lived greater than 5 hours from an airport even 30 years ago. People drive from new york to florida in a day. It was a strange thing for the speaker to say

[Radjehuty]

@johndoe77774444 hmm yeah I guess that's true. Even going to other continents you could cover a thousand miles in a day if you wanted. Perhaps he meant on foot lol. Who knows

[ennot]

Conserving energy is like cutting budget. Helps somewhat, but not nearly as much as coming up with a new revenue channel. Life is, and will be, expensive.

There are only two fundamental ways to sustainability: new energy sources and birth control

[ClaritySWE]

TED needs to work on a new intro. Its so harsh and loud

[shell7324]

Industrial hemp is the only answer

[chr1swww]

i thought the great thing about high density cities was high cost of living, high crime rates, and low life satisfaction living in a rat race. but there's always the suburban spawl just outside cities that is cheaper than living in city, but with worse transport and amenities.

[YawnGod]

This was really good.

[saladshootavvv]

All that sounds nice, but green type people always forget about one major factor....the weather. Have you ever tried biking in the rain in nyc? What about the snow? What if it's freezing outside on a cloudy day, do we just wait for the sun to come back?

[Dewkeeper]

@saladshootavvv

It's not as bleak as you might think: A good public transport system can keep you inside a vehicle the entire way on rainy days, and the whole idea of efficient urban planning is that you aren't that far away from the things you need anyway, so walking in the rain is less of hassle. Of course, if someone wanted to be very high tech, a cool trick would be have extendable roofs over key walkways that pop out when it rains.

[DeadWhiteButterflies]

It's always kind annoying when I see all these great ideas being shown by the scientists and architects, and especially on anything eco-related, then it seems the politicians and business investors then stand there, laugh at them then remind everyone in the room "don't listen to this idiot" and thus you never really see these ever come into use like they should be, and everyone carries on in blissful ignorance. Shame really.

[ereignisfelder]

hey little train wait for me

... sorry that's all I can think of right now. :,(

[Mystery207]

ʞɹoʍ sǝןoɥssɐ ǝʇɐɹodɹoɔ uǝǝɹb buıʞɔnɟ ʇɐɥʇ ʍoɥ uǝǝs ı ˙sןןıɥs ʇıɥsןןnq ǝʇɐɹodɹoɔ ǝɹoɯ ʎboןouɥɔǝʇ uǝǝɹb

[Ealts01]

"Ahh, yeah, Duhhh!" to everything he said.  I agree with everything he said, but it's all pretty obvious.

[tarohoa]

his jacket may not be fitting but he is right that the focus of sustainability is in the balance of the system, that is we need to figure out how to place ourselves within the boundaries of the cyclic ecosystem. Until we have better technologies, the environment makes a great infrastructure.

[cyberdems]

great insight, fantastic talk

[xadam2dudex]

we need zero point modules

[HDvideosaregood]

Does that man really think that his jacket fits him correctly?

[CalvinJGreen]

@OldSchoolSkill Investment will happen in these "sustainable" projects when there is money to invest. And when they are proven to be as finantially sustainable as they are enviromentally sustainable. Gov. subsidies of "green" projects will only result in projects with greater costs then actual merit. There will be no lessoning of "the evil influence of money from politics" greed is as constant as gravity. And when you give people free acees to another's money, (taxation) you know the story.

[CannabisLibrary]

Good talk, but he missed one of the most effective ways to combat climate change. Carbon sequestration via the use of bio-fiber reinforced composites as building materials for all of these new cities. Of course we all know that the strongest natural plant fiber comes from cannabis.

[benpva16]

@CannabisLibrary That lies outside the scope of his presentation.

[MyYoohChoob]

@CannabisLibrary Wat

I feel like the person in the movies who looks gormless when the scientist guy has a revelation about how to solve x and reveals it really quickly

[Leo9613]

Why do everybody guilts the poor car?

[beatboxpeej]

Finally a video that makes me believe in a positive future!

[i2aymond]

@beatboxpeej Snakes shed their skin.

[cohnkrad]

@TEDtalksDirector We love the talks shown on Youtube, but PLEASE make the intro with less volume! Please listen to the audience, how LOUD do we have to get? :) - Thanks.

[310sucks]

First chance I get I'm moving to Mars.

[kirilradivoev]

Am I the only one who thinks that we need a total change after seeing the Venus Project, and changing little things like that won't do much.

[demosnipe1589]

@OldSchoolSkill that is some cliche argument; "corporations are evil!" That is ridiculous. Go read some books and travel the world. It is PEOPLE who are corrupt, not a piece of paper.

[Thimmet]

If someone could name the places where the photos were taken at 03:35 , 3:52 , 4:00 and 4:06 I would really appreciate it! 

[steadydisciplined]

Not only steal from our Future, we steal ALL other animal's future as well. ( e.g. Polar Bears )

[Barbarian74]

@steadydisciplined Not all of them... I'm sure cockroaches are just happily waiting for their turn to run things.

[Buybuffalo2]

I think that this would work so well in a Resource Based Economy. Lets get it started. Join the movement.

[CrannyNoko]

Can't wait for the future!

[sweYoda2]

The Venus Project.

[elchafa]

@sweYoda2 just what i thought when he talked about the surplus capacities!

[TheUnchainedMind]

@sweYoda2

My thought exactly throught the video.

[jASTDK]

you mean the evil influence of greed, don't you ? Money never did anything...

[tilsetningsstoff]

Great presentation! It's critical for the future that these ideas reach the right minds.

[Huettleronium]

What das GDP stands for? :(

[DesertHamster]

@Huettleronium Gross Domestic Product, the german for it would be Bruttoinlandsprodukt(BIP)

[sweYoda2]

@Huettleronium google it

[Youssef51]

excellent, thought provoking.

[billygundum]

reminds me of Jouqe Fresco

[sweYoda2]

@billygundum yea and he has been talking about this for about 30 years...

[CognosSquare]

Im not using my penis much. Its in pristine condition. If there any LADIES that would like to use it for their nefarious purposes its available as a service.

[maggru91]

Thorium Energy = Cheap, Safe, pretty much pollution free.

Thorium Nuclear power is the future.

[BroBroDude]

cities are awful

[BoStevoD]

The future of cities: super-dense, high-surveillance tentpoles of poor, urban communities enclosed by more comfortably spaced wealthy communities. Great idea...

[Uribaani]

@BoStevoD Or you take class out of the equation completely. Hard to imagine right now, but that's the only way such can work.

[audience2]

This is as much extrapolating from the past as stealing from the future. We've been getting more energy efficient per capita for decades. That can only get us so far. Another trend is continually growing absolute energy use as more people are lifted out of poverty. We will still need the non environmentally damaging energy sources to replace fossil fuel burning.

[DrSpooglemon]

The new solar energy technology is promising. We should be able to produce more than enough energy if it is undertaken on the appropriate scale. But he does make some good points. Not only do we need to become carbon neutral but we also need to remove some of the carbon that has been released into the atmoshere already...

[ranasingh]

More plants everywhere

[GherardiRoe]

It's a dream of mine to get through my life without ever having to buy a car

[XxhilfmirxX]

a medal..this guy needs one! where is it!?!

[BorrahAlive]

If we Teds could rule the world, all of the earths problems would melt away.

[OtherAlex]

Clearly this man has never lived in London.

[ilotitto]

We should also grow our food locally through hydroponics or aquaponics growing on the rooftops and a lot of "hemp" in our basements.

[BenFosterism]

I lost a lot of concentration as soon as he began talking, because he talked as if global warming is directly a result of human stuff. Sir sir sir we may have an impact on the rate gbut it's really out of our control.

[Vicsor]

@BenFosterism

That doesn't mean we should make it worse.

[WyldOrbit]

Sounds like more global warming propaganda. Global warming is bullshit. These people will say anything to get you to think it isn't! Lol

[MJFAN666]

@WyldOrbit shut the fuck up, leave.

[WyldOrbit]

@MJFAN666 Your name is MJFAN666 Nuff said.. LMFAO

[MJFAN666]

@WyldOrbit "This comment has received too many negative votes hide" -YOUR comment. AND my user name make not fking difference. I see you are making personal attacks, BITCH you got NOTHING on me.

[DackIsBack]

Sounds an awful lot like COMMUNISM to me...

[MJFAN666]

@DackIsBack so?

[DackIsBack]

@MJFAN666 So? Read a fucking history book will you...

[MJFAN666]

@DackIsBack Communism doesn't hurt. Corruption and GReed hurts. -.- Communism is the best system but not in practice. -.-

[DackIsBack]

@MJFAN666 "but not in practice"

EXACTLY.

The "Carbon Commies" will fail, miserably... Just as soon as people realize how detrimental to society and our quality of life this kind of junk science is...

If anything this kinda crap slows development of clean tech, If people want to live green lives the markets will decide, no politician is going to be able to make real change, when you force people to do things it tends to go disastrously wrong.

[FoxKnightJ07]

@DrSpooglemon Nice one.

[grraadd]

@DackIsBack central planning based on "I know better than you - peasant" is essentially pure socialism...

And socialism aims at communism, so you are RIGHT :-)

Also plants' food (CO2) isn't a pollution - rather O2 is pollution since it's a plant's "excrement" - those knowing better obviously don't know that (basic biology).

[majinspy]

@grraadd Well yes, plants use CO2, but it is a pollution in regards to us. As we continue to require more oxygen, less CO2, AND destroy the rain forests largely responsible for converting CO2 to O2, we run the risk of being permascrewed :(

[theMammothman]

teds new motto should be at the beginning of the video we blow your ears, then we blow your minds.

[Lojikish]

@theMammothman ... and then we blow your ears again

[KPLmao]

@theMammothman and then blow your ears again

[alinaysa]

@theMammothman .. and then, just for a change, we blow your ears again.........

@TEDtalksDirector fix the volume of your intros and outros, please! I promise, I don't need to have a headache every time I watch one of these vids!

[stevenytcx]

@theMammothman you are so right I have to turn down the volume every time the intro begins, then turn it back up

[insanityaditya]

@theMammothman

Those are not the only things I felt got blown just by watching this video.

[bearcat648]

One of the better TEDTalks.

[zEropoint68]

I like this guy. Does he have a book out?

[danflyer22]

@zEropoint68 Yep, look up 'Worldchanging'.

[zEropoint68]

@danflyer22 Thank you! :-)

[UnSceneMinute]

ultra violet



[superfunny1972]

and what if i enjoy driving?

[Shezmu]

@superfunny1972 - Don't worry, you'll surely be exterminated.

[AquaticApe1]

@superfunny1972 Then drive... But let me ask you this. Do you enjoy driving every day? In traffic? Having to repair your car when it breaks? Worrying about it being stolen or wrecked? It's not a question of access, but of ownership.

[EHATU]

Brown?

[4lch3m15t]

He's paralleling the venus project. Bravo

[OxiDemonik]

@4lch3m15t Haha, yeah, exactly why I clicked on the video, cause it reminded me of TVP. I'm so glad the masses are finally starting to hear about it, in that I'm clicking on random videos and starting to see people commenting about it.

[CameronLeeCrowhurst]

@4lch3m15t So?

[Idnuf636]

Red.

[datlik9]

green

[outsidemendham]

third

[ImageOfReason]

Purple.



[blahblahblahblha303]

@ImageOfReason Blue.

[shadman1911]

@blahblahblahblha303 yellow