Alex Steffen: Inspired ideas for a sustainable future

http://www.ted.com Worldchanging.com founder Alex Steffen argues that reducing humanitys ecological footprint is incredibly vital now, as the western consumer lifestyle spreads to developing countries.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes -- including speakers such as Jill Bolte Taylor, Sir Ken Robinson, Hans Rosling, Al Gore and Arthur Benjamin. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, politics and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Alex
• Steffen
• ted
• tedtalks
• talks
• worldchanging
• green
• innovation
• sustainability
• footprint

[daqron]

Land mine-detecting flowers blew my mind. How amazing that science can do this, and how sad that it must.

[kurtilein3]

really absolutely great.

but... i think getting rid of religion and ideology as fast as possible is also important, they cause so much violence, ignorance and seperation, and their gods dont even exist.

[crudhousefull]

@kurtilein3 The west needs to stop taking advantage of this fact to abuse the region. Let them figure it out themselves...and they will...and much faster if they are left alone. There are many peaceful muslim societies and I've lived in a few of those.

[kurtilein3]

@crudhousefull

well, if we leave the muslims alone, the radical muslims would still kill non-believers (all non-muslims) and each other. shariah law without death penalty for non-violent crimes is impossible. Most victims of muslim suicide bombing are muslims, its just the few non-muslims they also kill that got our attention in the first place.

do you think its enough if they stop killing non-muslims? i dont think so, i think all the irrational religiously motivated killing needs to stop.

[crudhousefull]

@kurtilein3 How about leaving the Middle East the hell alone. There wouldn't be Jihad if western countries didn't rape Muslim countries all the time. I'm a Buddhist and don't even live in the region, but it really is obvious to the rest of the world

[mideastatheist]

@kurtilein3

absolutely true !

[kurtilein3]

@wuling09 

[wuling09]

@kurtilein3 this comment in itself generates animosity , fueling ignorance, violence and separation. just saying. 

[MANJUKAPI]

@AcidRain64

you are correct. i agree with your comment. thank you

[GoldwireIT]

Google the documentary Zeitgeist: Addendum. The solution provided in the documentary is the only real solution to the world's problems.

[InMooseWeTrust]

Go study Austrian Economics.

[Hithard177]

Most, if not all of the TED series speakers cling to an ideology that promotes capitalism and free markets as the SOLUTION, not the PROBLEM. They claim technology, innovation and efficiency will save the environment and make us all richer in the process.

The unfortunate reality is that western consumerism is inherently unsustainable. Add in a growth-centric economic model with a growing population and you have a recipe for disaster. Time to face up to reality - read "Plan C" Pat Murphy