[Music] this is a story that really begins here
this is a story that really begins here
this is a story that really begins here standing in the middle of this photo
standing in the middle of this photo
standing in the middle of this photo with her message held high is my mum and
with her message held high is my mum and
with her message held high is my mum and to her left is an awkward scraggly mop
to her left is an awkward scraggly mop
to her left is an awkward scraggly mop of hair that is unfortunately me we are
of hair that is unfortunately me we are
of hair that is unfortunately me we are standing at a rally for action on
standing at a rally for action on
standing at a rally for action on climate change in the run-up to the 15th
climate change in the run-up to the 15th
climate change in the run-up to the 15th UN climate conference now despite
UN climate conference now despite
UN climate conference now despite everything that my mum taught me by the
everything that my mum taught me by the
everything that my mum taught me by the time that I had arrived at University I
time that I had arrived at University I
time that I had arrived at University I had successfully pushed the threat of
had successfully pushed the threat of
had successfully pushed the threat of climate change to the back of my mind it
climate change to the back of my mind it
climate change to the back of my mind it can be such an overwhelming problem that
can be such an overwhelming problem that
can be such an overwhelming problem that I had taken the failsafe approach of
I had taken the failsafe approach of
I had taken the failsafe approach of putting my head firmly in the sand in
putting my head firmly in the sand in
putting my head firmly in the sand in other words I had put it somewhere near
other words I had put it somewhere near
other words I had put it somewhere near the bottom of my very long list of
the bottom of my very long list of
the bottom of my very long list of things that I would eventually get
things that I would eventually get
things that I would eventually get around to addressing and so it wasn’t
around to addressing and so it wasn’t
around to addressing and so it wasn’t until I sat in one of my first
until I sat in one of my first
until I sat in one of my first university classes that that all came
university classes that that all came
university classes that that all came rushing back the assignment that we’ve
rushing back the assignment that we’ve
rushing back the assignment that we’ve been given was to design a structure
been given was to design a structure
been given was to design a structure that would help protect the city from
that would help protect the city from
that would help protect the city from rising sea levels and it completely
rising sea levels and it completely
rising sea levels and it completely freaked me out it became this really
freaked me out it became this really
freaked me out it became this really sobering moment I suddenly remembered
sobering moment I suddenly remembered
sobering moment I suddenly remembered standing at this rally in fact I
standing at this rally in fact I
standing at this rally in fact I realised that six years had passed and
realised that six years had passed and
realised that six years had passed and we were still facing the same problem I
we were still facing the same problem I
we were still facing the same problem I suddenly wondered if we were a
suddenly wondered if we were a
suddenly wondered if we were a generation who are going to spend their
generation who are going to spend their
generation who are going to spend their careers trying to remedy the
careers trying to remedy the
careers trying to remedy the environmental disasters that we humans
environmental disasters that we humans
environmental disasters that we humans were responsible for creating and so
were responsible for creating and so
were responsible for creating and so this experience coupled with the
this experience coupled with the
this experience coupled with the articles that we were being given to
articles that we were being given to
articles that we were being given to read by environmentalists such as Bill
read by environmentalists such as Bill
read by environmentalists such as Bill McKibben and theorists such as Jerry
McKibben and theorists such as Jerry
McKibben and theorists such as Jerry Rifkin became this sort of catalyst that
Rifkin became this sort of catalyst that
Rifkin became this sort of catalyst that kicked me into action I became hungry to
kicked me into action I became hungry to
kicked me into action I became hungry to understand what was causing our climate
understand what was causing our climate
understand what was causing our climate to change but more importantly what I
to change but more importantly what I
to change but more importantly what I really wanted to know is what can we as
really wanted to know is what can we as
really wanted to know is what can we as individuals do to have a positive impact
individuals do to have a positive impact
individuals do to have a positive impact on the problem and so I did what we all
on the problem and so I did what we all
on the problem and so I did what we all do when we have a burning question that
do when we have a burning question that
do when we have a burning question that we desperately want the answer to I
we desperately want the answer to I
we desperately want the answer to I googled it and one of the first links
googled it and one of the first links
googled it and one of the first links that came up was to Vice President Al
that came up was to Vice President Al
that came up was to Vice President Al Gore’s climate leadership camps it was
Gore’s climate leadership camps it was
Gore’s climate leadership camps it was this weekend long retreat to be held in
this weekend long retreat to be held in
this weekend long retreat to be held in Cedar Rapids Iowa and the goal according
Cedar Rapids Iowa and the goal according
Cedar Rapids Iowa and the goal according to the website was to give participants
to the website was to give participants
to the website was to give participants an in-depth understanding of the problem
an in-depth understanding of the problem
an in-depth understanding of the problem and to equip them with the tools they
and to equip them with the tools they
and to equip them with the tools they needed to be a leader within their
needed to be a leader within their
needed to be a leader within their community and so without second thought
community and so without second thought
community and so without second thought I signed up and I booked my plane ticket
I signed up and I booked my plane ticket
I signed up and I booked my plane ticket what I saw and what I learned during
what I saw and what I learned during
what I saw and what I learned during that short weekend blew me away
that short weekend blew me away
that short weekend blew me away I met Indies here as young as 12 had
I met Indies here as young as 12 had
I met Indies here as young as 12 had persuaded their parents and that
persuaded their parents and that
persuaded their parents and that teachers to take them I learned about
teachers to take them I learned about
teachers to take them I learned about shatters cat Martinez the 17 year old
shatters cat Martinez the 17 year old
shatters cat Martinez the 17 year old environmentalist from Colorado who is
environmentalist from Colorado who is
environmentalist from Colorado who is currently suing the US federal
currently suing the US federal
currently suing the US federal government along with 21 other
government along with 21 other
government along with 21 other plaintiffs for violating their right to
plaintiffs for violating their right to
plaintiffs for violating their right to life liberty and the pursuit of
life liberty and the pursuit of
life liberty and the pursuit of happiness he spoke at the UN in 2015 and
happiness he spoke at the UN in 2015 and
happiness he spoke at the UN in 2015 and he is the youth director of his
he is the youth director of his
he is the youth director of his organization earth Guardians I learned
organization earth Guardians I learned
organization earth Guardians I learned about boy and slap the 21 year old
about boy and slap the 21 year old
about boy and slap the 21 year old environmentalist an inventor whose
environmentalist an inventor whose
environmentalist an inventor whose desire for a system of cleaning plastic
desire for a system of cleaning plastic
desire for a system of cleaning plastic waste from the oceans has already raised
waste from the oceans has already raised
waste from the oceans has already raised more than two million dollars in support
more than two million dollars in support
more than two million dollars in support for his organization the ocean cleanup
for his organization the ocean cleanup
for his organization the ocean cleanup and I learn about Isabel and Malati
and I learn about Isabel and Malati
and I learn about Isabel and Malati Woodson the 15 and 13 year old sisters
Woodson the 15 and 13 year old sisters
Woodson the 15 and 13 year old sisters who are campaigning and successfully
who are campaigning and successfully
who are campaigning and successfully changing policy to ban the use of
changing policy to ban the use of
changing policy to ban the use of plastic bags on their island of Bali in
plastic bags on their island of Bali in
plastic bags on their island of Bali in Indonesia and so it’s fair to say that I
Indonesia and so it’s fair to say that I
Indonesia and so it’s fair to say that I left that weekend with this newfound
left that weekend with this newfound
left that weekend with this newfound sense of optimism because what I saw was
sense of optimism because what I saw was
sense of optimism because what I saw was a generation who were keen to learn as
a generation who were keen to learn as
a generation who were keen to learn as much as they could about the
much as they could about the
much as they could about the environmental threats we face a
environmental threats we face a
environmental threats we face a generation who were eager to educate
generation who were eager to educate
generation who were eager to educate others and to inspire action on a bigger
others and to inspire action on a bigger
others and to inspire action on a bigger scale than we’ve seen before
scale than we’ve seen before
scale than we’ve seen before but most importantly I left that weekend
but most importantly I left that weekend
but most importantly I left that weekend with an answer to that question that I
with an answer to that question that I
with an answer to that question that I have been asking what can we do as
have been asking what can we do as
have been asking what can we do as individuals to have a positive impact on
individuals to have a positive impact on
individuals to have a positive impact on our changing climate and the answer
our changing climate and the answer
our changing climate and the answer breaks down into three really simple
breaks down into three really simple
breaks down into three really simple actions the first one is that we must
actions the first one is that we must
actions the first one is that we must educate both ourselves and those around
educate both ourselves and those around
educate both ourselves and those around us on the reality of the situation we
us on the reality of the situation we
us on the reality of the situation we must engage with the science and look at
must engage with the science and look at
must engage with the science and look at the evidence of the changes that are
the evidence of the changes that are
the evidence of the changes that are occurring when I got back from that
occurring when I got back from that
occurring when I got back from that short weekend I wanted to shout about
short weekend I wanted to shout about
short weekend I wanted to shout about what I had learned from a mountaintop
what I had learned from a mountaintop
what I had learned from a mountaintop but I didn’t have a mountain so instead
but I didn’t have a mountain so instead
but I didn’t have a mountain so instead I reached out to my brother Jack he is a
I reached out to my brother Jack he is a
I reached out to my brother Jack he is a filmmaker and a photographer and before
filmmaker and a photographer and before
filmmaker and a photographer and before I had arrived at university we had spent
I had arrived at university we had spent
I had arrived at university we had spent four years traveling and making films
four years traveling and making films
four years traveling and making films for a popular online blog whoo jazz gap
for a popular online blog whoo jazz gap
for a popular online blog whoo jazz gap we decided together that we would make a
we decided together that we would make a
we decided together that we would make a film that documented the very real
film that documented the very real
film that documented the very real effects that climate change is having on
effects that climate change is having on
effects that climate change is having on our planet today and so very ambitiously
our planet today and so very ambitiously
our planet today and so very ambitiously we typed out an email to the World
we typed out an email to the World
we typed out an email to the World Wildlife Fund and to our amazement they
Wildlife Fund and to our amazement they
Wildlife Fund and to our amazement they gave us the opportunity to join them on
gave us the opportunity to join them on
gave us the opportunity to join them on a scientific research trip
a scientific research trip
a scientific research trip traveling to Greenland we would be there
traveling to Greenland we would be there
traveling to Greenland we would be there to witness and to record the
to witness and to record the
to witness and to record the increasingly rapid decline of
increasingly rapid decline of
increasingly rapid decline of Greenland’s ice sheet and surrounding
Greenland’s ice sheet and surrounding
Greenland’s ice sheet and surrounding sea ice we helped download time-lapse
sea ice we helped download time-lapse
sea ice we helped download time-lapse data of one of the world’s fastest
data of one of the world’s fastest
data of one of the world’s fastest retreating glaciers these two cameras
retreating glaciers these two cameras
retreating glaciers these two cameras take a picture every 30 minutes of the
take a picture every 30 minutes of the
take a picture every 30 minutes of the front of yaacov sovereign Galatia
front of yaacov sovereign Galatia
front of yaacov sovereign Galatia scientists use this data to monitor and
scientists use this data to monitor and
scientists use this data to monitor and to record the rapid changes that are
to record the rapid changes that are
to record the rapid changes that are occurring as a result of a warmer global
occurring as a result of a warmer global
occurring as a result of a warmer global temperature and we spent the night
temperature and we spent the night
temperature and we spent the night camping on a ledge of ice overlooking
camping on a ledge of ice overlooking
camping on a ledge of ice overlooking this glass year and all we could hear
this glass year and all we could hear
this glass year and all we could hear was the eerie cracking noise as large
was the eerie cracking noise as large
was the eerie cracking noise as large chunks of ice carved off the front and
chunks of ice carved off the front and
chunks of ice carved off the front and crashed into the water below we also
crashed into the water below we also
crashed into the water below we also helped install and download the data
helped install and download the data
helped install and download the data from scientific monitoring stay
from scientific monitoring stay
from scientific monitoring stay out on the Greenland ice sheet this
out on the Greenland ice sheet this
out on the Greenland ice sheet this experiment has been running for more
experiment has been running for more
experiment has been running for more than 20 years and during that time it is
than 20 years and during that time it is
than 20 years and during that time it is measured more than a hundred and forty
measured more than a hundred and forty
measured more than a hundred and forty feet of melt to give you a sense of
feet of melt to give you a sense of
feet of melt to give you a sense of scale that is the equivalent height of
scale that is the equivalent height of
scale that is the equivalent height of ten double-decker buses after green on
ten double-decker buses after green on
ten double-decker buses after green on we traveled to London where we joined
we traveled to London where we joined
we traveled to London where we joined the London climate March we filmed it
the London climate March we filmed it
the London climate March we filmed it and we did this all in the run-up to the
and we did this all in the run-up to the
and we did this all in the run-up to the UN Paris climate conference we cut the
UN Paris climate conference we cut the
UN Paris climate conference we cut the entire film together and we shared it
entire film together and we shared it
entire film together and we shared it onto the blog that my brother and I run
onto the blog that my brother and I run
onto the blog that my brother and I run and we were mind blown by the experience
and we were mind blown by the experience
and we were mind blown by the experience over a million young people watched it
over a million young people watched it
over a million young people watched it within the first three months of it
within the first three months of it
within the first three months of it going online it turned out the Internet
going online it turned out the Internet
going online it turned out the Internet was a mountain to shout from in fact it
was a mountain to shout from in fact it
was a mountain to shout from in fact it was better it gave us a platform to
was better it gave us a platform to
was better it gave us a platform to connect with a global audience and to
connect with a global audience and to
connect with a global audience and to start a conversation around something
start a conversation around something
start a conversation around something that mattered the second action is to
that mattered the second action is to
that mattered the second action is to organize because when we unite under one
organize because when we unite under one
organize because when we unite under one goal we significantly increase our
goal we significantly increase our
goal we significantly increase our chances of achieving it we all have a
chances of achieving it we all have a
chances of achieving it we all have a right to free speech and a right to
right to free speech and a right to
right to free speech and a right to peaceful protest and we should use it in
peaceful protest and we should use it in
peaceful protest and we should use it in fact when you look back at the history
fact when you look back at the history
fact when you look back at the history of some of the greatest social movements
of some of the greatest social movements
of some of the greatest social movements whether it is the fight for women’s
whether it is the fight for women’s
whether it is the fight for women’s rights abolitionism or anti-apartheid
rights abolitionism or anti-apartheid
rights abolitionism or anti-apartheid some of their greatest victories were
some of their greatest victories were
some of their greatest victories were made when a critical mass took to the
made when a critical mass took to the
made when a critical mass took to the streets to peacefully demand change in
streets to peacefully demand change in
streets to peacefully demand change in fact the women’s march that happened at
fact the women’s march that happened at
fact the women’s march that happened at the beginning of this year is a great
the beginning of this year is a great
the beginning of this year is a great example of the power of demonstration
example of the power of demonstration
example of the power of demonstration more than four million men women and
more than four million men women and
more than four million men women and children took to the streets to
children took to the streets to
children took to the streets to peacefully demand change and their
peacefully demand change and their
peacefully demand change and their voices ignited a global movement that is
voices ignited a global movement that is
voices ignited a global movement that is just getting started and so encouraging
just getting started and so encouraging
just getting started and so encouraging your family or your friends to join you
your family or your friends to join you
your family or your friends to join you on local marches or rallies is a really
on local marches or rallies is a really
on local marches or rallies is a really great way to begin by organizing even
great way to begin by organizing even
great way to begin by organizing even mister Vice President Al Gore still
mister Vice President Al Gore still
mister Vice President Al Gore still makes it out to every March he can we
makes it out to every March he can we
makes it out to every March he can we can also interpret this action in other
can also interpret this action in other
can also interpret this action in other ways right now as I speak our world
ways right now as I speak our world
ways right now as I speak our world leaders are meeting in Germany for the
leaders are meeting in Germany for the
leaders are meeting in Germany for the 23rd UN climate conference – this
23rd UN climate conference – this
23rd UN climate conference – this gasps their commitments to climate
gasps their commitments to climate
gasps their commitments to climate change the last action is to lead as in
change the last action is to lead as in
change the last action is to lead as in to lead by example we all have the
to lead by example we all have the
to lead by example we all have the capacity in the approach that we take to
capacity in the approach that we take to
capacity in the approach that we take to our work and our day-to-day life to make
our work and our day-to-day life to make
our work and our day-to-day life to make a change that has a more positive impact
a change that has a more positive impact
a change that has a more positive impact on the environment around us and this
on the environment around us and this
on the environment around us and this isn’t a change that is a sacrifice in
isn’t a change that is a sacrifice in
isn’t a change that is a sacrifice in fact they can often have a more
fact they can often have a more
fact they can often have a more beneficial impact on our lives as a
beneficial impact on our lives as a
beneficial impact on our lives as a group of students at Parsons School of
group of students at Parsons School of
group of students at Parsons School of Design we were recently given the
Design we were recently given the
Design we were recently given the opportunity by the New York Department
opportunity by the New York Department
opportunity by the New York Department of Transport and by the school to
of Transport and by the school to
of Transport and by the school to replace two car parking spaces in the
replace two car parking spaces in the
replace two car parking spaces in the middle of Manhattan with a temporary
middle of Manhattan with a temporary
middle of Manhattan with a temporary public seating structure and so we
public seating structure and so we
public seating structure and so we started this project by asking ourselves
started this project by asking ourselves
started this project by asking ourselves what it would look like to take a more
what it would look like to take a more
what it would look like to take a more sustainable approach to building it and
sustainable approach to building it and
sustainable approach to building it and after diving into a bunch of research
after diving into a bunch of research
after diving into a bunch of research and a lot of back-and-forth we designed
and a lot of back-and-forth we designed
and a lot of back-and-forth we designed and built a 40-foot structure made from
and built a 40-foot structure made from
and built a 40-foot structure made from 360 pieces of bamboo bamboo is an
360 pieces of bamboo bamboo is an
360 pieces of bamboo bamboo is an incredibly strong organic material when
incredibly strong organic material when
incredibly strong organic material when it grows is sequester’s carbon dioxide
it grows is sequester’s carbon dioxide
it grows is sequester’s carbon dioxide and it replaces it with roughly 30% more
and it replaces it with roughly 30% more
and it replaces it with roughly 30% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of
oxygen than an equivalent stand of
oxygen than an equivalent stand of hardwood trees when it’s used correctly
hardwood trees when it’s used correctly
hardwood trees when it’s used correctly it has the tensile strength of steel and
it has the tensile strength of steel and
it has the tensile strength of steel and the compressive strength of concrete in
the compressive strength of concrete in
the compressive strength of concrete in fact in countries such as Vietnam
fact in countries such as Vietnam
fact in countries such as Vietnam Indonesia China and Japan this plan has
Indonesia China and Japan this plan has
Indonesia China and Japan this plan has been used to make everything from homes
been used to make everything from homes
been used to make everything from homes to schools and even bridges yet in the
to schools and even bridges yet in the
to schools and even bridges yet in the u.s. despite the fact we can grow it
u.s. despite the fact we can grow it
u.s. despite the fact we can grow it here as a crop we rarely see it the
here as a crop we rarely see it the
here as a crop we rarely see it the frame of our structure has 75 plants
frame of our structure has 75 plants
frame of our structure has 75 plants which create a natural divide between
which create a natural divide between
which create a natural divide between the road and the sidewalk
the road and the sidewalk
the road and the sidewalk each plant hangs in a planter made from
each plant hangs in a planter made from
each plant hangs in a planter made from recycled plastic bottle fibers adding
recycled plastic bottle fibers adding
recycled plastic bottle fibers adding vegetation to our cities helps reduce a
vegetation to our cities helps reduce a
vegetation to our cities helps reduce a phenomena known as the urban heat island
phenomena known as the urban heat island
phenomena known as the urban heat island effect and it helps absorb stormwater
effect and it helps absorb stormwater
effect and it helps absorb stormwater runoff which often leads to the
runoff which often leads to the
runoff which often leads to the pollution of our local waterways the
pollution of our local waterways the
pollution of our local waterways the result is a new space in the city that
result is a new space in the city that
result is a new space in the city that is open to
is open to
is open to every one this little section of road
every one this little section of road
every one this little section of road that was once dominated by two parked
that was once dominated by two parked
that was once dominated by two parked cars becomes a hub of social activity
cars becomes a hub of social activity
cars becomes a hub of social activity throughout the day and at night the
throughout the day and at night the
throughout the day and at night the solar panels that we mounted to the
solar panels that we mounted to the
solar panels that we mounted to the frame provide energy that light up the
frame provide energy that light up the
frame provide energy that light up the plants we really wanted this space to
plants we really wanted this space to
plants we really wanted this space to start a conversation around alternative
start a conversation around alternative
start a conversation around alternative sources of energy and more sustainable
sources of energy and more sustainable
sources of energy and more sustainable methods of building and to our amazement
methods of building and to our amazement
methods of building and to our amazement despite it being a student-led project
despite it being a student-led project
despite it being a student-led project it was featured on the front page of
it was featured on the front page of
it was featured on the front page of design boom and reviewed by the New York
design boom and reviewed by the New York
design boom and reviewed by the New York Times throughout this whole process I
Times throughout this whole process I
Times throughout this whole process I have learned that creativity is a
have learned that creativity is a
have learned that creativity is a powerful tool for impact you don’t need
powerful tool for impact you don’t need
powerful tool for impact you don’t need expensive equipment and you don’t need
expensive equipment and you don’t need
expensive equipment and you don’t need to be a professional artist
to be a professional artist
to be a professional artist we can use creativity through film and
we can use creativity through film and
we can use creativity through film and photography to better inform and to
photography to better inform and to
photography to better inform and to activate those around us and we can use
activate those around us and we can use
activate those around us and we can use it through design to reframe complex
it through design to reframe complex
it through design to reframe complex problems and imagine new and exciting
problems and imagine new and exciting
problems and imagine new and exciting solutions to solving them I’ve also
solutions to solving them I’ve also
solutions to solving them I’ve also learned that we all have the capacity to
learned that we all have the capacity to
learned that we all have the capacity to use our voice and start a conversation
use our voice and start a conversation
use our voice and start a conversation around something that matters find
around something that matters find
around something that matters find something that you are passionate about
something that you are passionate about
something that you are passionate about something that you think deserves more
something that you think deserves more
something that you think deserves more attention preferably the environment and
attention preferably the environment and
attention preferably the environment and use your voice and the resources around
use your voice and the resources around
use your voice and the resources around you to educate organize and lead by
you to educate organize and lead by
you to educate organize and lead by example
example
example [Applause]
”
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