West Virginian Barbara Ellen Smith, author of "Digging our Own Graves - Coal Miners and the Struggle Over Black Lung Disease," advocates for coal communities.

She is urging Senator Manchin to support legislation that aids these communities and facilitates their transition into a climate-resilient future.

Tonje Frydenlund is Snøhetta's Director of Acquisition and Business Development for the Nordics. With over 25 years in architecture, she passionately champions sustainability within the building industry. She chairs both the Research Center on Zero Emission Neighborhoods in Smart Cities and the Norwegian Green Building Council.

A landscape architect by training, Tonje joined Snøhetta in 2001 and has been part of its management since 2004, including serving as Managing Director for Snøhetta Oslo. In this talk, she explains how the industry is adopting advanced technologies and modern solutions for sustainable living.

This talk was given at a TEDx event. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.

Marie Storli leads Rethinking Economics Norway and is a sustainability consultant at Myldring. Passionate about environmental challenges, she holds a master's in environmental economics and climate models. She combines her expertise with a dedication to sharing knowledge through articles, workshops, public speaking, and advising businesses on sustainability strategies. Her primary interests include ecological, social sustainability, and economic history. In this talk, Marie outlines her vision for future sustainable economic models.

This presentation was delivered at an independently organized TEDx event. For more information, visit TEDx.

Xinyi, a Senior 3 student at Nanjing Foreign Language School, is a highly accomplished public speaker. She is the national champion of both the 18th China Daily "21st Century Cup" National English Speech Contest (high school category) and the 2020 "Star of Hope and OUTLOOK SUPERSTARS." Xinyi firmly believes that speaking is essential to discovering a language's true beauty.

Beyond her own success, Xinyi selflessly mentors young speakers at NFLS, constantly refining her tutoring approach. She presides over the school's English Speech Club and excels in both American and Chinese debate. Xinyi is also an experienced host, having led events like the New Year's Eve Light Party and the Foreign Language Festival.

This talk was presented at a TEDx event, an independently organized local community event using the TED conference format. Learn more at TEDx.

Candice Myers, a self-described "waste tragic," unexpectedly entered the waste industry in 2015. Despite a background in hospitality and accounting, the complexities of waste issues captivated her, transforming into a deep passion. This led her to pursue a Bachelor of Sustainability at 38 and a Masters of Environmental Sciences, all while raising three children.

Myers is dedicated to educating others and finding solutions to overconsumption and excess waste. She actively volunteers at litter pickups and builds worm farms, advocating for a shift in perspective: from waste as something to dispose of, to a valuable resource. This talk was presented at a TEDx event, independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.

Despite significant growth in the clean energy sector, achieving 100% renewable power remains a daunting challenge. In this talk, Rolf Wüstenhagen explains the obstacles preventing a clean energy future and expresses his conviction that now is the opportune moment to transition fully to clean power.

Rolf Wüstenhagen, Professor for Management of Renewable Energies at the University of St. Gallen, brings extensive expertise. His background includes serving as a lead author for the IPCC special report on renewable energy and climate change (2008-2011) and as an advisor for the Swiss Federal government’s advisory board for Swiss Energy Strategy 2050 (2011-2015).

This presentation was delivered at a TEDx event. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

Mary Vincent shares how space technologies benefit life on Earth, focusing on protecting people and trees from fires and deforestation amidst climate change.

An entrepreneurial leader, Mary manages a Space Data Analytics and AI Portfolio at Lockheed Martin Space, overseeing data scientists and software engineers. She is also a Tech and Climate Tech Scout, dedicated to mentoring her team. Her teams have won a Space Award and Systems Thinking Award, and she leads the Bay Area Space Sustainability Employee Network.

Mary previously advised companies and spoke globally, including serving as a Stakeholder Judge at the UN Climate Change Conference. Follow her at @maryvincent. This talk was given at a TEDx event; learn more at ted.com/tedx.

Susan Orlean, New Yorker staff writer and author of the best-selling *The Library Book*, visited The Commonwealth Club on October 14, 2021. She discussed her new book, *On Animals*, a collection exploring cross-species connections and animals' central role in human life. Orlean shared her lifelong fascination with human-animal interaction.

She was joined by journalist Julia Flynn Siler. The Commonwealth Club, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum, hosts diverse speakers at over 400 annual events.

Explore more from The Commonwealth Club: Subscribe | Upcoming Events | Become a Member | Donate | Watch & Listen | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Join the Commonwealth Club on October 18, 2021, for a critical discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world seeks to end this public health crisis, businesses are navigating mandates and playing a vital role in community safety and vaccination efforts.

A panel of business and healthcare leaders, generously supported by Kaiser Permanente, will explore how the private sector can collaborate to combat the pandemic and foster economic recovery. They will discuss effective strategies and responses to mandates.

The Commonwealth Club of California, the nation's largest public affairs forum, hosts this event. For more information, upcoming events, and to support our mission, visit commonwealthclub.org.

The 22nd annual Brower Youth Awards, a two-part virtual event, celebrated six young environmental leaders. The Q&A with winners was held virtually on October 19, 2021.

The 2021 theme, "Our Power," highlighted the unique strength of this generation to mobilize environmental activism and drive cultural paradigm shifts. These leaders embody the ability to create significant effect during environmental peril.

A flagship event of the New Leaders Initiative, the Brower Youth Awards has recognized outstanding youth environmental leaders since 2000. The national award is presented by Earth Island Institute. Learn more at broweryouthawards.org.

Adam Dorr, an environmental social scientist and technology theorist at RethinkX, believes we already possess the technology and power to address climate change, fostering unprecedented optimism. His current research focuses on how new energy generation, storage, transportation, and food technologies are disrupting global sectors and their combined implications for climate change.

Dorr completed his MS at the University of Michigan and his PhD at UCLA, specializing in environmental politics, policy, and planning around disruptive technologies. This content relates to a TEDx event; learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

Globally, three billion people rely on inefficient open fires for daily cooking, primarily burning firewood. This practice leads to significant health, safety, and deforestation issues.

In late 2014, research by Fabio Parigi, Climate Healers, and the University of Iowa in Rajasthan, India, led to the Mewar Angithi. This $1 insert converts traditional inefficient cookstoves into high-efficiency units.

Since 2014, the Mewar Angithi has positively impacted over 25,000 lives in India, Ghana, and Kenya, a testament to the work of Dr. Fabio Parigi, Dr. Sailesh Rao, and Professor H.S. Udaykumar. This initiative was highlighted in a TEDx talk. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

Fashion designer and international manufacturing consultant Aleem Arif discusses how the industry can tackle global waste, asserting that "waste can be fashionable."

Arif, who holds a Masters in International Business from Boston University, founded Bano eeMee, a sustainable luxury leather brand. He was named Best Emerging Fashion Designer from North America in 2015 and showcased his work in Paris.

Currently, he consults for high-end brands, connecting North American markets with quality South Asian suppliers. This talk was presented at a TEDx event. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.

Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology offers a vital innovation for limiting global warming and achieving climate goals. Its climate relevance, however, requires a far-reaching carbon revolution.

Christoph Beuttler, Carbon Dioxide Removal Manager at Climeworks, is an international expert in Negative Emissions and CO2 utilization policy. He also works with the Risk Dialogue Foundation, is a founding Board Member of the Negative Emissions Platform, and lectures at ETH Zürich.

This talk was delivered at an independently organized TEDx event. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

Australia's economic backbone, its farmers, are struggling, a reality largely unknown to most Australians. Local student Marni Zammataro, raised on a rural Queensland cattle property, sheds light on these daily challenges.

In her talk, Marni reveals the profound impact on farmers and outlines ways we can help. Despite attending boarding school in Brisbane, she remains deeply connected to her rural roots and values, using her platform to advocate for her community.

This presentation was delivered at an independently organized TEDx event. Learn more about TEDx at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

This episode, dropping October 22, 2021, features Kathy Baughman McLeod (Atlantic Council). She discusses extreme heat risks, insurance solutions, and global climate resilience. Learn more at One Billion Resilient and follow her Twitter. Listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Podbean.

The Art House welcomes Marissa Slaven, author of the eco-thriller "Code Red." Learn more at Stormbird Press and on Twitter. Our Good News Report highlights Flannery Winchester (CCL) on carbon fee and dividend progress.

Share feedback at 518.595.9414 or radio@citizensclimate.org. Connect via Facebook or Twitter. Find Citizens’ Climate Radio on Spotify, Stitcher, and major podcast platforms.

Rowan Byrne, a Marine Biologist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, will discuss ocean plastics, explaining their impact on marine life and civilization. His extensive career includes shark research, sea turtle conservation, and pioneering satellite tracking of leatherback turtles from Dominica to Ireland.

As Marine Plastics Lead for Mott MacDonald, Rowan drives global research and solutions for marine plastic challenges. He champions collaboration with industry and governments to integrate environmental considerations. His work earned him the IEMA Sustainability Leader of the Year Award in 2020 and media recognition for installing Seabins at Howth Harbour.

This talk was given at a TEDx event. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.

Food is vital for human survival. Accelerating global warming necessitates urgent action.

This presentation was delivered at a TEDx event, independently organized by a local community. For more information, visit https://www.ted.com/tedx.

This TEDx talk is flagged as it represents the speaker's personal views on plant medicines, not medical advice, and falls outside TEDx content guidelines. TEDx events are independently organized; learn more about these guidelines here.

Dr. Sandra Clair, a highly qualified Registered Medical Herbalist and founder of Artemis, challenges the 'lack of evidence' claim for plant-based medicines. She asserts that ample longstanding clinical proof supports their efficacy, advocating for global access to traditional plant medicine for human health.

With a background in Switzerland, where plant medicine is mainstream, and a PhD in Health Sciences, Dr. Clair dedicates her research to validating centuries-old plant medicine expertise for modern healthcare. Learn more about TEDx here.

Society faces an existential crisis: 84% fossil fuel energy drives catastrophic climate change and pollution, causing one in six deaths. Extreme light applied to nuclear energy could offer a solution, activating materials like thorium or boron for abundant, waste-free, and radiation-free power.

This innovative path draws on the work of Nobel laureate Gérard Albert Mourou. The French physicist co-invented a laser amplification technique, earning him the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics. His invention also enabled refractive femtosecond eye surgery, used on over a million patients annually. This talk was given at a TEDx event. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.