TEDBlog June, 2010 Archive
10 June 2010
Speaker lineup for TEDGlobal 2010
Today, the TEDGlobal 2010 team has unveiled the lineup of more than 50 speakers and performers for TEDGlobal 2010, to be held July 12-16 in Oxford, England.
Speakers range from brain scientist Sebastian Seung to novelist Elif Shafak … from wildlife biologist Toni Frohoff to education researcher Sugata Mitra … Musicians include Annie Lennox, Thomas Dolby and young stars Karsu Dönmez and Mor Karbasi. They’ll all be part of a fast-paced, highly curated three-day stage program featuring TED’s famous 18-minute talks, plus music, comedy, dance, short talks, video interludes and other surprises.
Twenty-three young TEDGlobal Fellows will be joining the 700 attendees in Oxford.
Browse the TEDGlobal 2010 speaker lineup (Flash) >>
See a list of all speakers and performers A to Z (no Flash) >>
Registration for TEDGlobal 2010 has closed; you can watch a live webstream of TEDGlobal 2010 through our Associates membership program. Learn more >>
Watch the TEDGlobal preview video >>
10 June 2010
#Promise panel wrap-up
Today at the #Promise conference in New York, TED’s June Cohen moderated a panel with GE’s Ed Downing and Ogilvy’s Evan Slater. Downing shared how GE uses social media to have an authentic conversation with the public, and to break old brand images (e.g., grandma’s GE dishwasher) by introducing new projects like the Smart Grid.
Ogilvy’s Evan Slater said smart companies are being forced to shift from policymakers to social enablers. Giving people the opportunity for discussion makes way for proactive reactions by corporations. He warned that social media is not a panacea for corporations, though. We quickly think toward technological solutions, he said, but forget why we are fundamentally using them.
Ultimately the panel agreed that, like TED, the power of social media lies in individual storytellers, and their stories can help develop a socially responsible relationship between people and corporations.
10 June 2010
Peter Storey: "The World's Cup runneth over with compassion"
In the Washington Post today, Peter Storey, one of the architects of the Charter for Compassion, shares his thoughts on the eve of the World Cup in his home of South Africa. Just last month, a plaque of the Charter, which was inspired by Karen Armstrong’s 2008 TED Prize wish, was installed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Capetown. As Storey writes:
On May 20, South Africans of many faiths and race groups packed into the headquarters of the Cape Town Inter-faith Initiative to watch Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu unveil the city’s first Charter for Compassion plaque. It was a reminder, as Charter initiator Karen Armstrong put it, of a time when through the spirit of Nelson Mandela and the Truth and Reconciliation process, South Africa had shown the world that transformation could happen, not only in individuals, but in nations. “There was a shining moment,” she said. “When South Africa showed the world what was possible.”
Read Peter Storey’s editorial, “The World’s Cup runneth over with compassion” >>
10 June 2010
Does the world need nuclear energy?: Stewart Brand and Mark Z. Jacobson on TED.com
Nuclear power: the energy crisis has even die-hard environmentalists reconsidering it. In this first-ever TED debate, Stewart Brand and Mark Z. Jacobson square off over the pros and cons. A discussion that’ll make you think — and might even change your mind. (Recorded at TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA. Duration: 23:00)
Watch Stewart Brand and Mark Z. Jacobson debate on TED.com. Download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 700+ TEDTalks.
10 June 2010
TED at the #Promise today: watch live
June Cohen of TED is curating a panel at today’s #Promise conference — a look at corporate social responsibility and how social media can make it work. You can watch the #Promise livestreaming today using the player below. TED’s panel is at 1:30pm EST, but the whole day is worth watching, with panels from Fast Company and Good, and presentations from Douglas Rushkoff and Ed Norton:
09 June 2010
Sweat the small stuff: Rory Sutherland on TED.com
It may seem that big problems require big solutions, but ad man Rory Sutherland says many flashy, expensive fixes are just obscuring better, simpler answers. To illustrate, he uses behavioral economics and hilarious examples. (Recorded at TEDSalon London 2010, April 2010 in London, England. Duration: 12:37)
Watch Rory Sutherland’s talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 700+ TEDTalks.
08 June 2010
Save the ocean, refuse plastics: Dianna Cohen for World Oceans Day
By the end of Mission Blue Voyage, most of the attendees and speakers were sporting cool glass necklaces, a gift from Dianna Cohen, second from left, and the Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC). (From left, above, you can see filmmaker Mike deGruy, Dianna Cohen, speaker John Delaney, and the legendary Sylvia Earle, all wearing their glass necklaces.)
The Plastic Pollution Coalition fights to reduce one of the most pervasive threats to ocean wildlife — the plastic we throw in the oceans every day. Watch this TEDTalk from Capt. Charles Moore to learn more about the Pacific gyre, where discarded plastic goes to … well, not to die but live on in a hideous afterlife, poisoning and killing fish, turtles and seabirds. It never degrades and never goes away.
In this email interview, Dianna tells us more about these symbolic necklaces and the work she’s doing with the PPC:
Q: What do these necklaces mean to you?
A: These necklaces are a talisman (made from recycled melted glass from bottle necks) to remind us to choose wise and healthy alternatives. And to REFUSE single-use and disposable plastics daily. Here’s what the artist who makes them said:
“These necklaces are an example of re-use and a metaphor for how just a little bit of human interaction and creativity and vision can alter everything and / or anything … and can become a beautiful artistic expression … the glass was dug out of the dumpster and was reworked and redesigned to become a talisman.”
– Liz Marx, glass artist
Q: What are some ways we can reduce / reuse / refuse plastics in our own lives?
A: Here are 10 ways we can reduce plastics use:
1) Bring your own grocery bags
2) Bring your own water bottle
3) Bring your own travel mug
4) Bring your own takeout/leftovers containers (stainless steel is great)
5) Bring your own utensils and straw (stainless steel or glass ones are great)
6) Shop the bulk bins and bring your own bags/containers
7) Buy “naked” produce instead of using plastic produce bags.
8) Switch to bar soap instead of liquid soap.
9) Buy large sizes of food (as much as you will consume before it goes bad) instead of single sizes. Less plastic that way.
10) Give up packaged convenience foods and frozen foods. They ALL come packaged in plastic.
Q: Is there a way to buy a necklace so that the cost supports the PPC?
A: You can get the necklaces, along with T-shirts and stainless steel bottles that support the work of the PPC, at our website: PlasticPollutionCoalition.org.
PLUS: Watch this awesome video Dianna made this spring with students in Barcelona:
Photo collage from images shot by James Duncan Davidson
08 June 2010
Chevy and Jayni Chase: How you can help the oceans
Aside from being a comedian and legend, Chevy Chase is a longtime activist for the environment. (It helps that he’s married to Jayni Chase, the founder of the Center for Environmental Education.) Together, Chevy and Jayni wrote this editorial for World Oceans Day, based around their experiences on Mission Blue Voyage, the boat trip inspired by Sylvia Earle’s 2009 TED Prize wish. From the CNN.com editorial:
In April, we went on a trip to the Galápagos with 100 ocean scientists, activists and artists, filmmakers and musicians, to talk about what’s going on in the ocean and what we can do to help. On the Mission Blue Voyage, we heard things and saw things that shocked us — like Brian Skerry’s picture of shrimp bycatch, the 8 pounds of dead sea creatures that are thrown away as garbage in order to catch 10 ounces of shrimp … We also saw amazing things, thing that blew our minds — like watching a bioluminescent jellyfish light up its mating display in the pitch-black deep ocean. We talked with some of the smartest people we’ve ever met, and we came up with some big plans for saving the ocean.
We’re not scientists, but we know something we can do: encourage you to talk and think about the ocean, with hope that you will be more involved in the things that will make a difference …
Read Chevy and Jayni Chase’s editorial on CNN.com >>
Photo: TED / James Duncan Davidson. See hundreds more glorious photos from Mission Blue Voyage on Flickr >>
08 June 2010
How poachers became caretakers: John Kasaona on TED.com
In his home of Namibia, John Kasaona is working on an innovative way to protect endangered animal species: giving nearby villagers (including former poachers) responsibility for caring for the animals. And it’s working. (Recorded at TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA. Duration: 15:46)
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Watch John Kasaona’s talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 700+ TEDTalks.
07 June 2010
The lost art of democratic debate: Michael Sandel on TED.com
Democracy thrives on civil debate, Michael Sandel says — but we’re shamefully out of practice. He leads a fun refresher, with TEDsters sparring over a recent Supreme Court case (PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin) whose outcome reveals the critical ingredient in justice. (Recorded at TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA. Duration: 19:42)
Watch Michael Sandel’s talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 700+ TEDTalks.
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