Lauren Singer
TED Talks and TEDx Talks are a great way to spend 10 to 20 minutes learning new things or to get inspired. The only danger for me is that I go down a rabbit hole. Three hours later and I am still watching non-stop. But, I don’t think that’s a bad use of my time to be honest. If you are looking for some great talks, here is a list of some of my favorites. The topics include veganism, minimalism, zero-waste, environment and sustainability, and feminism/female empowerment.
Vegan
I feel like I talk about Earthling Ed in half of my articles about veganism. He is just such a cool and inspiring person. Ed is known for his amazing debates and clear arguments. So, no wonder he is on my list for the best vegan related TED Talks. Show his two talks Every Argument Against Veganism and The Ostrich Effect: The truth we hide from ourselves to anyone you want to bring closer to veganism. It’s hard to argue against his rational line of thought, so any thinking person should be convinced after listening. Another great talk comes from Leah Garcés, current president of Mercy For Animals. In her talk Turning adversaries into allies she talks about the time she met a chicken farmer and how it made her realize to not hate the person, hate the system.
Minimalist
If you are interested in minimalism, you have probably come across The Minimalists Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. They are among the most famous minimalists with their own Netflix documentary, books, and of course their TED Talk The Art of Letting Go A rich life with less stuff. You can get more inspiration from Jennifer L. Scott and The ten-item wardrobe as well as from Sarah Knight and The Magic of Not Giving F***.
Zero Waste
Going zero-waste can be a daunting task. It definitely can feel very overwhelming at times. Once you start your journey you realize how much plastic and waste we use on a daily basis and how much of it is completely unnecessary. To inspire you to stay on track and stay motivated check out Lauren Singer’s Why I live a zero-waste life or Bea Johnson’s Two adults, two kids, zero waste. Seeing these ladies produce a single jar of waste in a year gave me such a push to do better and do my part in reducing the trash I put out into the world.
Environment
When talking about the environment, you can’t not mention Greta Thunberg. The Swedish teenager has inspired an entire generation and is leading the fight against climate change. The Fridays for Future movement has spread like the wildfires that climate change has caused. Listen to her School strike for climate talk to get inspired by a young girl changing the world.
Feminism
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian-born author whose books are a feminist must-read. We Should All be Feminists is an amazing talk, which she later turned into a book. If you are curious about feminism and wonder how inequality affects us all, no matter our gender, this is a talk for you.
Feminism is not just for women. In our mission for equality we need men to fight alongside us. A great example of a male feminist is Ziauddin Yousafzai. You definitely have heard of his daughter. Malala Yousafzai, who was shot as a young girl by the Taliban because she spoke out against the oppression of girls and their education in Pakistan. Her father has been her biggest supporter. Today, Malala is an outspoken activist, author, and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Price. Listen to her father’s talk My daughter, Malala for inspiration.
Also by Rebecca: 5 Sustainable Online Stores For Zero-Wasters Who Still Like Shopping Now & Then
How Top Vegan Athletes Are Staying Fit During Quarantine
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Photo: Ted Talk; Greta Thunberg
