What, exactly, is sustainability? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that, “Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.”
Productive harmony…pass me my tie-dyed shirt, Ringo.
We hear a lot about sustainability at Emory, especially since it has been identified as one of the University’s top priorities, and often it is difficult for us to appreciate the bigger picture of what sustainability means in our daily lives. Flipping off light switches and recycling soda cans sometimes feels inconsequential when we are more worried about deadlines and paychecks.
However, in the latest in my series on Wade’s Favorite Ted Talks, chef Dan Barber delivers the most compelling sustainability story I have ever heard. Barber, named in 2009 as the Top Chef in America as well as the owner of the world-famous Blue Hill Restaurant in New York City, tells the fascinating story about Veta La Palma, an aquaculture farm in Spain that serves as a model for sustainability.
Even if you are unimpressed by environmentalism, you will be amazed by this presentation. Plus, you will get hungry for some good fish!
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