TEDxTalks Weekend Report: Tents are cheaper and aquaculture is dirty
Last weekend we featured two great TEDxTalks on TED.com: Michael McDaniel at TEDxAustin and Melissa Garren at TEDxMonterey. Make sure you check them out:
Michael McDaniel shows us his Exo Reaction Housing Solution and shares how he’s dedicating his free time to working with suppliers and manufacturers to prepare for the next natural disaster.
Words of encouragement and incisive questions abound in the comments section. For instance, when Jingchao Zhou commented “I did some research, found out that the homepage of the company states that 1 unit costs about $5000. Not cheap comparing it to a tent,” Michael McDaniel dove right in with a response: “While this doesn’t seem cheap compared to a camping tents, tents are rarely a successful option for mass disaster response for numerous reasons including safety/security concerns.”
Watch the talk, write your own comments, and read more of Michael’s responses »
Melissa Garren sheds light on marine microbes that provide half the oxygen we breathe, maintain underwater ecosystems and demonstrate surprising hunting skills.
Commenters had great questions to ask of Melissa and she was happy to answer. For example, when Richie Flynn and Alan Rominger both questioned her stance on aquaculture, Melissa replied: “I am very much a sustainable aquaculture advocate. I agree with you that it can be an important component in sustainably feeding our growing planet. But all aquaculture practices are not created equally and the topic deserves at least an entire talk in and of itself.”
Watch the talk, write your own comments, and read more of Melissa’s responses »
Radicalism today: Julian Baggini
Julian Baggini argues that modern radicalism should not focus on obliterating the status quo, but on targeting modest, ad hoc reforms. In this keen and urgent talk from TEDxObserver, he explains how we can work within the confines of current government and economic models to bring about profoundly transformational changes to society.
Each week, we choose four of our favorite talks, highlighting just a few of the enlightening speakers from the TEDx community, and its diverse constellation of ideas worth spreading. Browse all TEDxTalks here »
A performance at TEDxSanJuan featured the creative theater company, Y No Había Luz. Their surrealist performance captivated the audience, and left a lasting impression. Find more photos from their event here: TEDxSanJuan
Teaching the professional digital native: Andrea Tavchar
Digital natives know how to use social media to talk with friends, and host a party, but not how to connect with corporate clients. At TEDxHumberCollege, Andrea Tavchar breaks down the differences between “living technologies” — for personal and social use — and “learning technologies” — where our definition of digital literacy must be reframed for the workplace.
Each week, we choose four of our favorite talks, highlighting just a few of the enlightening speakers from the TEDx community, and its diverse constellation of ideas worth spreading. Browse all TEDxTalks here »
