SUMMARY

19:24 minutes

TED Talks series, FILMED JAN 2010 • POSTED JUN 2010 • TEDxAtlanta

Ellen Dunham-Jones fires the starting shot for the next 50 years' big sustainable design project: retrofitting suburbia. To come: Dying malls rehabilitated, dead "big box" stores re-inhabited, parking lots transformed into thriving wetlands.

GOALS

Dunham-Jones wants to explain how sustainably developing the suburbs can greatly reduce energy use nationwide. 

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION AND TEACHING MATERIALS

From the perspective of climate change, the average urban dweller in the U.S. has about one-third the carbon footprint of the average suburban dweller.” (Ellen Dunham-Jones)

Watch >> TED Talks: Ellen Dunham-Jones: Retrofitting Suburbia

Listen >> TED Talks: Ellen Dunham-Jones: Retrofitting Suburbia

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TEACHING NOTES / CONTEXT FOR USE

This material should be used to explore the area of urban design and developement and the role it plays in a sustainable future.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is at the discretion of the educator and how this video is applied.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

Ellen Dunham-Jones takes an unblinking look at our underperforming suburbs -- and proposes plans for making them livable and sustainable. Full Bio>>