
[Music] in 1950 less than 5% of all major
in 1950 less than 5% of all major
in 1950 less than 5% of all major seafood species were in a state of
seafood species were in a state of
seafood species were in a state of collapse and the state of collapse means
collapse and the state of collapse means
collapse and the state of collapse means that you’re currently at 10% or less of
that you’re currently at 10% or less of
that you’re currently at 10% or less of what would be considered a healthy yield
what would be considered a healthy yield
what would be considered a healthy yield of that species in the ocean now by 2050
of that species in the ocean now by 2050
of that species in the ocean now by 2050 it’s expected that nearly 100% of all
it’s expected that nearly 100% of all
it’s expected that nearly 100% of all major seafood species will be in a state
major seafood species will be in a state
major seafood species will be in a state of collapse
of collapse
of collapse now you couple that with the fact that
now you couple that with the fact that
now you couple that with the fact that our freshwater resources are already in
our freshwater resources are already in
our freshwater resources are already in decline and that the world’s human
decline and that the world’s human
decline and that the world’s human population is expected to increase from
population is expected to increase from
population is expected to increase from its current seven-and-a-half billion to
its current seven-and-a-half billion to
its current seven-and-a-half billion to nine and a half or ten billion so what
nine and a half or ten billion so what
nine and a half or ten billion so what is 2050 look like with virtually no
is 2050 look like with virtually no
is 2050 look like with virtually no seafood left less freshwater and two
seafood left less freshwater and two
seafood left less freshwater and two billion more people on the planet I have
billion more people on the planet I have
billion more people on the planet I have no idea but I’ll leave that up for you
no idea but I’ll leave that up for you
no idea but I’ll leave that up for you to imagine in your own mind regardless
to imagine in your own mind regardless
to imagine in your own mind regardless though if we want to leave this world a
though if we want to leave this world a
though if we want to leave this world a better place for the people that we care
better place for the people that we care
better place for the people that we care about the most we have got to change the
about the most we have got to change the
about the most we have got to change the way that we think I’m here today to
way that we think I’m here today to
way that we think I’m here today to introduce you to a really cool new way
introduce you to a really cool new way
introduce you to a really cool new way of growing food called aquaponics and to
of growing food called aquaponics and to
of growing food called aquaponics and to frame a strategy for changing the way
frame a strategy for changing the way
frame a strategy for changing the way that we think on a mass scale and it
that we think on a mass scale and it
that we think on a mass scale and it starts right here in our city so if you
starts right here in our city so if you
starts right here in our city so if you lived in the 1980s or below you had
lived in the 1980s or below you had
lived in the 1980s or below you had never heard of a species of fish called
never heard of a species of fish called
never heard of a species of fish called tilapia and you’ve probably never seen
tilapia and you’ve probably never seen
tilapia and you’ve probably never seen one with his head on before
one with his head on before
one with his head on before now right now tilapia is one of the most
now right now tilapia is one of the most
now right now tilapia is one of the most popularly consumed seafood products on
popularly consumed seafood products on
popularly consumed seafood products on the planet
the planet
the planet so why in 40 years did it go from total
so why in 40 years did it go from total
so why in 40 years did it go from total obscurity to everybody knowing what it
obscurity to everybody knowing what it
obscurity to everybody knowing what it is well as the oceans stocks were
is well as the oceans stocks were
is well as the oceans stocks were declining worldwide but the demand for
declining worldwide but the demand for
declining worldwide but the demand for seafood products was on the rise we had
seafood products was on the rise we had
seafood products was on the rise we had to start farming fish which is a good
to start farming fish which is a good
to start farming fish which is a good thing because if we want to let the
thing because if we want to let the
thing because if we want to let the ocean species rebound we better start
ocean species rebound we better start
ocean species rebound we better start growing fish ourselves now there’s been
growing fish ourselves now there’s been
growing fish ourselves now there’s been some inherent issues with tilapia
some inherent issues with tilapia
some inherent issues with tilapia farming especially from an environmental
farming especially from an environmental
farming especially from an environmental standpoint and if you can imagine let’s
standpoint and if you can imagine let’s
standpoint and if you can imagine let’s say you put a million fish into a pond
say you put a million fish into a pond
say you put a million fish into a pond and you’re feeding them to get them up
and you’re feeding them to get them up
and you’re feeding them to get them up to market size quick and they’re
to market size quick and they’re
to market size quick and they’re producing waste in the water those ways
producing waste in the water those ways
producing waste in the water those ways start to accumulate and become and that
start to accumulate and become and that
start to accumulate and become and that makes the water become toxic for the
makes the water become toxic for the
makes the water become toxic for the fish so what you would do is you would
fish so what you would do is you would
fish so what you would do is you would discharge a bunch of that dirty water
discharge a bunch of that dirty water
discharge a bunch of that dirty water and you would bring in precious fresh
and you would bring in precious fresh
and you would bring in precious fresh water to re to top up the pond and to
water to re to top up the pond and to
water to re to top up the pond and to make it safe at the fish again so your
make it safe at the fish again so your
make it safe at the fish again so your farming fish which is a good thing but
farming fish which is a good thing but
farming fish which is a good thing but you’re still wasting fresh water so in
you’re still wasting fresh water so in
you’re still wasting fresh water so in the late 1980s the University of virgin
the late 1980s the University of virgin
the late 1980s the University of virgin islands started developing a technology
islands started developing a technology
islands started developing a technology that we now know is aquaponics and with
that we now know is aquaponics and with
that we now know is aquaponics and with aquaponics you raise tilapia or other
aquaponics you raise tilapia or other
aquaponics you raise tilapia or other freshwater fish in tanks and instead of
freshwater fish in tanks and instead of
freshwater fish in tanks and instead of discharging that dirty water
discharging that dirty water
discharging that dirty water you use it to grow plants hydroponically
you use it to grow plants hydroponically
you use it to grow plants hydroponically or without soil and you can see here
or without soil and you can see here
or without soil and you can see here that these plants are floating on
that these plants are floating on
that these plants are floating on styrofoam sheets and there’s little
styrofoam sheets and there’s little
styrofoam sheets and there’s little holes cut in the styrofoam and the roots
holes cut in the styrofoam and the roots
holes cut in the styrofoam and the roots grow down into that water filled with
grow down into that water filled with
grow down into that water filled with nutrients created by the fish and they
nutrients created by the fish and they
nutrients created by the fish and they pull the nutrients out of the water
pull the nutrients out of the water
pull the nutrients out of the water converting them into stems and leaves
converting them into stems and leaves
converting them into stems and leaves and fruits and vegetables
and fruits and vegetables
and fruits and vegetables therefore cleaning the water to be
therefore cleaning the water to be
therefore cleaning the water to be returned back to the fish and this
returned back to the fish and this
returned back to the fish and this allows for a hundred percent
allows for a hundred percent
allows for a hundred percent recirculation of water so now you’re
recirculation of water so now you’re
recirculation of water so now you’re farming fish taking pressure off the
farming fish taking pressure off the
farming fish taking pressure off the oceans you’re recycling the water over
oceans you’re recycling the water over
oceans you’re recycling the water over and over again and you’re growing a ton
and over again and you’re growing a ton
and over again and you’re growing a ton of fresh produce but even more important
of fresh produce but even more important
of fresh produce but even more important maybe is that this is a beautiful
maybe is that this is a beautiful
maybe is that this is a beautiful representation of how an ecosystem works
representation of how an ecosystem works
representation of how an ecosystem works and it has the potential to help us
and it has the potential to help us
and it has the potential to help us mitigate some of these
mitigate some of these
mitigate some of these challenges we face around 2050 but it
challenges we face around 2050 but it
challenges we face around 2050 but it also has the potential to change the way
also has the potential to change the way
also has the potential to change the way that we think so I’m gonna go into a
that we think so I’m gonna go into a
that we think so I’m gonna go into a little bit of a crazy story back in 2011
little bit of a crazy story back in 2011
little bit of a crazy story back in 2011 I was managing a hydroponics retail
I was managing a hydroponics retail
I was managing a hydroponics retail store mostly selling cannabis growing
store mostly selling cannabis growing
store mostly selling cannabis growing equipment weed and I was in my early 20s
equipment weed and I was in my early 20s
equipment weed and I was in my early 20s so you can imagine my life was pretty
so you can imagine my life was pretty
so you can imagine my life was pretty cool and one day a guy walks into my
cool and one day a guy walks into my
cool and one day a guy walks into my store and people used to come up with
store and people used to come up with
store and people used to come up with all these crazy excuses to not like let
all these crazy excuses to not like let
all these crazy excuses to not like let it be known they’re trying to grow weed
it be known they’re trying to grow weed
it be known they’re trying to grow weed so they’d say hey I’m trying to grow the
so they’d say hey I’m trying to grow the
so they’d say hey I’m trying to grow the most sticky potent tomatoes can you help
most sticky potent tomatoes can you help
most sticky potent tomatoes can you help me so this guy comes into my store and
me so this guy comes into my store and
me so this guy comes into my store and he says I just got back from Haiti and
he says I just got back from Haiti and
he says I just got back from Haiti and they just had an earthquake that killed
they just had an earthquake that killed
they just had an earthquake that killed 200,000 people in a couple days
200,000 people in a couple days
200,000 people in a couple days so I knew he wasn’t BS in this time and
so I knew he wasn’t BS in this time and
so I knew he wasn’t BS in this time and he asked me if I could help him because
he asked me if I could help him because
he asked me if I could help him because he was taken down there as an urban
he was taken down there as an urban
he was taken down there as an urban planner to rebuild a new village and he
planner to rebuild a new village and he
planner to rebuild a new village and he couldn’t get his mind past the fact of
couldn’t get his mind past the fact of
couldn’t get his mind past the fact of how are these people going to feed
how are these people going to feed
how are these people going to feed themselves when the aid runs out so he
themselves when the aid runs out so he
themselves when the aid runs out so he saw that you could grow plants without
saw that you could grow plants without
saw that you could grow plants without soil using hydroponics because the soil
soil using hydroponics because the soil
soil using hydroponics because the soil in Haiti is totally exhausted from
in Haiti is totally exhausted from
in Haiti is totally exhausted from deforestation so he googled hydroponics
deforestation so he googled hydroponics
deforestation so he googled hydroponics and he’s at my store this guy’s name was
and he’s at my store this guy’s name was
and he’s at my store this guy’s name was Ron Morgan and Ron was a famous
Ron Morgan and Ron was a famous
Ron Morgan and Ron was a famous architect here in Charlotte and he
architect here in Charlotte and he
architect here in Charlotte and he actually ran the bond referendum to get
actually ran the bond referendum to get
actually ran the bond referendum to get discovery place and spirit square put
discovery place and spirit square put
discovery place and spirit square put here he converted old warehouses into
here he converted old warehouses into
here he converted old warehouses into City Hall’s design green waste systems
City Hall’s design green waste systems
City Hall’s design green waste systems and helped save first ward elementary
and helped save first ward elementary
and helped save first ward elementary back in the 80s so he was a man of great
back in the 80s so he was a man of great
back in the 80s so he was a man of great civic action and here he is in my store
civic action and here he is in my store
civic action and here he is in my store asking me for help to feed people in
asking me for help to feed people in
asking me for help to feed people in Haiti with hydroponics and he had built
Haiti with hydroponics and he had built
Haiti with hydroponics and he had built this dysfunction a garden in his yard as
this dysfunction a garden in his yard as
this dysfunction a garden in his yard as a sort of a prototype of what he could
a sort of a prototype of what he could
a sort of a prototype of what he could eventually send down there but it wasn’t
eventually send down there but it wasn’t
eventually send down there but it wasn’t working so he asked me to come over to
working so he asked me to come over to
working so he asked me to come over to his house and check it out and I told
his house and check it out and I told
his house and check it out and I told him about aquaponics because I had just
him about aquaponics because I had just
him about aquaponics because I had just been learning about it and he flipped
been learning about it and he flipped
been learning about it and he flipped out he was like yeah that’s really cool
out he was like yeah that’s really cool
out he was like yeah that’s really cool so how about we teach people in Haiti
so how about we teach people in Haiti
so how about we teach people in Haiti had a grow fish in vegetables together
had a grow fish in vegetables together
had a grow fish in vegetables together while
while
while recycling the water so me and Ron and a
recycling the water so me and Ron and a
recycling the water so me and Ron and a couple of our friends built an
couple of our friends built an
couple of our friends built an aquaponics system in his yard as an
aquaponics system in his yard as an
aquaponics system in his yard as an example and we tricked this thing out we
example and we tricked this thing out we
example and we tricked this thing out we had a really cool koi pond in the ground
had a really cool koi pond in the ground
had a really cool koi pond in the ground that we crafted out of cement we had
that we crafted out of cement we had
that we crafted out of cement we had plants floating in plastic pipes
plants floating in plastic pipes
plants floating in plastic pipes floating in water and lo and behold kids
floating in water and lo and behold kids
floating in water and lo and behold kids from all around the neighborhood would
from all around the neighborhood would
from all around the neighborhood would come up to the garden and they were
come up to the garden and they were
come up to the garden and they were fascinated with it and remind you we
fascinated with it and remind you we
fascinated with it and remind you we were doing this as a humanitarian effort
were doing this as a humanitarian effort
were doing this as a humanitarian effort but we had kids wanting to get engaged
but we had kids wanting to get engaged
but we had kids wanting to get engaged with this they wanted to feed the fish
with this they wanted to feed the fish
with this they wanted to feed the fish they wanted to harvest the crops so we
they wanted to harvest the crops so we
they wanted to harvest the crops so we started teaching them how to operate it
started teaching them how to operate it
started teaching them how to operate it and in order to operate one you have to
and in order to operate one you have to
and in order to operate one you have to know basic science so we started
know basic science so we started
know basic science so we started teaching them how to check the pH of the
teaching them how to check the pH of the
teaching them how to check the pH of the water nitrogen levels had to record the
water nitrogen levels had to record the
water nitrogen levels had to record the yields and over the course of the next
yields and over the course of the next
yields and over the course of the next couple of weeks
couple of weeks
couple of weeks their parents started to make remarks to
their parents started to make remarks to
their parents started to make remarks to us why is my kid talking about science
us why is my kid talking about science
us why is my kid talking about science at dinner he’s 10 years old this is
at dinner he’s 10 years old this is
at dinner he’s 10 years old this is weird and this started happening over
weird and this started happening over
weird and this started happening over and over again and we started to realize
and over again and we started to realize
and over again and we started to realize aquaponics was not just the cool way to
aquaponics was not just the cool way to
aquaponics was not just the cool way to grow food that was good for the
grow food that was good for the
grow food that was good for the environment but was a profound teaching
environment but was a profound teaching
environment but was a profound teaching tool for science and math and it was
tool for science and math and it was
tool for science and math and it was getting kids engaged and healthy eating
getting kids engaged and healthy eating
getting kids engaged and healthy eating because we’re when they’re invested in
because we’re when they’re invested in
because we’re when they’re invested in growing their own food they’re
growing their own food they’re
growing their own food they’re automatically willing to try so through
automatically willing to try so through
automatically willing to try so through a series of other crazy events we end up
a series of other crazy events we end up
a series of other crazy events we end up getting a contract with the North
getting a contract with the North
getting a contract with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to
Carolina Department of Public Safety to
Carolina Department of Public Safety to set up an aquaponics program and a
set up an aquaponics program and a
set up an aquaponics program and a juvenile detention center and for the
juvenile detention center and for the
juvenile detention center and for the last four years I’ve been teaching
last four years I’ve been teaching
last four years I’ve been teaching incarcerated young men from 14 to 18 had
incarcerated young men from 14 to 18 had
incarcerated young men from 14 to 18 had a grow food using aquaponics and all the
a grow food using aquaponics and all the
a grow food using aquaponics and all the other skills that you learn along the
other skills that you learn along the
other skills that you learn along the way that program became pretty
way that program became pretty
way that program became pretty successful and for we knew it we were
successful and for we knew it we were
successful and for we knew it we were installing aquaponics programs in high
installing aquaponics programs in high
installing aquaponics programs in high schools all around the region we finally
schools all around the region we finally
schools all around the region we finally went down to Haiti installed to there
went down to Haiti installed to there
went down to Haiti installed to there and this thing really started to have a
and this thing really started to have a
and this thing really started to have a life of its own so
life of its own so
life of its own so to give you an example of some of the
to give you an example of some of the
to give you an example of some of the really valuable lessons learned to
really valuable lessons learned to
really valuable lessons learned to aquaponics and schools imagine you have
aquaponics and schools imagine you have
aquaponics and schools imagine you have an aquaponics system at let’s say an
an aquaponics system at let’s say an
an aquaponics system at let’s say an elementary school and you bring in these
elementary school and you bring in these
elementary school and you bring in these little baby fish at the beginning of the
little baby fish at the beginning of the
little baby fish at the beginning of the year and the students are individually
year and the students are individually
year and the students are individually weighing and measuring each one before
weighing and measuring each one before
weighing and measuring each one before they put them in the tank they’re
they put them in the tank they’re
they put them in the tank they’re feeding them throughout the school year
feeding them throughout the school year
feeding them throughout the school year harvesting all the vegetables that are
harvesting all the vegetables that are
harvesting all the vegetables that are growing learning all these cool
growing learning all these cool
growing learning all these cool scientific principles and one day the
scientific principles and one day the
scientific principles and one day the vegetable plants have holes in the
vegetable plants have holes in the
vegetable plants have holes in the leaves and you find out they have an
leaves and you find out they have an
leaves and you find out they have an insect infestation and so what do you do
insect infestation and so what do you do
insect infestation and so what do you do when you have insects on plants you
when you have insects on plants you
when you have insects on plants you spray them with pesticides so the
spray them with pesticides so the
spray them with pesticides so the student spray down these vegetables and
student spray down these vegetables and
student spray down these vegetables and pesticides then the next day they come
pesticides then the next day they come
pesticides then the next day they come in and all the fish that they’ve been
in and all the fish that they’ve been
in and all the fish that they’ve been growing all year are belly-up dead in
growing all year are belly-up dead in
growing all year are belly-up dead in the water and the students are you know
the water and the students are you know
the water and the students are you know they’re devastated what happened well
they’re devastated what happened well
they’re devastated what happened well that comes to find out the pesticides
that comes to find out the pesticides
that comes to find out the pesticides ran off into the water and killed the
ran off into the water and killed the
ran off into the water and killed the fish just like it happens in real life
fish just like it happens in real life
fish just like it happens in real life they were learning to change the way
they were learning to change the way
they were learning to change the way they think because the world we live in
they think because the world we live in
they think because the world we live in is not linear it’s totally dynamic you
is not linear it’s totally dynamic you
is not linear it’s totally dynamic you make one change and it affects the whole
make one change and it affects the whole
make one change and it affects the whole group of different things that
group of different things that
group of different things that experience changes the way a young
experience changes the way a young
experience changes the way a young person views their actions toward the
person views their actions toward the
person views their actions toward the environment it creates a more
environment it creates a more
environment it creates a more compassionate person toward planet Earth
compassionate person toward planet Earth
compassionate person toward planet Earth another example one of our students at
another example one of our students at
another example one of our students at the detention center was in our program
the detention center was in our program
the detention center was in our program for two years and an administrator was
for two years and an administrator was
for two years and an administrator was interviewing him one day they asked what
interviewing him one day they asked what
interviewing him one day they asked what are you gonna do when you’re released
are you gonna do when you’re released
are you gonna do when you’re released from here he says I’m gonna open up a
from here he says I’m gonna open up a
from here he says I’m gonna open up a motorcycle shop and they’re like a
motorcycle shop and they’re like a
motorcycle shop and they’re like a motorcycle shop what does that have to
motorcycle shop what does that have to
motorcycle shop what does that have to do with aquaponics you’ve learned all
do with aquaponics you’ve learned all
do with aquaponics you’ve learned all these great skills he says well before I
these great skills he says well before I
these great skills he says well before I came in this program I didn’t really
came in this program I didn’t really
came in this program I didn’t really know I can do anything but now I can
know I can do anything but now I can
know I can do anything but now I can repair water pumps I can do plumbing I
repair water pumps I can do plumbing I
repair water pumps I can do plumbing I know how to grow food
know how to grow food
know how to grow food I can manage an ecosystem and I think
I can manage an ecosystem and I think
I can manage an ecosystem and I think motorcycles are really cool and now I
motorcycles are really cool and now I
motorcycles are really cool and now I think I can open a motorcycle shop
think I can open a motorcycle shop
think I can open a motorcycle shop so it was about embracing opportunities
so it was about embracing opportunities
so it was about embracing opportunities around hands-on learning that build
around hands-on learning that build
around hands-on learning that build confidence within students so after we
confidence within students so after we
confidence within students so after we had all these high schools on board and
had all these high schools on board and
had all these high schools on board and we had the two gardens in Haiti the
we had the two gardens in Haiti the
we had the two gardens in Haiti the genius of Ron Morgan says why don’t we
genius of Ron Morgan says why don’t we
genius of Ron Morgan says why don’t we start connecting all these gardens
start connecting all these gardens
start connecting all these gardens together so we could have a garden here
together so we could have a garden here
together so we could have a garden here in our city connect to an aquaponic
in our city connect to an aquaponic
in our city connect to an aquaponic garden in Haiti and they could be
garden in Haiti and they could be
garden in Haiti and they could be exchanging all the critical information
exchanging all the critical information
exchanging all the critical information around the garden pH levels nitrogen
around the garden pH levels nitrogen
around the garden pH levels nitrogen levels yield information they could
levels yield information they could
levels yield information they could monitor each other’s garden but more
monitor each other’s garden but more
monitor each other’s garden but more importantly they could talk to each
importantly they could talk to each
importantly they could talk to each other and open up conversations around
other and open up conversations around
other and open up conversations around science food culture why you lived there
science food culture why you lived there
science food culture why you lived there while I live here what it means to live
while I live here what it means to live
while I live here what it means to live in a place like Haiti and through these
in a place like Haiti and through these
in a place like Haiti and through these connections you develop people that have
connections you develop people that have
connections you develop people that have a much better understanding of others
a much better understanding of others
a much better understanding of others through connecting them through
through connecting them through
through connecting them through education one example one of our schools
education one example one of our schools
education one example one of our schools we connected to Haiti up in Statesville
we connected to Haiti up in Statesville
we connected to Haiti up in Statesville the French classes in that school in
the French classes in that school in
the French classes in that school in Statesville got wind that they were
Statesville got wind that they were
Statesville got wind that they were connected to the garden and hey so they
connected to the garden and hey so they
connected to the garden and hey so they teamed up unbeknownst to us with the
teamed up unbeknownst to us with the
teamed up unbeknownst to us with the agriculture classes of the school in the
agriculture classes of the school in the
agriculture classes of the school in the media classes and they developed
media classes and they developed
media classes and they developed aquaponics how-to-videos translated into
aquaponics how-to-videos translated into
aquaponics how-to-videos translated into French to send down to Haiti to teach
French to send down to Haiti to teach
French to send down to Haiti to teach kids about aquaponics now talk about a
kids about aquaponics now talk about a
kids about aquaponics now talk about a French class with some purpose it was
French class with some purpose it was
French class with some purpose it was changing the way that they think about
changing the way that they think about
changing the way that they think about going to school and what we learned with
going to school and what we learned with
going to school and what we learned with these aquaponics gardens you can create
these aquaponics gardens you can create
these aquaponics gardens you can create smarter people through hands-on learning
smarter people through hands-on learning
smarter people through hands-on learning you can create more compassionate people
you can create more compassionate people
you can create more compassionate people in regards to the environment and others
in regards to the environment and others
in regards to the environment and others and you can create healthier people
and you can create healthier people
and you can create healthier people because they’re engaged in eating all
because they’re engaged in eating all
because they’re engaged in eating all the products coming out you change the
the products coming out you change the
the products coming out you change the way that they think
way that they think
way that they think now I mentioned I was going to frame a
now I mentioned I was going to frame a
now I mentioned I was going to frame a strategy for changing the way that we
strategy for changing the way that we
strategy for changing the way that we think on a mass scale let’s say you put
think on a mass scale let’s say you put
think on a mass scale let’s say you put an aquaponics garden in a school and you
an aquaponics garden in a school and you
an aquaponics garden in a school and you had 200 students in that school changing
had 200 students in that school changing
had 200 students in that school changing the way they think
the way they think
the way they think let’s say a city were to upfit 100
let’s say a city were to upfit 100
let’s say a city were to upfit 100 schools with aquaponics gardens let’s
schools with aquaponics gardens let’s
schools with aquaponics gardens let’s say it’s Charlotte I’m from here so
say it’s Charlotte I’m from here so
say it’s Charlotte I’m from here so let’s say it’s Charlotte if you had 200
let’s say it’s Charlotte if you had 200
let’s say it’s Charlotte if you had 200 students per school per year and yet 100
students per school per year and yet 100
students per school per year and yet 100 of them
of them
of them that’d be twenty thousand students per
that’d be twenty thousand students per
that’d be twenty thousand students per year changing the way they think and in
year changing the way they think and in
year changing the way they think and in short order over ten years that would be
short order over ten years that would be
short order over ten years that would be 200 thousand students who are smarter
200 thousand students who are smarter
200 thousand students who are smarter who are more compassionate toward the
who are more compassionate toward the
who are more compassionate toward the environment in each other who eat
environment in each other who eat
environment in each other who eat healthier who are all-around better
healthier who are all-around better
healthier who are all-around better people
people
people you know what 200,000 represents in this
you know what 200,000 represents in this
you know what 200,000 represents in this city
city
city it’s one quarter of our current
it’s one quarter of our current
it’s one quarter of our current population it effectively is an entire
population it effectively is an entire
population it effectively is an entire generation of people who change the way
generation of people who change the way
generation of people who change the way that they think now what implications
that they think now what implications
that they think now what implications does that have on our city well I had to
does that have on our city well I had to
does that have on our city well I had to imagine what 2050 looks like with
imagine what 2050 looks like with
imagine what 2050 looks like with virtually no seafood less fresh water
virtually no seafood less fresh water
virtually no seafood less fresh water more people well what if in 2050 we had
more people well what if in 2050 we had
more people well what if in 2050 we had plenty of seafood left and all those
plenty of seafood left and all those
plenty of seafood left and all those endangered species are rebounding and we
endangered species are rebounding and we
endangered species are rebounding and we have plenty of fresh water and we’ve
have plenty of fresh water and we’ve
have plenty of fresh water and we’ve avoided all of the Civic unrest that
avoided all of the Civic unrest that
avoided all of the Civic unrest that could have been due to too few resources
could have been due to too few resources
could have been due to too few resources to go around for all the people what if
to go around for all the people what if
to go around for all the people what if those people living in a better world
those people living in a better world
those people living in a better world the people we care about the most
the people we care about the most
the people we care about the most did it just view Charlotte as a place
did it just view Charlotte as a place
did it just view Charlotte as a place with sports teams and international
with sports teams and international
with sports teams and international airport craft breweries but the city
airport craft breweries but the city
airport craft breweries but the city that three decades earlier decided that
that three decades earlier decided that
that three decades earlier decided that they were going to change the way an
they were going to change the way an
they were going to change the way an entire generation of people think the
entire generation of people think the
entire generation of people think the city that showed the whole world how to
city that showed the whole world how to
city that showed the whole world how to do it the city that in large part helped
do it the city that in large part helped
do it the city that in large part helped to save the human species and the planet
to save the human species and the planet
to save the human species and the planet as we know it now talk about something
as we know it now talk about something
as we know it now talk about something to be known for for a city and we
to be known for for a city and we
to be known for for a city and we do big bold moves like building 100
do big bold moves like building 100
do big bold moves like building 100 gardens that legacy and that identity is
gardens that legacy and that identity is
gardens that legacy and that identity is ours to have a year and a half ago my
ours to have a year and a half ago my
ours to have a year and a half ago my friend Ron Morgan died of cancer and in
friend Ron Morgan died of cancer and in
friend Ron Morgan died of cancer and in his last days he sat me down
his last days he sat me down
his last days he sat me down he said Sam I want to thank you for
he said Sam I want to thank you for
he said Sam I want to thank you for being a part of the most important
being a part of the most important
being a part of the most important project of my life changing the way
project of my life changing the way
project of my life changing the way people think about learning about food
people think about learning about food
people think about learning about food about each other was Ron’s most
about each other was Ron’s most
about each other was Ron’s most important project and if we want 2050 to
important project and if we want 2050 to
important project and if we want 2050 to be a better world for the people we care
be a better world for the people we care
be a better world for the people we care about the most
about the most
about the most changing the way we think might just be
changing the way we think might just be
changing the way we think might just be the most important project for all of
the most important project for all of
the most important project for all of humanity
humanity
humanity thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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