The Power of IDEAS

Changing the Way We Eat

18 minutes each

INFORM

LaDonna Redmond, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Fred Bahnson, Director, Food, Faith & Religious Leadership Initiative

Simran Sethi, Journalist

Gary Hirshberg, CEO, Stonyfield Farm

Tama Matsuoka Wong, Principal, Meadows and More

Dr. William Li, President, Angiogenesis Foundation

EDUCATE

Anna Lappe, Principal, Small Planet Institute

Annemarie Colbin, CEO, Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts

Peter Lehner, Executive Director, NRDC

Steve Wing, Associate Professor, University of North Carolina

Peter Hoffman, Chef, Back Forty

Bill Yosses, Executive Pastry Chef, The White House

INFORM

Maisie Greenawalt, Vice President of Strategy, Bon Appetit Management

Lindsey Lusher Shute, ExecutiveDirector, National Young Farmers' Coalition

Cheryl Kollin, Principal, Full Plate Ventures

Ann Cooper, Renegade Lunch Lady

David McInerney, Co-Founder, Fresh Direct

Plus 

Music from:

ETHEL

Ulysses Owens Jr. 

Kaki King

Film clips from:

Standing Ground

Food Chains

A Place at the Table

Nine hours later, I can tell you there are a lot of people, who are passionate about changing the way we eat NOW.  I felt like I was on the front line of a movement.   I haven't felt that way in a long time.  

"The front lines of sustainability should be led by those who have been most wounded by the system." Fred Bahnson, author of Soil and Sacrament

"Like seeds, our future is contained within us."

Simran Sethi

"There are 6,000 edible wild plants called weeds we can eat. "

Tama Matsuoka Wong

You have to apply to attend TEDx Manhattan.  I was lucky to be selected for the audience.  In the "What to Expect" section of the brochure, TEDxManhattan implored us  "Don't push your agenda and force your business cards on everyone - just relax and let the amazing TEDx magic happen.  Meet a stranger.  Meet many strangers.  TEDx Manhattan is partly about the talks you'll hear during the day, but equally as important are the people you will meet. Walk up to your fellow attendees and introduce yourself; join the conversations happening around you - make the most our of every minute you have."

I tried to do this.  The speakers were amazing.  No one used notes.  I am in awe of the ability to seemingly speak extemporaneously.  Having given a few talks in my time, I marvel at anyone who is completely at ease on stage in front of an audience.  TEDX  is about "the power of ideas."  I secretly wanted to have my mind blown.  I wanted to leave with a to do list.  I wanted to feel like my feet were barely touching the ground.  Instead, I had my own ideas reinforced.  I wasn't alone.

My expectations were met during the lunch hour. We sat in long tables of 75 - we ate communally and exchanged ideas.  This was when I experienced the power of ideas and the power of TED.  

Out of all the speakers, I think it's worth summarizing what Peter Lehner of NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) had to say about food waste.  

• 40% of all food in the United States goes from farm to fork to landfill.
• The average family wastes $2,000 every year on food not eaten and thrown out.
• 25 pounds of food are thrown out per year per person.
• 1/5 of all food produced goes to landfills.
• 6 billion pounds of crops every year are unharvested and wasted.
• The average supermarket wastes 10% of its food.

The take away... GET TO WORK!