I believe that it’s scientifically feasible right now to literally eat a
feasible right now to literally eat a
feasible right now to literally eat a big part of climate change and while you
big part of climate change and while you
big part of climate change and while you know there’s obviously a lot of
know there’s obviously a lot of
know there’s obviously a lot of groundbreaking science around this idea
groundbreaking science around this idea
groundbreaking science around this idea it’s most impressive feature may be that
it’s most impressive feature may be that
it’s most impressive feature may be that it can actually cross our highly
it can actually cross our highly
it can actually cross our highly polarized political boundaries to now
polarized political boundaries to now
polarized political boundaries to now boundaries whether they’re scientific or
boundaries whether they’re scientific or
boundaries whether they’re scientific or political are usually a question of
political are usually a question of
political are usually a question of perspective as I was thinking about this
perspective as I was thinking about this
perspective as I was thinking about this question of perspective I was reminded
question of perspective I was reminded
question of perspective I was reminded of the story of the young traveler who’s
of the story of the young traveler who’s
of the story of the young traveler who’s comes to a huge river he can’t cross and
comes to a huge river he can’t cross and
comes to a huge river he can’t cross and he’s walking up and down the banks of
he’s walking up and down the banks of
he’s walking up and down the banks of the river looking for a way he gets very
the river looking for a way he gets very
the river looking for a way he gets very excited because he spots a wise master
excited because he spots a wise master
excited because he spots a wise master on the other side and he says wise
on the other side and he says wise
on the other side and he says wise master I’m trying to cross this river
master I’m trying to cross this river
master I’m trying to cross this river how do I get to the other side and the
how do I get to the other side and the
how do I get to the other side and the wise master looks back at him and looks
wise master looks back at him and looks
wise master looks back at him and looks down the river and he looks up the river
down the river and he looks up the river
down the river and he looks up the river and he looks a little puzzled and he
and he looks a little puzzled and he
and he looks a little puzzled and he says my son you’re already on the other
says my son you’re already on the other
says my son you’re already on the other side I want to invite you today to think
side I want to invite you today to think
side I want to invite you today to think about this challenge from a different
about this challenge from a different
about this challenge from a different perspective because I think it’s one
perspective because I think it’s one
perspective because I think it’s one that will lead both to both more
that will lead both to both more
that will lead both to both more powerful paths forward but also two more
powerful paths forward but also two more
powerful paths forward but also two more paths that we can all take together so
paths that we can all take together so
paths that we can all take together so first some historical perspective now
first some historical perspective now
first some historical perspective now climate change kind of came of age in
climate change kind of came of age in
climate change kind of came of age in our in our consciousness really in the
our in our consciousness really in the
our in our consciousness really in the 1970s and it really wasn’t the headline
1970s and it really wasn’t the headline
1970s and it really wasn’t the headline that it is today it was really still
that it is today it was really still
that it is today it was really still more a debate among scientists who were
more a debate among scientists who were
more a debate among scientists who were just starting this migration towards
just starting this migration towards
just starting this migration towards this consensus around warming really
this consensus around warming really
this consensus around warming really driven by you know more powerful
driven by you know more powerful
driven by you know more powerful computer models and better data the
computer models and better data the
computer models and better data the headlines at the time were related but
headlines at the time were related but
headlines at the time were related but they were they were more about things
they were they were more about things
they were they were more about things like you know the Apollo mission and
like you know the Apollo mission and
like you know the Apollo mission and those first views of Earth from from
those first views of Earth from from
those first views of Earth from from outer space that that idea of Earth
outer space that that idea of Earth
outer space that that idea of Earth without boundaries and it was about
without boundaries and it was about
without boundaries and it was about famine and food shortages and fuel
famine and food shortages and fuel
famine and food shortages and fuel shortages and this sense of future shock
shortages and this sense of future shock
shortages and this sense of future shock and above all really this I
and above all really this I
and above all really this I you know global nuclear winter and even
you know global nuclear winter and even
you know global nuclear winter and even though this was a decade where you know
though this was a decade where you know
though this was a decade where you know regional concerns things like air
regional concerns things like air
regional concerns things like air pollution were really becoming global
pollution were really becoming global
pollution were really becoming global concerns and we’re you know we were
concerns and we’re you know we were
concerns and we’re you know we were becoming kind of increasingly aware of
becoming kind of increasingly aware of
becoming kind of increasingly aware of what I call the unintended consequences
what I call the unintended consequences
what I call the unintended consequences of science and technology it was also a
of science and technology it was also a
of science and technology it was also a time of enormous you know scientific and
time of enormous you know scientific and
time of enormous you know scientific and political innovation the EPA the Clean
political innovation the EPA the Clean
political innovation the EPA the Clean Water Act the Clean Air Act and people
Water Act the Clean Air Act and people
Water Act the Clean Air Act and people like Norman Borlaug his Green Revolution
like Norman Borlaug his Green Revolution
like Norman Borlaug his Green Revolution is credited with saving a billion people
is credited with saving a billion people
is credited with saving a billion people from starvation and he won the Nobel
from starvation and he won the Nobel
from starvation and he won the Nobel Prize for it now you know I don’t know
Prize for it now you know I don’t know
Prize for it now you know I don’t know if maybe you guys are having a little
if maybe you guys are having a little
if maybe you guys are having a little bit of deja vu now but does seem like
bit of deja vu now but does seem like
bit of deja vu now but does seem like these headlines are returning doesn’t it
these headlines are returning doesn’t it
these headlines are returning doesn’t it I mean space is obviously back in the
I mean space is obviously back in the
I mean space is obviously back in the news with things like SpaceX and you
news with things like SpaceX and you
news with things like SpaceX and you know Blue Horizon and and our new
know Blue Horizon and and our new
know Blue Horizon and and our new spaceship Mars and severe weather I
spaceship Mars and severe weather I
spaceship Mars and severe weather I think as we can all agree has been in
think as we can all agree has been in
think as we can all agree has been in the news really over the last you know
the news really over the last you know
the news really over the last you know six months or so and North Korea seems
six months or so and North Korea seems
six months or so and North Korea seems pretty intent on putting nukes back on
pretty intent on putting nukes back on
pretty intent on putting nukes back on the front page but climate change is you
the front page but climate change is you
the front page but climate change is you know one of the it is one of the
know one of the it is one of the
know one of the it is one of the headlines now but the debate has shifted
headlines now but the debate has shifted
headlines now but the debate has shifted from being one mostly among scientists
from being one mostly among scientists
from being one mostly among scientists to being one now I think mostly among
to being one now I think mostly among
to being one now I think mostly among politicians with the lines being really
politicians with the lines being really
politicians with the lines being really drawn more along political and even
drawn more along political and even
drawn more along political and even geographic boundaries and this brings me
geographic boundaries and this brings me
geographic boundaries and this brings me to the main shift in perspective I want
to the main shift in perspective I want
to the main shift in perspective I want to talk to you about today what if we
to talk to you about today what if we
to talk to you about today what if we were just for a second not think of this
were just for a second not think of this
were just for a second not think of this as an economic or or moral challenge of
as an economic or or moral challenge of
as an economic or or moral challenge of this human waste accumulation but rather
this human waste accumulation but rather
this human waste accumulation but rather as an imbalance between two fundamental
as an imbalance between two fundamental
as an imbalance between two fundamental forces that were essentially unleashed
forces that were essentially unleashed
forces that were essentially unleashed by bacterial mutation billions of years
by bacterial mutation billions of years
by bacterial mutation billions of years ago and which really drive inform the
ago and which really drive inform the
ago and which really drive inform the very essence of our current atmosphere
very essence of our current atmosphere
very essence of our current atmosphere respiration and photosynthesis now these
respiration and photosynthesis now these
respiration and photosynthesis now these are kind of the yin and yang of our
are kind of the yin and yang of our
are kind of the yin and yang of our atmosphere respiration is you may
atmosphere respiration is you may
atmosphere respiration is you may remember or probably do
remember or probably do
remember or probably do remember from biology class is taking
remember from biology class is taking
remember from biology class is taking oxygen and fuel and it turns that into
oxygen and fuel and it turns that into
oxygen and fuel and it turns that into energy with water and co2 is the outputs
energy with water and co2 is the outputs
energy with water and co2 is the outputs and photosynthesis takes that water
and photosynthesis takes that water
and photosynthesis takes that water takes that co2 combines it with light
takes that co2 combines it with light
takes that co2 combines it with light energy and turns that back into oxygen
energy and turns that back into oxygen
energy and turns that back into oxygen and fuel so this is a cycle that has
and fuel so this is a cycle that has
and fuel so this is a cycle that has been balancing itself at various levels
been balancing itself at various levels
been balancing itself at various levels for billions of years and the current
for billions of years and the current
for billions of years and the current imbalance is the result of not just
imbalance is the result of not just
imbalance is the result of not just human population growth but also human
human population growth but also human
human population growth but also human ingenuity which has figured out how to
ingenuity which has figured out how to
ingenuity which has figured out how to rapidly accelerate the that that
rapidly accelerate the that that
rapidly accelerate the that that respiration side of the equation and
respiration side of the equation and
respiration side of the equation and essentially overwhelm the ability of
essentially overwhelm the ability of
essentially overwhelm the ability of photosynthesis to keep up now anyone who
photosynthesis to keep up now anyone who
photosynthesis to keep up now anyone who you know you don’t have to get look any
you know you don’t have to get look any
you know you don’t have to get look any further really than the cell phone in
further really than the cell phone in
further really than the cell phone in your pocket to understand this phenomena
your pocket to understand this phenomena
your pocket to understand this phenomena I mean besides the obvious fact that
I mean besides the obvious fact that
I mean besides the obvious fact that everyone you has a cell phone in their
everyone you has a cell phone in their
everyone you has a cell phone in their pocket do you think that cell phone that
pocket do you think that cell phone that
pocket do you think that cell phone that are these massive advances and things
are these massive advances and things
are these massive advances and things like battery technology have been
like battery technology have been
like battery technology have been leveraged more for functionality in
leveraged more for functionality in
leveraged more for functionality in other words you know you know get get
other words you know you know get get
other words you know you know get get more apps in there you know you know
more apps in there you know you know
more apps in there you know you know more video and more social networking
more video and more social networking
more video and more social networking and more gaming or do you think that
and more gaming or do you think that
and more gaming or do you think that that was leverage more for conservation
that was leverage more for conservation
that was leverage more for conservation and energy efficiency
and energy efficiency
and energy efficiency someone can Google that if you want
someone can Google that if you want
someone can Google that if you want even Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution
even Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution
even Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution was accomplished by accelerating
was accomplished by accelerating
was accomplished by accelerating respiration in the form of fertilizers
respiration in the form of fertilizers
respiration in the form of fertilizers and pesticides and mechanized farming
and pesticides and mechanized farming
and pesticides and mechanized farming and even our responses right now they
and even our responses right now they
and even our responses right now they still are on that respiration side in
still are on that respiration side in
still are on that respiration side in the form of trying to divert some of
the form of trying to divert some of
the form of trying to divert some of that innovation into you know
that innovation into you know
that innovation into you know technologies and behaviors that limit or
technologies and behaviors that limit or
technologies and behaviors that limit or or eliminate respiration things like
or eliminate respiration things like
or eliminate respiration things like renewable energy and fortunately this is
renewable energy and fortunately this is
renewable energy and fortunately this is you know been a lot of this has been
you know been a lot of this has been
you know been a lot of this has been pretty successful but I want to ask you
pretty successful but I want to ask you
pretty successful but I want to ask you for a second late what if we would
for a second late what if we would
for a second late what if we would expand that scope just a little bit
expand that scope just a little bit
expand that scope just a little bit further what if we were to realize for a
further what if we were to realize for a
further what if we were to realize for a second like that traveler that we were
second like that traveler that we were
second like that traveler that we were already on the other side of the river
already on the other side of the river
already on the other side of the river what if we were to look at
what if we were to look at
what if we were to look at photosynthesis the same way we looked at
photosynthesis the same way we looked at
photosynthesis the same way we looked at respiration so not as something static
respiration so not as something static
respiration so not as something static or fixed or to be you know conserved and
or fixed or to be you know conserved and
or fixed or to be you know conserved and protected against this horrible
protected against this horrible
protected against this horrible onslaught of respiration but it’s
onslaught of respiration but it’s
onslaught of respiration but it’s dynamic and open to the same sorts of
dynamic and open to the same sorts of
dynamic and open to the same sorts of innovations for the same sorts of
innovations for the same sorts of
innovations for the same sorts of economic and functional advantages and
economic and functional advantages and
economic and functional advantages and with the same sorts of accelerated
with the same sorts of accelerated
with the same sorts of accelerated impacts and the good news is it’s
impacts and the good news is it’s
impacts and the good news is it’s already happening technologies are
already happening technologies are
already happening technologies are already being developed and things like
already being developed and things like
already being developed and things like bio mimicking photosynthesis with
bio mimicking photosynthesis with
bio mimicking photosynthesis with artificial leaves or turbocharging
artificial leaves or turbocharging
artificial leaves or turbocharging photosynthesis in the field while at the
photosynthesis in the field while at the
photosynthesis in the field while at the same time reducing respiration in the
same time reducing respiration in the
same time reducing respiration in the form of you know fertilizers and
form of you know fertilizers and
form of you know fertilizers and pesticides and indoor agricultural
pesticides and indoor agricultural
pesticides and indoor agricultural approaches sort of industrialized
approaches sort of industrialized
approaches sort of industrialized agriculture and both around traditional
agriculture and both around traditional
agriculture and both around traditional crops but also new high efficiency crops
crops but also new high efficiency crops
crops but also new high efficiency crops like algae and bacteria these
like algae and bacteria these
like algae and bacteria these technologies are expanding
technologies are expanding
technologies are expanding photosynthesis and turbocharging it so
photosynthesis and turbocharging it so
photosynthesis and turbocharging it so in the same way that we used innovation
in the same way that we used innovation
in the same way that we used innovation to figure out how to take essentially
to figure out how to take essentially
to figure out how to take essentially the respiratory power of hundreds of
the respiratory power of hundreds of
the respiratory power of hundreds of horses and cram that into the hood of
horses and cram that into the hood of
horses and cram that into the hood of your car we can industrialize
your car we can industrialize
your car we can industrialize photosynthesis and take the carbon
photosynthesis and take the carbon
photosynthesis and take the carbon reduction power of hundreds of acres of
reduction power of hundreds of acres of
reduction power of hundreds of acres of agriculture and compress that into an
agriculture and compress that into an
agriculture and compress that into an area the size of a basketball court
area the size of a basketball court
area the size of a basketball court and these impacts go beyond just carbon
and these impacts go beyond just carbon
and these impacts go beyond just carbon and economics these could be you know
and economics these could be you know
and economics these could be you know critical tools for meeting a future food
critical tools for meeting a future food
critical tools for meeting a future food system shocks because they’re actually
system shocks because they’re actually
system shocks because they’re actually insulated from a lot of those climatic
insulated from a lot of those climatic
insulated from a lot of those climatic effects and they can expand farming to
effects and they can expand farming to
effects and they can expand farming to areas where we can’t currently farm like
areas where we can’t currently farm like
areas where we can’t currently farm like the Arctic so to put this in a broad
the Arctic so to put this in a broad
the Arctic so to put this in a broad global perspective converting even just
global perspective converting even just
global perspective converting even just one-fifth of current agriculture do
one-fifth of current agriculture do
one-fifth of current agriculture do these sorts of industrialized
these sorts of industrialized
these sorts of industrialized photosynthetic approaches leveraging
photosynthetic approaches leveraging
photosynthetic approaches leveraging these high efficiency crops like algae
these high efficiency crops like algae
these high efficiency crops like algae and plugged into low carbon energy
and plugged into low carbon energy
and plugged into low carbon energy sources like wind or hydro or nuclear
sources like wind or hydro or nuclear
sources like wind or hydro or nuclear would be the equivalent of taking more
would be the equivalent of taking more
would be the equivalent of taking more than half I’m talking more than half of
than half I’m talking more than half of
than half I’m talking more than half of all the world’s cars off the road the
all the world’s cars off the road the
all the world’s cars off the road the land-use impacts are equally dramatic
land-use impacts are equally dramatic
land-use impacts are equally dramatic you can essentially take a production
you can essentially take a production
you can essentially take a production area the size of India and compress that
area the size of India and compress that
area the size of India and compress that into an area the size of Rhode Island so
into an area the size of Rhode Island so
into an area the size of Rhode Island so in the 70s the Green Revolution saved us
in the 70s the Green Revolution saved us
in the 70s the Green Revolution saved us from starving but it did so with carbon
from starving but it did so with carbon
from starving but it did so with carbon positive agriculture we can have a new
positive agriculture we can have a new
positive agriculture we can have a new green revolution with new technologies
green revolution with new technologies
green revolution with new technologies and address the exact same problems with
and address the exact same problems with
and address the exact same problems with carbon negative agriculture and aligning
carbon negative agriculture and aligning
carbon negative agriculture and aligning these these deep-seated human instincts
these these deep-seated human instincts
these these deep-seated human instincts for growth and innovation and science
for growth and innovation and science
for growth and innovation and science and technology with these countervailing
and technology with these countervailing
and technology with these countervailing Carbon Reduction forces could also help
Carbon Reduction forces could also help
Carbon Reduction forces could also help alleviate our political issue too
alleviate our political issue too
alleviate our political issue too because these technologies they’re
because these technologies they’re
because these technologies they’re neither anti nature nor anti human
neither anti nature nor anti human
neither anti nature nor anti human nature now President Kennedy in one of
nature now President Kennedy in one of
nature now President Kennedy in one of the last speeches he ever gave was to
the last speeches he ever gave was to
the last speeches he ever gave was to the National Academy of Sciences and
the National Academy of Sciences and
the National Academy of Sciences and ended he was talking about this role of
ended he was talking about this role of
ended he was talking about this role of science as a unifier of knowledge but
science as a unifier of knowledge but
science as a unifier of knowledge but also as a crosser of boundaries whether
also as a crosser of boundaries whether
also as a crosser of boundaries whether those boundaries are between the
those boundaries are between the
those boundaries are between the sciences or those boundaries are between
sciences or those boundaries are between
sciences or those boundaries are between nations
nations
nations or those boundaries are between what he
or those boundaries are between what he
or those boundaries are between what he called our our humane and scientific
called our our humane and scientific
called our our humane and scientific concerns we can cross those boundaries
concerns we can cross those boundaries
concerns we can cross those boundaries again right now and I know this for a
again right now and I know this for a
again right now and I know this for a fact because we already are thank you
fact because we already are thank you
fact because we already are thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment