The 15-minute city | Carlos Moreno

Exactly when and where did life on Earth begin? Scientists have long thought that it emerged three billion years ago in the ocean — until astrobiologist Tara Djokic and her team made an unexpected discovery in the western Australian desert. Learn how an ancient rock found near a hot volcanic pool is shifting our understanding of the origin-of-life puzzle.

Everyone has the right to a clean environment — but major disparities exist when it comes to who faces the consequences of pollution. Environmental justice leader Peggy Shepard points to the disproportionate impact that hazardous environmental conditions have on Black, brown and Indigenous communities and challenges us to build a truly equitable future that turns "sacrifice zones" — where community health is sacrificed for the sake of development — into "green zones" that redress the legacy of pollution and harmful policies.

Your closet is likely full of all kinds of materials — leather, cotton, nylon and polyester, to name a few — that contribute to fashion's sustainability crisis. Biomaterials investigator Dan Widmaier explains how we could look to nature for sustainable replacements for these much-used materials and introduces a leather alternative made from mushrooms that looks great and doesn't harm the environment. "We can make fashion sustainable, and we're going to do it with science," Widmaier says.

What if you could eat chicken nuggets without harming a chicken? It's possible through "cellular agriculture," says Isha Datar. In a talk about cutting-edge science, she explains how this new means of food production makes it possible to eat meat without the negative consequences of industrial farming — and how it could fundamentally change our food systems for the better. "It's our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a second chance at agriculture," she says.

From the return of nomadic living to a climate-disrupted world, author and global strategist Parag Khanna has some predictions for humanity. Get a fascinating glimpse at the future as he tackles an urgent question: Where on Earth will eight billion humans live in the uncertain times ahead?

(This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.)

The single most important thing for avoiding a climate disaster is cutting carbon pollution from the current 51 billion tons per year to zero, says philanthropist and technologist Bill Gates. Introducing the concept of the "green premium" — the higher price of zero-emission products like electric cars, artificial meat or sustainable aviation fuel — Gates identifies the breakthroughs and investments we need to reduce the cost of clean tech, decarbonize the economy and create a pathway to a clean and prosperous future for all.

Today's youth have inherited a big, unprecedented climate problem to solve — and the eco-anxiety to go with it. Gen-Zer and activist Clover Hogan knows the struggle firsthand, but she also understands the path to climate action starts with the one thing you can control: your mindset. She explains why challenging the stories that keep you feeling powerless can help you take the first step to protecting the planet for generations to come.

This is an episode from a show we think you might like: The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast.

Holiday shopping season is upon us, but instead of having a wasteful, plastic-heavy Christmas, why not have a green one? Hosts Candice and Caleigh have tips for how to celebrate sustainable holidays, from your wrapping paper to the menu at your holiday dinner.

The third season of Sold Out examines the intersection of the climate and housing crises. Hosted by Erin Baldassari, the series tells the stories of families and communities throughout California, as they grapple with the ways that climate is challenging the very idea of home. Sold Out shines a light on the solutions that can help us all face the future, highlighting the people who are actively working to protect their communities. This series questions assumptions that dictate how and where people live, while examining the barriers – whether political, financial or social – that hold us back from embracing or realizing change. 

Listen to Sold Out wherever you listen to podcasts. 

TED Climate will be back soon -- in the meantime here is an episode of another podcast we thought you'd enjoy.

This is the first episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In this season, we ask the trillion dollar question: Will this crisis speed or slow down the energy transition in Europe? And what does that mean for the rest of the world?

Unpacking the history behind Europe’s dependence on Russian energy

Putin’s assault on Ukraine triggered an energy crisis that sent Europe’s economies into a tailspin and put the European energy transition to the test. But how did the European Union, a leader in climate action, become so dependent on Russian oil and gas to begin with?

This season, we look at the energy systems of Germany and Poland. Both have very different energy systems, but both became dependent on Russian energy for heating homes, firing power plants, and fueling businesses.

In this episode, we look at the immediate impact of the Ukraine invasion on that dependency and the historical influences behind it– from Germany’s pursuit of natural gas to Poland’s centuries-long relationship with coal.

Then we ask whether Europe’s initial response to the crisis– leaning more heavily on fossil fuels– will accelerate or slow down Europe’s push toward green energy.

If you like The Big Switch, you can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Contemporary planning approaches often fall short in addressing the cascading environmental, economic, and social issues planners and their communities face. Planners need comprehensive, forward-thinking approaches that prioritize sustainability, equity, and inclusivity.

Mark Roseland’s new book, Toward Sustainable Communities: Solutions for Citizens and Their Governments, is the definitive guide to the why, the what, and most importantly, the how of creating resilient, healthy, equitable, and prosperous places.

Dr. Roseland will introduce the book’s innovative Community Capital Compass as a powerful tool for maximizing the environmental, economic, and social benefits of complex community and regional decisions. The Compass promises a transformative, equitable, resilient, and sustainable approach to urban development.

In addition to this audio, you can watch the video and read the full transcript of their conversation on Shareable.net – while you’re there get caught up on past lectures.

Cities@Tufts Lectures explores the impact of urban planning on our communities and the opportunities to design for greater equity and justice with professor Julian Agyeman. 

Cities@Tufts Lectures is produced by Tufts University and Shareable.net with support from Barr Foundation and SHIFT Foundation.

Lectures are moderated by Professor Julian Agyeman and organized in partnership with research assistants Deandra Boyle and Muram Bacare. Paige Kelly is our co-producer and audio editor, the original portrait of Mark Roseland was illustrated by Anke Dregnet, and the series is co-produced and hosted by Tom Llewellyn. 

“Light Without Dark” by Cultivate Beats is our theme song.

What do livable and walkable urban environments have to do with "the real life Hunger Games"? And why are people in Oxford, England and elsewhere coming out in droves to protest seemingly innocuous traffic restrictions?

On this episode of Endless Thread, co-hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson explore one of the strangest conspiracy theories circulating today: the 15-minute city.

This Thursday, together with Sarah Thomas, CEO at Catalyst Housing, we discuss what sustainability looks like for the home provider and how technology can help them on their way to achieving net-zero carbonisation.

John Bauters sees a huge part of his Emeryville mayoral responsibility as humanizing the homeless, and reflecting empathy in a way that pushes all of his constituents to see the full community benefits of affordable housing. In this first part of our 2-part conversation, we learn how his own backstory drives his approach and how social justice intersects with pollution and climate change. And we discuss how all of this impacted his thoughts on COP27. From city leaders to residents interested in climate impact, John’s reflections will help you dig deeper. 

Episode Transcript

Larj Media

Peggy Smedley and Kirstin Dow, professor, Dept. of Geography at University of South Carolina, talk about how heat mapping might improve urban planning. She says our cities are working in so many different ways to be more livable and healthier spaces.

They also discuss:

• Building new greenways and bicycle paths in Columbia, S.C.
• How new heat mapping is and the city that got the first heat resilience officer.
• The benefits that heat models will provide.

heat.gov 

(9/27/23 - 71)

IoT, Internet of Things, Peggy Smedley, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, digital transformation, cybersecurity, blockchain, sustainability, future of work, podcast, Kirstin Dow, University of South Carolina, urban planning, worker of tomorrow