TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a non-profit devoted to sharing “ideas worth spreading.” The TED website, www.ted.com, houses more than 1500 videos or “talks” relating to technology, entertainment, design, business, science, and global issues. Here are a few TED talks that are particularly relevant to food security or sustainability :

1. Mark Bittman: What’s Wrong with What We Eat: New York Times food writer, Mark Bittman, shares how our food choices affect climate and chronic diseases. He suggests that the overconsumption of animals increases our risk for disease and contributes to global warming.
2. Ron Finley: A Guerrilla Gardener in South Central L.A.: Finley lives in South Central Los Angeles, a city overrun by liquor stores, fast food restaurants, and vacant lots. In an attempt to provide healthier food options for his community, Finley builds urban gardens in abandoned lots, traffic medians, and sidewalk corners. Watch his talk to find out why he believes urban gardening is the solution for a supply of nutritional food.
3. Stephen Ritz: Green Bronx Machine: Growing Our Way Into a New Economy: Ritz teaches in South Bronx, New York City and his classroom showcases the first indoor edible wall in the city that feeds about 450 students each year. Ritz taught his students, most of which live below the poverty line, how to install edible walls and green roofs, empowering them to make a difference in their communities. For more information, visit The Edible Schoolyard Project webpage.
4. Britta Riley: A Garden in My Apartment: Riley attempted to grow her own food in her cramped NYC apartment and created window farms, vertical hydroponic platforms designed to grow food indoors. She expanded her project by creating a social media site, publishing the designs with explanations, and asking people all over the world to build and experiment with her.
5. Arthur Potts Dawson: A Vision for Sustainable Restaurants: As the designer of two environmentally sustainable restaurants in London, Acorn House and Water House, Dawson describes how the restaurant industry can be reformed by using clean energy and reducing waste.

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