WeWork, once revolutionary in workspaces, education, and housing, ultimately faced financial turmoil. WSJ reporters Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell chronicle this journey in The Cult of We,

WeWork, once revolutionary in workspaces, education, and housing, ultimately faced financial turmoil. WSJ reporters Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell chronicle this journey in The Cult of We, examining tech startup triumphs and failures.

Join co-authors Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell (WSJ reporters, experts in venture capital and IPOs) with moderator Charles Duhigg (The New Yorker) to uncover startup culture's gripping reality. Presented with INFORUM.

The Commonwealth Club of California, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum, hosts over 400 annual events. Explore more: Videos | Events | Membership | Watch/Listen | Facebook | Twitter.

Biologist Sean B. Carroll discusses nature's remarkable ability to rebound, even after significant human impact. He highlights how dedicated conservation efforts, like those at Gorongosa National

Biologist Sean B. Carroll discusses nature's remarkable ability to rebound, even after significant human impact. He highlights how dedicated conservation efforts, like those at Gorongosa National Park, demonstrate our capacity to restore biodiversity and coexist with the natural world. This video explores the power of awareness and action, no matter how small.

Explore more: Reduce caffeine with $20 off MUDWTR and a free frother at MUDWTR.com/bigthink. Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube: youtube.com/BigThink. Watch "Finding meaning at the quantum level": youtu.be/gt0rpqnVdPI. Go deeper with Big Think membership or Big Think+ for Business: members.bigthink.com | bigthink.com/plus.

Microplastics, tiny particles from broken-down plastics, pose a significant environmental and health threat, accumulating in waterways and bodies. Cellugy offers an eco-friendly solution:

Microplastics, tiny particles from broken-down plastics, pose a significant environmental and health threat, accumulating in waterways and bodies. Cellugy offers an eco-friendly solution: cellulose, derived from plants and bacteria. This natural substance, produced at scale for cosmetics and personal care, safely replaces plastic-based ingredients, effectively trapping water, oils, and vitamins while combating plastic pollution.

Cellugy participated in the Biomimicry Institute’s 2023 Ray of Hope Accelerator, a program supporting nature-inspired startups that scale systemic solutions to global environmental challenges. These innovators leverage nature's wisdom to address critical issues. Learn more: Ray of Hope Accelerator | Biomimicry Institute | Cellugy | Cellugy on AskNature

Called “the voice of the resistance” by The New York Times, writer, historian and activist Rebecca Solnit, the author of 20 books on feminism, western and indigenous history, popular

Called “the voice of the resistance” by The New York Times, writer, historian and activist Rebecca Solnit, the author of 20 books on feminism, western and indigenous history, popular power, social change and insurrection, hope and disaster, and most recently Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, will discuss her view that the future will be decided by whether we act in the present—and she says we must act—to counter institutional inertia, fossil fuel interests, and political obstinacy.

Guided by her typical clear-eyed wisdom, Rebecca Solnit will lead our audience from discouragement to possibilities, from climate despair to climate hope. Solnit will be joined by co-editor and climate activist Thelma Young Lutunatabua and native Fijian Fenton Lutunatabua (participating virtually), calling on us to rise to the moment with the benefit of indigenous wisdom and by telling new stories.

In association with Bioneers 2023.

Speaker photo courtesy the speaker; illustrations by David Solnit.

March 22, 2023

Speakers

Rebecca Solnit
Author, Not Too Late, Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility

Introduction by Susan Haymer

Thelma Young Lutunatabua
Climate Activist (Participating via Zoom)

Fenton Lutunatabua
Native Fijian (Participating via Zoom)

Elizabeth Carney
Chair, Business and Leadership Member-led Forum, The Commonwealth Club of California


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The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum 📣, bringing together its 20,000 members for more than 500 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy.

Founded in 1903 in San Francisco California 🌉, The Commonwealth Club has played host to a diverse and distinctive array of speakers, from Teddy Roosevelt in 1911 to Anthony Fauci in 2020.

In addition to the videos🎥 shared here, the Club reaches millions of listeners through its podcast🎙 and weekly national radio program📻.

Companies developing lightweight structural materials seek sustainable alternatives. Strong By Form, a 2022 Ray of Hope Prize participant, offers a solution by applying the natural intelligence of

Companies developing lightweight structural materials seek sustainable alternatives. Strong By Form, a 2022 Ray of Hope Prize participant, offers a solution by applying the natural intelligence of tree structures to engineered wood. Their design-to-manufacturing technology combines digital design, structural optimization, and fabrication to produce lightweight, wood-based composite parts. This innovation replaces high-CO2 materials like concrete and steel across diverse applications.

For instance, their Woodflow-composite slabs can reduce concrete use by 30% and wood by 70% compared to conventional timber-concrete slabs. Strong By Form is also developing optimized wood-based connectors to eliminate metal in frame joints, creating lighter, 100% wood-based, and lower-CO2 structures.

Learn more: Strong By Form, AskNature Innovation, and Biomimicry Institute.

In a candid interview with National Geographic, actor and Water.org co-founder Matt Damon discusses the global water crisis and his nonprofit's mission to end open-air defecation. Despite

In a candid interview with National Geographic, actor and Water.org co-founder Matt Damon discusses the global water crisis and his nonprofit's mission to end open-air defecation. Despite significant progress, nearly 950 million people still practice this public health hazard. Damon hopes that solutions like microfinancing will make open-air defecation a thing of the past by 2030.

Water.org promotes access to safe water and sanitation. Learn more at Water.org. This interview complements National Geographic's August 2017 story "A Place to Go": National Geographic Magazine.

Watch the full interview: Exclusive: Matt Damon Gets Emotional About Global Water Crisis. Subscribe to National Geographic: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe.

Inspired by the Venus flower basket's efficient cellular architecture, Metavoxel Technologies has developed 3-D modular building materials. This innovation addresses the environmental impact of

Inspired by the Venus flower basket's efficient cellular architecture, Metavoxel Technologies has developed 3-D modular building materials. This innovation addresses the environmental impact of traditional construction, which consumes vast resources and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and waste.

Engineers design cellular blocks from materials like wood and biocomposites. These can be robotically assembled into strong, ultra-lightweight metamaterials for diverse applications, including buildings and vehicles. This revolutionary approach reduces raw material use and carbon footprint, embodying nature's principle of "doing more with less."

Learn more: Metavoxel Technologies, AskNature (Sponge Innovation), Biomimicry Institute, AskNature.

Christine’s TEDx presentation addresses food waste, a significant global environmental issue, particularly in Hong Kong. She emphasizes that individuals and organizations have direct control to

Christine’s TEDx presentation addresses food waste, a significant global environmental issue, particularly in Hong Kong. She emphasizes that individuals and organizations have direct control to reduce food loss. The talk proposes collaboration among Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangdong to transform their food culture for waste reduction.

Christine's extensive career includes serving as a Legislator, CEO of Civic Exchange, and Undersecretary for the Environment, HKSAR Government. She currently teaches at HKUST and UCLA. Learn more about TEDx at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

Inspired by millions of years of natural evolution, Fusion Bionic harnesses the surface properties of plants and insects to create advanced functional surface technology. Their laser technology

Inspired by millions of years of natural evolution, Fusion Bionic harnesses the surface properties of plants and insects to create advanced functional surface technology. Their laser technology engraves micro and nano textures onto materials, efficiently mimicking nature's solutions and outperforming traditional methods.

For instance, lotus leaves repel water and dirt, while moth eyes are naturally anti-reflective. By mimicking these structures, Fusion Bionic optimizes materials for eyeglasses, smartphones, solar panels, vehicles, and electronic connectors, reducing energy and chemical use.

Learn more about Fusion Bionic at [fusionbionic.com](https://fusionbionic.com/en/) and explore biomimicry at [biomimicry.org](https://biomimicry.org/) or [asknature.org](https://asknature.org/).

Our livers use enzymes to break down complex molecules, inspiring Sudoc, a non-toxic industrial cleaning solution. While traditional cleaning often relies on harsh chemicals, creating toxic

Our livers use enzymes to break down complex molecules, inspiring Sudoc, a non-toxic industrial cleaning solution. While traditional cleaning often relies on harsh chemicals, creating toxic conditions, Sudoc offers a sustainable alternative.

Sudoc employs biomimicry, mimicking liver enzymes to create catalysts. Paired with oxidants like hydrogen peroxide, these catalysts accelerate the breakdown of pathogens, drugs, pesticides, and industrial contaminants in land and water, achieving zero elemental toxicity.

The Biomimicry Institute recognized Sudoc in its 2022 Ray of Hope Prize Program. For more, visit Sudoc, Biomimicry Institute, AskNature, Root House Studio, and Ray C. Anderson Foundation.