Kristin Pedemonti: Bringing Joy To Everyday Moments

In this short TED talk audition, Kristin Pedemonti urges us to say, ‘Yes!’ to opportunities for joy. She suggests that seemingly small insignificant acts of sharing joy can be much bigger than we think. Don't forget - always carry bottles of bubbles and your "free hugs" sign with you wherever you go.

Atamai Village

The Atamai permaculture community was set up on the principle that it takes a village to live sustainably - it is too difficult to do it on your own. Members of this community have come together to deal with the impacts of climate change, energy shortages and the social and economic challenges that are likely to follow these changes. "You don't want to wait until the signs are so obvious because then it is too late."

Website: Atamai Village (New Zealand)

Eco Homes: Small Holdings In Wales

The Tir y Gafel ecovillage aspires to be a replicable model for low-impact development in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Nine families lived there at the time of this filming. They are self sustainable: living off the grid, producing food, having built low impact houses using alternative energy sources.

They are taking advantage of legislation in Wales which allows low impact sustainable communities to go build eco-small holdings on open countryside. Under the TAN 6 Policy Guidance (Welsh Assembly Government), there is now a planning framework which accommodates low-impact development. Think of it as getting a little help and encouragement from the government to live off the land. And bring the land BACK!

Using permaculture techniques, they are making marginally productive land into maximally food producing land. They are aiming for a 40% increase in productivity. They have plenty of volunteers who simply want to learn the techniques to be able to live this way. Says one resident: "I don't think governments are going to provide the solution to the challenges. I don't think our economic system or our corporate structures are going to provide the solutions we need. I think solutions are going to come from people."

Website: Lammas

Regreening The Landscape With Fukuoka's Seed Balls

The Center of Natural Farming in Greece is a permaculture paradise inspired by the teachings of Japanese philosopher and the founder of Natural Gardening, Masanobu Fukuoka. It was started in 1998 by Payanitis Manikis, and is located 2 kilometers from the city of Edessa. No soil is tilled, no artificial fertilizers or pesticides are used, and hundreds of different plants and animals live side by side in natural symbiosis and harmony.

A remarkable part of this video is where see the result of the thousands of seed balls tossed by volunteers from the center into barren hills of southern Greece that were destroyed by fire, around the 5 minute mark. Very inspiring to see first a little green action, then a landscape covered in green thanks to Fukuoka's amazing creation.

Seed balls are seeds encased in a clay ball that hardens enough so that it can be tossed without falling apart. When the rains come, it becomes wet enough to begin germinating wherever it landed. Now those hills are blooming again. Good ideas travel all over the world!