TDC
Saving Trees from the Landfill: Urban Wood
updated
NEW CITY EACH WEEK youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Sources of Information and Visualization
whc.unesco.org/en/list/576
http://www.watpho.com/index.php?lang=en
youtube.com/watch?v=DIRgr2uJjlw
https://unfccc.int/news/the-greening-of-bangkok
bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/1578442/seeing-green-is-believing
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumphini_Park
scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3266389/bangkok-beijing-train-trip-gets-closer-trial-run-starts
youtube.com/watch?v=i3sFfqq3N4Q
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok_Metropolitan_Region
nytimes.com/2024/06/16/business/durian-china-malaysia-thailand.html
bangkokpost.com/business/general/2751223/thailand-aims-for-150-million-passengers-a-year-at-suvarnabhumi-airport
youtu.be/-yi1Qmpj9z4?si=r3LkH_hyEvSV9OGG&t=592
https://www.boi.go.th/upload/content/Rubber_5a3b80bcc4882.pdf
nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/02/travel/things-to-do-bangkok.html?searchResultPosition=2
blog.iaac.net/future-city-bangkok-2030
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2024/06/14/give-me-a-push-will-ya-monstrous-monitor-lizards-seen-crawling-into-sewage-pipe-in-bangkok
economist.com/asia/2023/05/15/thailands-pro-democracy-parties-trounce-the-military-establishment
nytimes.com/2024/06/18/world/asia/thailand-same-sex-marriage-vote.html#:~:text=Thailand's%20bill%2C%20which%20amends%20the,above%2C%20without%20specifying%20their%20gender.
web.archive.org/web/20130527060147/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jMfzhH0cMlYhkVxkytUzlBScCrDQ
news.trust.org/item/20210715224755-kmi5r
bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1762349/understanding-bangkoks-traffic-woes
apnews.com/article/bangkok-thailand-air-pollution-work-home-9f29eba1bccc0322266f96f9e6045961
bbc.com/news/science-environment-50236882
cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/thailand
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Canal
youtu.be/mAl6tpReEic?si=O0rXIbaec6kgWtmw
https://extranet.who.int/roadsafety/death-on-the-roads/#country_or_area/THA
youtu.be/bz3CgU9FO0U?si=P7i9HjsmIJXCja4t
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Thailand#:~:text=A%20series%20of%20treaties%20with,the%20borders%20of%20today's%20Thailand.
https://jsis.washington.edu/csead/news/history-of-western-influences-in-thailand/#:~:text=Thailand%20has%20never%20been%20colonialized,of%20the%20country's%20modern%20identity.
nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022488
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-28/can-bangkok-curb-prostitution-and-should-it
tourismthailand.org/Attraction/The-Grand-Palace--52
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok
nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/top-activities-things-to-do-95
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok_Metropolitan_Administration
Music:
Bonad "Down By The River"
Hans Johnson "Human Connection (Instrumental)"
Hans Johnson "One Planet (Instrumental)"
idokay "Life's Journey Begins"
0:00 Welcome to Bangkok
0:34 The Geography of Bangkok
1:35 Thai Power: America, King Bhumibol, & the Military
2:39 Modern, Hardworking Thailand
3:27 Travel to 'The World's Best City'
4:16 Buddhist Culture
4:51 An Open Society
5:00 Rapid Warming
5:40 Crowded Roads and Rails
6:37 Midwife Traffic Cops
6:59 Greening of Bangkok
8:05 Bangkok's Green Lung
8:32 Looking Ahead
9:41 A video by Bryce Plank
Bangkok, Thailand’s vibrant, sprawling capital consistently ranks as the most visited destination on earth. There’s a dark underbelly here for sure, but that’s one of many ingredients that makes this ‘Venice of the East’ a perfect encapsulation of megacities in the 21st century, with their dynamism and tragedy. It’s modern, tropical, polluted, crowded, delicious.
Bangkok now straddles the Chao Phraya a few kilometers upriver from a bay that flows into a gulf and, eventually, the sea. In 1782 it became the capital of Siam–the name Thailand wasn’t invented until 1939. Its previous capital, Ayutthaya Burmese Army.
Today, Bangkok’s historic heart is Rattanakosin Island with its Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred site in Thailand. Ratchadamnoen Avenue features the Democracy Monument and is lined by major government buildings. Canals
World War 2, the United States Thai society corruption King Bhumibol
Bangkok greenspace new park is Chulalongkorn Centenary water-retention pond, underground drainage system, and rain garden. Another is the newly expanded Benjakitti Park elevated pedestrian walkway to Lumpini, the city’s first public park. They will all help combat Bangkok’s serious flooding problem.
Bang Kachao, Bangkok’s “Green Lung"
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Prime Minister
Thailand’s Kra Isthmus
Subscribe for weekly city profiles: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
The Genius Design Behind Modern Paris
Key sources:
Haussmann's Renovation of Paris en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann%27s_renovation_of_Paris
Maps blogs.loc.gov/maps/2023/05/exploring-haussmannian-paris
Low rise buildings euronews.com/culture/2023/06/14/paris-says-non-to-tall-buildings-but-whats-behind-the-ban
Legendary Megastructures youtube.com/watch?v=9--bUBZmArI&list=WL&index=9
0:00 The beautiful city
0:44 The old city
1:03 Napoleon III takes control
1:38 Appoints Haussmann prefect
2:01 The transformation begins
2:45 Haussmann opens Paris up
3:28 Uniform building design
4:08 Arc De Triomphe
4:43 A global city
5:24 2024 Olympic Games
The most populated metro area in the EU has a surprising lack of tall buildings. This is by design. Paris limits the height of new buildings to 37 meters, and has clustered 20 of its 24 skyscrapers in the La Defense business district at the west end of its historical axis, 10 km away from the Louvre at its eastern end.
This straight vista exemplifies Paris’ geometric street plan and unified aesthetic. It wasn’t always this neat. To create what many regard as the world’s most beautiful city required a massively ambitious, disruptive reconstruction lasting decades, overseen by an urban visionary.
In the 1830s, a cholera pandemic devastated cities worldwide.
French President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I, was uniquely positioned to act. He too was frustrated by these conditions and dreamed of making Paris a modern, hygienic, global city. But, although he was extremely popular, he was constitutionally-barred from running for reelection. So at the end of his term in 1851 he seized total control of the government and declared himself Napoleon III, Emperor of France. With absolute power, he fast-tracked his plans for Paris, appointing seasoned administrator Georges-Eugene Haussmann as the project’s leader.
They created 4,900 acres of parks, 24 new squares, and planted 600,000 trees. Never before had a city built so many parks so quickly. They constructed a 150 km long aqueduct to bring fresh spring water into the city and expanded the sewer system so it could carry away solid waste for the first time by adding 380 km of tunnels, which they also ran gas lines through to fuel new street lamps all over, turning Paris into the ‘City of Light.’
He meticulously mapped out 63 km of new wide, straight boulevards. This would require the demolition of 20,000 buildings and the relocation of 300,000 Parisians.
To replace what they tore down, 34,000 new buildings were erected in a uniform style: commercial space on the bottom, balconies on the middle floors, and at the top, dormer windows under roofs sloped at 45 degrees to maximize the amount of sunlight on the street. The facades were Roman-style limestone, while the roofs used zinc, giving Paris its distinctively harmonious blonde/gray look.
Haussmann used monuments as landmarks for roads and intersections. A general rule of thumb: the larger the statue, the longer the road. Few monuments on Earth are larger than the Arc de Triomphe, a war memorial. Haussmann’s most controversial move was remaking the Île de la Cité.
Napoleon and Haussmann aimed to complete the first phase of their citywide project in time to host the 1855 World’s Fair and its 5 million visitors. They succeeded, and over the next 15 years the duo continued improving the city for the benefit of all Parisians, and the tourists who arrived in ever greater numbers. In 1840 there were 87,000 passages across the English Channel. By 1899 there were 951,000. Today, Paris trails only Bangkok and London in welcoming more foreigners.
This week, Paris hosted the first Olympic ceremonies ever held outside of a stadium along a 6 km stretch of the Seine river. Grand Paris Express metro megaproject.
world news president biden tdc megacity delhi history obama mumbai india cnbc wendover productions vox cgtn the b1m dw documentary reallifelore tom scott geodiode dw planet a CBS News CNA Insider BBC Earth Lab National Geographic reuters economics explained endevr real stories the economist kamala harris anne hidalgo olympics 2024 olympics highlights biles lebron james paris france macron chicago dublin seine eu london usa haussmann napoleon III Dublin Chicago 2024 election trump arc de triumph louvre notre dame tour Champs-Élysées place de la concorde Versailles palace train metro berlin new york pittsburgh los angeles bangkok kinshasa mexico city tokyo china megacities megaprojects NBC
NEW EPISODES WEEKLY: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Main Sources:
Ireland GDP Growth https://rb.gy/kzop2h
Dublin stories w/ Prof David Dickson https://t.ly/_WBWK
Partition https://rb.gy/95oufv
Dublin wikipedia https://t.ly/p93Hr
Why Dublin became a tech hub bit.ly/4cnBpOl
Ireland wiki https://t.ly/ap4_4
The Troubles https://t.ly/rvdfA
What's weird about Ireland's GDP linkye.net/pk8m
Ireland Corp Tax rates https://rb.gy/hfz7jv
Healthcare system overhaul https://rb.gy/dh6zia
Budget surplus https://rb.gy/dorxl5
Ireland's wind export potential rebrand.ly/7qfbjge
European wind generation by country rebrand.ly/5pubvqq
Demographics of Ireland (Population and Immigration) rebrand.ly/pvxnt7z
Americans with Irish descent https://t.ly/VLNXe
Discover Dublin, Ireland's Secret to Success
Welcome to Dublin 0:00
Geography of Dublin 0:36
Vikings settle Ireland 0:53
English take control 1:04
Irish Rebellion 1:30
Partition of Ireland 2:19
Troubles 2:36
Good Friday Agreement 3:10
Economic Boom 3:27
Brexit bonus 4:12
Tax Haven 4:22
US Corporations 5:01
High living standards 5:22
Wind energy potential 6:10
Guinness 6:54
Loses 1/2 population 7:05
31.5 Million Irish Americans 7:22
Immigrants in Ireland 7:37
Script:
The capital of the only native English-speaking country in the European Union is considered one of the most liveable and richest places in the world, but this success is a very recent phenomenon. For a millennium this rocky island was occupied by Vikings, then the English. Independence only came a century ago, and peace less than 25 years ago after the end of a decades-long low-level war with its neighbor to the north.
This is Dublin, Ireland.
On a bay where the River Liffey flows into the sea lies Ireland’s prime city, with a metropolitan population of 1.26 million, four times as large as Cork, the country’s second-largest metro area, 215 kilometers to the southwest.
In 841 seafaring Vikings established a fortified base that grew into a substantial port and commercial center. In 1169 the Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland and for the next 750 years English Kings and Queens controlled the island. Dublin Castle, first founded in 1204, was the nerve center of the crown’s power here.
Under the Protestant English the Catholic Irish were oppressed. Their land rights and ability to self-govern were stripped away. Influenced by the American and French Revolutions, Ireland’s push for independence began in earnest in the spring of 1798 when rebel leader Wolfe Tone led peasants against the highly trained redcoats in a prolonged campaign of battles throughout the island. Although it was ultimately snuffed out, for the next 125 years it inspired a series of agitations and uprisings against the British that extracted more and more rights for the Irish. A group of Irish rebels declared Independence in 1916, withstood six years of violent struggle with the empire by riding a growing wave of nationalist support, and ultimately won the right to self-government.
But the island’s 6 northernmost counties with a Protestant majority chose to remain in the United Kingdom as a separate country called Northern Ireland. This was unacceptable to the Catholic majority in the South who wanted the entire island to be a unified free Republic. So a force calling themselves the Irish Republican Army launched a guerilla campaign of armed resistance against the British and the North focused on its capital, Belfast. This period, known as The Troubles, lasted for three decades, with violence spilling south into parts of the Republic and even across the sea in England.
Finally, everyone had had enough, and peace was achieved with the Good Friday agreement.
Between 1995 and 2000 growth averaged an astounding 9.4%, and stayed strong at 5.9% per year until 2008. This dramatic rise meant Irish incomes surged past every other European Country except tiny Luxembourg
But the biggest key to Dublin’s turnaround may be its ridiculously low headline corporate tax rate that stood - as of 2023 - at 12.5%, compared to 29.9% in Germany, 25.8% in France and the Netherlands, and 25% in Spain and Turkey.
But for lawmakers in Dublin, transforming into one of the world's largest tax havens was a brilliant move at the end of The Troubles, with U.S.–controlled multinationals now making up twenty-five of the top 50 businesses in Ireland, including the EU headquarters of giants Pfizer, Microsoft, Google, and Apple.
For example, every Irish has access to low-cost public healthcare, and leaders from every major political party are united in undertaking an ambitious transition to a universal system - Sláintecare.
wind power, which now makes up 36% of Ireland’s electricity generation, the second-highest ratio in Europe. A new electricity interconnector with France is coming online in 2026
Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Sources:
economist.com/leaders/2024/02/29/india-could-be-ruined-by-its-political-and-economic-divisions
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Results_of_the_2019_Indian_general_election
economist.com/asia/2024/02/29/inside-narendra-modis-battle-to-win-over-the-south
reuters.com/world/india/india-collects-record-210-trillion-rupees-goods-services-tax-april-2024-05-01
bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62951951
reuters.com/world/india/indias-economic-growth-expected-slip-below-7-oct-dec-quarter-2024-02-29/#:~:text=NEW%20DELHI%2C%20Feb%2029%20(Reuters,months%20before%20a%20national%20election.
pbs.org/newshour/world/modi-vows-to-turn-india-into-global-manufacturing-hub-as-he-seeks-3rd-term-in-2024-election
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Indian_ruling_and_opposition_parties
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_states_and_union_territories_by_literacy_rate
pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/09/21/key-findings-about-the-religious-composition-of-india
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_states_by_infant_mortality_rate
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_states_and_union_territories_by_poverty_rate
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_with_legal_status_in_India
statista.com/statistics/618171/college-graduates-by-state-india
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_and_union_territories_of_India_by_fertility_rate
Music:
Hans Johnson "Life Alive - Instrumental"
Mahesh Vinayakram "Guruvea Sharanam - Instrumental"
Hans Johnson "Human Connection - Instrumental"
Script:
The largest city in South India is known as the country’s “Silicon Valley,” and is crucial to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans for rapid technological development through the 2020s. But despite a decade of rule, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party - or BJP - still struggles to win over this vital region. With India’s national election - the largest in history - happening now, let’s take a quick look at some data to better understand this country of 1.4 billion.
Situated on the massive Deccan Plateau at an average elevation 900 meters above sea level, the city known as Bengalūru in its official language, Kannada, has a metropolitan population of 15 million. It is the capital of Karnataka, one of five states in South India, a region that includes two other megacities: Chennai and Hyderabad.
Bangalore’s modern story dates to when the old town surrounding its nearly 600 year-old fort began merging with the British Cantonment into one metropolis, around the time the Indian Institute of Science was founded, sparking the city’s transformation into an innovation hub.
This brings talented scientists, engineers, and business leaders to the southern region, whose companies also benefit from the many ports along its vast coastline. Its five states now account for 20% of India’s total population, but 31% of its Gross Domestic Product, driven by its IT sector [which makes up 66% of the national total]; electronic goods exports [45%] and [nearly 80%] the latest sector sweeping India: Global Capability Centers–where teams of engineers, lawyers, designers perform specialized tasks for multinational corporations.
Together, these sectors have pushed Gross State Domestic Product per person across the South to $3,176 USD a year. That’s more than double the $1,400 ($1,411) across the national capital and nearby states that make up the North Central Culture Zone.
Comparing individual state figures reveals that much of the South is at least three times as prosperous as the two most popular states in India, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Only 3.2% of the population in the South lives below the poverty line, whereas 16.8% do in the North Central Zone.
For context, many of these state-to-state differences are on par with gaps between countries in Europe and Africa, and they are mirrored in India’s complex politics. In the last national election in 2019, Prime Minister Modi’s BJP and its coalition dominated the North, but struggled mightily in the South, where they do not currently control any of its state legislatures. This is partly due to a central tenet of the BJP ideology: heavy promotion of Hinduism.
Given that the percentage of Hindu followers is about the same across Northern and Southern states, with the exception of places like Kerala, this seems like it would be a winning strategy everywhere, indicates that Hinduism is less central to people’s identities there. For example, Hindi is the official language in every state in the North Central Culture Zone, but not in any of the five states of the South.
My Chicago series: youtu.be/pNdX0Dm-J8Y
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Thanks to:
Rich Fitzgerald pittsburghmagazine.com/our-pittsburgher-of-the-year-rich-fitzgerald
Rebecca Kiernan phipps.conservatory.org/green-innovation/for-the-world/nature-of-place-symposium/nature-of-place-symposium-2020/session-4/rebecca-kiernan-msppm-leed-green-associate
The Heinz History Center heinzhistorycenter.org
Meadowcroft Rock Shelter heinzhistorycenter.org/visit/meadowcroft
Music score:
‘Moments in Time’ - Tristan Barton
‘Outrun’ - WeAreTheGood
‘Element- Instrumental’ - Frank Bentley
‘Runways’ - Stanley Gurvich
‘Descending Chamber’ - Out of Flux
‘Sunday Best’ - Steven Beddall
‘Midnight Sun’ - Beneath the Mountain
‘Ripples’ - Tamuz Dekel
‘Self Love’ - Steven Beddall
Sources:
The only city in America with an entrance [NY Times]
nytimes.com/1988/01/03/arts/architecture-view-a-tempered-skyline-strengthens-a-city-of-steel.html
The rise and fall of Pittsburgh steel
storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/193c7822ffbf42e1bc3be7a463f69054
Rich Fitzgerald: Pittsburgher of the Year
pittsburghmagazine.com/our-pittsburgher-of-the-year-rich-fitzgerald/pic/188135
US Steel
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Steel
Tunnels of Pittsburgh
pittsburghmagazine.com/underground-pittsburgh-explore-our-city-of-tunnels
Old Pittsburgh photos
steelcactus.com/OLDPGH1.html
Longest automobile-carrying Lenticular bridge
structurae.net/en/structures/bridges/lenticular-bridges
NTSB Fern Hollow Bridge collapse video report
youtube.com/watch?v=J-VnWB4fiFk
Three sisters bridges
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(Pittsburgh)
Steel, Man’s Servant - 1938
c-span.org/video/?450280-1/steel-mans-servant-1938
Pittsburgh pop chart
population.us/pa/pittsburgh
Pittsburgh stock exchange
news.google.com/newspapers?id=_AIOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Vm0DAAAAIBAJ&dq=pittsburgh%20stock%20exchange&pg=4753%2C2995935
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (wiki)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructure_Investment_and_Jobs_Act
House vote
clerk.house.gov/Votes/2021369
Senate vote
senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00314.htm#state
First $132 in Pitt bridge funding
spcregion.org/2024/01/19/tribune-review-3-major-pittsburgh-bridges-set-to-get-132m-in-renovations
Aurora: Pioneering the Future of Autonomous Driving
pghtech.org/news-and-publications/Aurora_2
Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes
phipps.conservatory.org/green-innovation/at-phipps/center-for-sustainable-landscapes-greenest-building-museum-garden-in-the-world
Carnegie Mellon program rankings
https://www.cmu.edu/ambassadors/december-2022/report-ranking.html
UPMC Medical Center
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pittsburgh_Medical_Center
Allegheny County population
worldpopulationreview.com/us-counties/pa/allegheny-county-population
Allegheny County analytics
alleghenyanalytics.azurewebsites.net
This is the only city in America with an entrance: Pittsburgh, the City of Bridges.
Nestled in the rugged terrain of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh lies at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, giving birth to the mighty Ohio.
Three sisters Roberto Clemente, artist Andy Warhol, and conservationist Rachel Carson.
Today, a total of 446 bridges exist in the city of Pittsburgh
City of Pittsburgh’s Fern Hollow bridge
County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Marcellus Shale - the largest natural gas find
The University of Pittsburgh Oakland, Schenley Park Phipps Conservatory, is home to the Center for Sustainable Landscapes–the first and only building to meet seven of the highest green certifications Carnegie Mellon University ranked number one in engineering, robotics, and computer science Robotics, AI, software Pitt medical technology, the biotechnology, the life sciences
autonomous vehicle sector Aurora driverless trucking product on a route between Houston and Dallas ‘Robotics Row’
Googles, the Facebooks, the Microsofts
Great Allegheny Passage C&O Canal trail in Maryland along the Potomac and can take you all the way into Washington DC
drop in air pollution electric transit buses Pittsburgh International airport
Lochs and dams, as the water goes over it’s going to turn a turbine. It’s going to generate electricity for our lights and for our buildings–whether it’s the jail, whether it's our nursing homes, whether it’s our county office building - the courthouse - all of the various things that we operate. Net zero parks
Tradewater: tradewater.us/offsetnow
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Refrigerant animation courtesy of youtube.com/@GeniusEngineering
Information sources:
CA.Gov High GWP Fact Sheet ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/high-gwp-refrigerants
EPA Refrigerant Phaseout epa.gov/ods-phaseout#:~:text=Class%20II%20substances%20are%20all,phased%20out%20as%20of%202020.
EPA HCF Phasedown epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/frequent-questions-phasedown-hydrofluorocarbons#:~:text=Consistent%20with%20the%20AIM%20Act,listed%20in%20the%20AIM%20Act.
Difference between refrigerants coldroommaster.com/cold-room-refrigerant-system
EPA: How to Properly dispose of refrigerants epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ConstrAndDemo_EquipDisposal.pdf
EPA: Understanding Global Warming Potential epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials#:~:text=Methane%20(CH4)%20is%20estimated,27%2D30%20over%20100%20years.
International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 Report https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Chapter_07_Supplementary_Material.pdf
0:00 The Problem
1:00 Acquiring Refrigerants
3:40 The Destruction Process
4:49 Founding Tradewater
5:30 A Climate-First Mission
6:35 Going International
8:26 Capping Methane Leaks
Script:
The secret sauce inside this heat pump, your fridge, and air conditioner, is the refrigerant that circulates inside, expanding and compressing to move heat from one space to another.
But if this chemical escapes it’s a problem because it heats the atmosphere much more than an equivalent amount of Carbon Dioxide. [show how many times CO2]
So, when an appliance reaches the end of its life cycle, the refrigerant is - hopefully - recovered into canisters that often get left around to degrade and leak.
[Show clip from Honduras of canister leaking]
Few people understand how big of a disaster it is when this happens.
Luckily, the most potent warming gasses are no longer produced or are being phased down, but because there’s no easy way to properly get rid of it, there are probably many million appliances and tanks full of it still out there.
Fortunately, one company has made it their mission to hunt down these canisters - these climate grenades - and safely disarm them.
To learn more, I visited them in Chicago.
“There’s no regulatory obligation to destroy this stuff, and that’s a role we can come in and help fill.”
Valeria leads a team that travels across America finding refrigerants and paying people cash for them. She took me along on a quick local pick-up.
We didn’t want to freak the customer out by filming them in front of their house, but back at the warehouse, I saw the goods.
Inside, I found Moises working on the next step.
How refrigerant gases are destroyed.
The team stores the refrigerants in these larger tanks until they’ve aggregated enough to fill this beast.
That happens at a facility like this one that superheats the refrigerant.
“Rotary kiln incineration…we are literally burning this gas to break down the chemical bonds and rendering the component parts essentially inert.”
When I sat down with Tradewater’s founders at Jackson Park, I learned this work started on a much smaller scale.
[Explaining carbon offset credit, California Cap and Trade, and how the company makes money]
[Gabe discusses how refrigerants are usually collected and destroyed, and how TW’s climate-first approach is different]
[Tim discussing growth]
With its US operation set up and scaling quickly, the team is working internationally to make an even bigger impact, but that comes with some serious challenges.
[Gabe on navigating each country’s different systems]
Back in the US, Tradewater has begun partnering with state governments to stop another dangerous gas from escaping: the methane spewing out of millions of uncapped, orphaned oil and gas wells, emissions that have a warming potential 81.2 times that of CO2 over a 20 year period.
The team is leveraging the skills of former oil and gas industry workers who get this specialized job done right.
[These gasses cannot be sequestered once released]
Thanks for watching, make sure you’re subscribed here to catch the next climate solution I profile.
Watch Part 1: youtu.be/pNdX0Dm-J8Y
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Main sources:
The history of Millenium Park youtu.be/9yU788KLA80
Biking the boulevards youtu.be/iul9fMFH66w?si=UauGHXwx3ZKlySRj
Giulia Baroncini instagram.com/semicercatesonoingiro
Building the Obama Center youtu.be/NUAW7dPzW_E?si=oP4BbbUlJsridWRs
Meigs Field news coverage youtube.com/watch?v=jF5PFeanycg
Meigs doc youtu.be/hhz7Xi9cmII?si=S_gsI--S33xLQyZe
Building Chicago's parks youtu.be/lS_YC_tQhXs?si=w2088_669rvuJJ3K
WTTW City in a garden history news.wttw.com/2012/12/13/city-garden
VK Brown youtu.be/GWAr7Nyj_qI?si=j0TahCW1DXU8b1hU&t=155
More pgpedia.com/b/virgil-k-brown
Jane Addams documentary youtu.be/76Vv441e4nk?si=SXK-nc9QILD5MDit
Forest Preserves youtube.com/watch?v=3d6p6Fo4Wls
0:00 Intro
0:12 Millennium Park
1:14 Boulevards
1:37 30 miles of waterfront parks
1:55 Italian touring cyclist
2:44 Obama Presidential Library location
3:39 View from 1,000 feet up
4:20 Meigs Field Battle
5:45 Park history
6:56 Jane Addams
7:20 Fieldhouses
7:41 Cook County Forest Preserves
8:32 Riverwalk
The most popular park in the city is Millennium Park, which opened in 2004. It features the seamless, liquid mercury-inspired Cloud Gate sculpture that locals affectionately call “The Bean,” the 11,000-capacity Pritzker Pavilion and Great Lawn, and a hybrid video-fountain sculpture. The brainchild of Chicago’s longest-serving mayor, Richard M. Daley, sits atop parking garages and a major commuter rail terminal–making it the world's largest rooftop garden.
Surrounding downtown is Chicago’s system of boulevards–the first comprehensive greenway in a major US city. Linking numerous parks, these wide, grass and treelined streets were designed for leisurely strolls, cycles, or drives, and they help explain Chicago’s motto: “City in a garden.” And then, of course, there’s the one feature that truly sets Chicago apart: nearly every inch of its 30-mile lakefront is a park.
Right nearby is the site of the nearly complete Obama Presidential Center, which is rising in the southside neighborhood of Hyde Park, right next to the Museum of Science and Industry–the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and one of the only buildings remaining from the 1893 Fair. The Obamas’ presidential library, like their home for 8 years in DC, is adjacent to a long public lawn, the Midway Plaisance, which connects Jackson Park with Washington Park to the west, forming one of the largest continuous urban public spaces in the country.
In fact, Washington Park’s large open green was where the Olympic stadium would have been if the city had succeeded in its bid for the 2016 Summer Games.
The Midway also runs through the University of Chicago, one of the best colleges in the world.
But one of the most ideal vantage points for viewing Chicago’s public lands is from the top of 875 North Michigan Avenue, formerly known as the John Hancock Center. Nothing beats viewing the world in 360 degrees from 1,000 feet up, even if the air was thick with smoke from wildfires in Canada. Turns out, it took a bizarre showdown between Mayor Daley and the Federal Aviation Administration to remove the last major hurdle blocking uninterrupted access to Lake Michigan.
For years, the city had been trying to close a small airport called Meigs Field on Northerly Island, which - after 9/11 - it also viewed as a clear security threat. Yet these efforts were repeatedly blocked by the FAA. So in the middle of the night in 2003, Mayor Daley took matters into his own hands.
Daley’s 22 years in office easily make him the Chicagoan whose impact is most felt in the city today. This incident sums up his bold, action-oriented leadership style.
Chicago Parks District historian Julia Bachrach.
Virgil K. Brown and Jane Addams. Her famous settlement house started as an effort to help poor immigrants in her Chicago neighborhood but grew into one of the most powerful social reform movements in history.
Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Chicago’s fieldhouses. These park buildings are for the community to gather or exercise, no matter the weather.
Another amenity in the surrounding counties is the Forest Preserves, an unrivaled network of prairies, woods, and wetlands.
“People in the city don’t really know about the forest preserves. They’re kind of a wonderful green emerald ring around the city. The forest preserves are owned by the taxpayers and it's about 69,000 acres - 11% of our land - it’s a wonderful, wonderful asset.”
Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle
It’s now the largest urban preserve in the United States.
Chicago Riverwalk
Watch Part 1 Now youtu.be/pNdX0Dm-J8Y
Part 2 youtu.be/V9LQ2oWZlZI
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Main sources:
University of Chicago’s Atomic Ambitions youtube.com/watch?v=UCvLuKqv9-s&pp=ygUPY2hpY2FnbyBxdWFudHVt
Nuclear Industry of Illinois
apnews.com/article/illinois-nuclear-moratorium-modular-reactors-solar-wind-225d14cefb03793e08f0802745df4e02
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Illinois
Demographics of Chicago en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Chicago
Timuel Black Interview on The Great Migration youtube.com/watch?v=Xqn5OmF23HY&pp=ygUUY2hpY2FnbyB0aW11ZWwgYmxhY2s%3D
Create Rail Improvement Projects createprogram.org/projects
Renovating Union Station youtube.com/watch?v=PS2veYdpjEk
Chicago is America’s Rail Hub youtube.com/watch?v=YYfxo2otxCw&t=6s&pp=ygUld2FsbCBzdHJlZXQgam91cm5hbCBjaGljYWdvcyByYWlsIGh1Yg%3D%3D
Chicago by L youtube.com/watch?v=4wXB8htl3Zo&t=381s&pp=ygUMY2hpY2FnbyBieSBs
City at War: Chicago’s Steel Industry youtube.com/watch?v=bMvSoMkT1iQ&t=1416s&pp=ygUTY2l0eSBhdCB3YXIgY2hpY2Fnbw%3D%3D
NYT: A Battle Between a Great Lake and a Great City nytimes.com/interactive/2021/07/07/climate/chicago-river-lake-michigan.html
Metro Water Reclamation Department Virtual Tour youtube.com/watch?v=__yXMrBYek4&pp=ygURbXdyZCB2aXJ0dWFsIHRvdXI%3D
NBC: How Chicago drains its river during flooding youtube.com/watch?v=nVSvoIQjin4&pp=ygUXbmJjIHJpdmVyIGxha2UgbWljaGlnYW4%3D
Air temperature increase ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/202313
Hydrologist Drew Gronewold on Lake Michigan’s High Water Level youtube.com/watch?v=aBCA209dWOk&t=1s&pp=ygUOZHJldyBncm9uZXdvbGQ%3D
True to its innovative spirit, the Chicago area is home to several cutting-edge industries, like the emerging field of quantum technology.
Fermilab is America’s premier particle physics research facility, Argonne National Laboratory, connected by a fiber-optic cable to the University of Chicago. Scientists there are trying to apply atomic principles to improve communications and computing.
Four of the ten quantum labs in the United States are located in Illinois, which receives roughly four of every 10 dollars the federal government invests.
Illinois also produces far more nuclear power than anywhere else in America. 75% of Chicago’s electricity needs are now met by the state’s 11 reactors.
Chicago was where the dawn of the Nuclear Age happened, as America’s Manhattan Project raced the Germans during World War 2.
It did just that on December 2, 1942, when Enrico Fermi’s team achieved the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction in a facility hidden underground on campus.
Waves of European immigrants during the 1800s made the city’s population 98.1% white in 1900. But over the next 60 years, in a period known as The Great Migration, six million African Americans left the South to settle in Chicago and other cities in the North.
By the 1990s, Chicago's South Side and its adjoining suburbs had become the largest African American majority region in the country, fostering all sorts of talent, from academics, activists, and rappers, to global icons like Michael Jordan (arguably the most successful American pro athlete), Oprah Winfrey (the richest African American of the 20th century), and the Obamas.
Create projects. 70 rail improvement projects are in various stages of completion, with more than two dozen already finished. Renovating Union Station.
With 8 lines, the amount of metal required to build the L turbo-charged Chicago’s steelmaking industry. During World War 2, it nimbly shifted to producing bombs, jeeps, tanks, and planes, and was a vital contributor to the Allied cause, producing more tons of the super-strong metal than the entire United Kingdom every year from 1939 to 1945, and all of Germany from 1943 to 1945.
The city has transformed itself into the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics leader of the world’s largest consumer economy. Vast warehouses are clustered all along the canal and river, around its many large railyards, and to the west of O’Hare–the world’s second-busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements per day.
Since the 1970’s it has been adding massive tunnels, cavernous holding chambers, and gigantic lagoons like this one–a repurposed old mine. When this latest round of extreme engineering capacity to store 20 billion gallons
Lower Wacker Drive to flood and key buildings like Willis Tower to lose power.
Part 3 1 2 4
Part 1: youtu.be/pNdX0Dm-J8Y
Subscribe to TDC for Part 3: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Special thanks to Paul Durica and the Chicago History Museum
chicagohistory.org
Source for archival images: artic.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/mqc
WTTW PBS Chicago: youtube.com/@UC0H7JADShpxWDjGQ4WhXPtQ
The Current War: youtube.com/watch?v=mHbyksLnFwA&pp=ygUbdGhlIGN1cnJlbnQgd2FyIGZhaXIgc2NlbmUg
Heading into the last quarter of the 1800s, no city on earth was better positioned for commercial dominance than this one. The capital of the Midwest had just fueled the Union’s victory in the Civil War, and its high concentration of industries situated along its many rail lines, vast lakefront, and re-engineered river was attracting thousands of new arrivals every month. But in their rush to expand as quickly as possible, its builders had inadvertently made conditions just right for disaster.
This is part two of the making of modern Chicago, once the fastest-growing city in history.
As we learned in Part 1, Chicago was the world’s largest market for lumber. Not only did it supply its rapidly increasing population with boards and planks for their homes, but it also stored huge quantities of wood awaiting shipment to towns popping up all over the western prairies.
After an extremely dry summer, on an October night in 1871, a strong wind blew into Chicago from the west. Mystery still surrounds exactly what happened next, but somehow a fire started in a barn and quickly spread to other structures.
The wooden city went up like a tinderbox. To escape, thousands of terrified residents waded into the lake and stayed there all night. Over 17,000 buildings and 73 miles of streets were suddenly gone. Incredibly, only about 300 people perished, but over 100,000 were instantly homeless–a third of the city’s population. It was one of the worst fire disasters in modern history.
The same windstorm fueled major fires all around the Great Lakes, most tragically in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, a town engulfed so suddenly that 2,500 died and 1.5 million acres of surrounding forest burned. Cut off from the rest of the world when its telegraph lines were charred, and eclipsed by the magnitude of property loss in Chicago, the little-known Peshtigo fire is still the deadliest blaze in American history.
I visited with the Chicago History Museum’s Director of Exhibitions to learn more.
The start of the skyscraper age has transformed not only this city, but our entire planet. Today, Chicago still ranks among the tallest and densest skylines in the world.
Amidst of this swirl of activity, Chicago hosted the Columbian Exposition, also known as the World’s Fair, in 1893. Built on over 600 acres of former marshland at the present location of Jackson Park, the fairgrounds drew 27.5 million visitors over 6 months at a time when the population of the entire country was just over 60 million. Its exhibits projected American optimism, boosted Chicago’s image as the country’s industrial capital, and had a profound cultural influence: especially in architecture and the arts.
Just 20 years after the fire, Chicago had rebuilt to make its debut on the biggest stage.
Erik Larson documented the feverish preparations for opening day in the book, The Devil in the White City, which tells the true story of the prominent architect in charge of realizing the fair’s grand vision.
“To build the fair, Daniel Burnham had confronted a legion of obstacles, any one of which could have - should have - stopped it long before Opening Day. Some wept at its beauty…Whole villages had been imported from Egypt, Algeria, Dahomey, and other far-flung locales, along with their inhabitants. The Street in Cairo exhibit alone employed nearly two hundred Egyptians…Everything about the fair was exotic and, above all, immense. A single exhibit hall had enough interior volume to have housed the U.S. Capitol, the Great Pyramid, Winchester Cathedral, Madison Square Garden, and St. Paul’s Cathedral, all at the same time.”
At the time of the fire in the early 1870s, the city had a population of about 300,000…but by the time of the 1893 World's Fair, Chicago had grown to a city of over a million residents–it had surpassed Philadelphia as the second largest city in the country. At that point in time no city in the history of the world had gotten big so quickly as Chicago. It actually became the fourth largest city by population in the entire world. By the end of the 1890s you had London, New York, Paris, Chicago. Those were the four largest global cities with Tokyo right behind Chicago at number five.
Part 2 youtu.be/V9LQ2oWZlZI
Subscribe to TDC youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Thanks to Paul Durica and the Chicago History Museum chicagohistory.org
Main clip sources: WTTW Chicago's local PBS station youtube.com/@wttw
This futuristic urban river canyon reflects a staggering amount of resources, capital, and innovation. It’s also America’s railroad hub and the central node in America’s extensive system of navigable freshwater ways. Its roads lead to most corners of the continent, and its runways send direct flights to over 200 destinations–all of this supports one of the planet’s most productive regions for growing crops and extracting raw materials. The opportunities available in and around this prairie boomtown have attracted hungry young workers for nearly two centuries. In fact, so many arrived daily that it sustained the highest population growth rate on earth for several consecutive decades in the late 1800s.
Its story began when a Haitian-born fur trader [Jean Baptiste DeSalle] and his wife [Kitihawa], a member of the local indigenous Potawatomi tribe, established an outpost here in 1779.
It remained a sleepy frontier village for decades until Chicago’s first locomotive, the Pioneer, made its inaugural trip out to nearby Des Plaines in 1848.
I learned about this pivotal moment firsthand when I visited the Chicago History Museum for a trip back in time with Paul Durica.
These products were listed in mail-order catalogs, an industry invented and based in Chicago. The conveniences of online shopping can be traced directly back to Montgomery Ward and Sears–businesses that were only possible because the railroad reliably delivered.
By the beginning of the 20th century. Chicago had close to 40 different railroad lines running through it. Most cities today will have like maybe one Union Station or a central terminal–but by the early 1900s, Chicago had six different ones.
Chicago was also responsible for the rapid growth of the vast prairies that stretched westward to the Rocky Mountains. A Chicagoan had invented the mechanical reaper, freeing wheat farmers from the backbreaking, inefficient work of harvesting their crops by hand. And when they shipped their wheat into the city, 12 massive grain elevators stored it before it was sent across the lake to Buffalo, or downriver and onto oceanliners waiting in New Orleans.
But even with this bounty, prairie farmers couldn’t build much of anything, because their lands had few trees to harvest. Good thing there were expansive forests in Wisconsin and Michigan north of Chicago, and soon it became the world’s largest lumber market.
“The Union Stockyard in many ways is the kind of natural culmination of how the city's been growing and developing because it's all about centralization and expanding markets.
Hundreds of millions of calories were passing through the processing plants and storage facilities of Chicago every single day, feeding the ravenous Union Army in its hard-fought victory in the Civil War.
“Chicago is situated magnificently for trade, but it’s a pestilential swamp–it’s a horrible place for a city. It’s an absolute hellhole… Children were playing with maggots as if they were little pets.”
Before long, Cholera had crept up the Mississippi to extinguish 60 Chicagoans a day during the warm summer months.
To find a solution, Chicago brought in Ellis Chesbrough, one of America’s brightest sanitation engineers. He designed gravity-fed sewers to flush the waste into the river, and then deepened the river by dredging it and using the fill to raise Chicago’s ground level 10 feet. Lifting all the existing buildings safely required widespread adoption of a new system: George Pullman’s jack.
“So, how could you reverse the flow? Well, you must realize that the land form drops off. You get down to the city of Joliet and you’re 40 feet below Lake Michigan. The idea was to link up the south branch of the Chicago River with the Des Plaines river and to break through that subcontinental divide.
When they had finally finished the Chicago Shipping and Sanitation Canal, and were ready to let the water in, they still weren’t positive it would even work. After a few tense moments, amazingly, the water began to flow slowly downhill.
0:00 Welcome to Chicago
1:20 A Sleepy Frontier Town
2:04 Railroads Help Industry Takes Off
3:10 Prarie Boomtown
5:00 Union Stockyards
6:24 The Battle Against Cholera
7:10 Chicago's Innovative Water System
9:02 Reversing the River
11:12 Outro: Part 1 of 4
Recycles Bikes Frederick, MD recyclesbicycleshop.com
YouTube/wizard onthetrail (Nick and Matt's Iceland adventure documentary)
youtube.com/watch?v=t_4izGMs37s
Watch Matt perform a tune-up and talk business youtu.be/wuuLqWm-AV8
My name is Matthew Fox, and I own and operate ReCycles Bikes in downtown Frederick .
This just kind of makes sense, there's used car dealerships all over the place but not so much for bikes. I get a lot of people that walk in and they're usually I want to say 50 percent of people are brand new to cycling and they're looking to dip their feet into it. That's kind of the whole idea of my business model is a lot of people would get sticker shock going into a new bike shop. The entry level bikes are starting to look more like $700 $800 $1,000 dollars.
In the spring of 2013 I ended up picking up a bike at a yard sale and I think for $125 dollars I cleaned it up, took a couple pictures of it, put it on Craigslist for $250 the whole time thinking to myself I just wasted $125 dollars. Like, this isn't gonna work. Sold it that same evening that I listed it. $125 dollars is a big deal to a sophomore in college who typically has to work 13 or 14 hours to make that much. There was still not that trigger of like this is a business idea. It wasn't until I turned over a few dozen bikes that I realized, if I really upped my mechanical skills then there's this whole way way way more inventory out there that could be picked up for way less because it's not currently in rideable condition. I actually took a step back from selling on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to double down on my hours in the shop, taking advantage of the fact that they have thousands of bikes coming through a year. And then I think it was late 2016 I ended up making a name and a website, ordered some business cards on Vistaprint, and started treating it more as like an organized thing.
The next year in 2018 I did Japan and South Korea,
And then that week out I'm like 'nobody in Japan speaks English' according to this Google Search that I'm doing right now seven days before. 'What's gonna happen if I get sick or I need help?'
Google Maps behaves differently in different countries. So I did New Zealand next. The thing that was strange about this was I did it in January 2020. So halfway through this trip I start hearing rumors about COVID, and didn't think anything of it. And I was searching and I found that there were 8,000 cases of COVID worldwide, and I sent it to my dad and I said, 'please stop worrying about this, I'm going to be fine, it's no big deal.' I don't know if he remembers that, but maybe he'll see that on this video and say, 'it was kind of a big deal.' I flew back early February 2020 and I guess things really kind of hit a boiling point about 30 days after that. There was a period of time where I was very seriously considering doing a global 18-month trip. In fact, when I signed my first lease, the timing on that was such that that's what I was going to do on the tail end, which I've not told too many people that. But I definitely decided against it. I think if I was gone for 18 months that would actually take more from me than it would give me because I would just- there'd be too many things I'd miss back home. Did you have a path? Yes. OK. I had a path, and I had a month-by-month, and I had to do a ton of research on like, 'OK, where- what's going to make sense?' You kind of have to suffer at some point because it's like there's some things you just can't do. Like Australia in Peak summer--you can't bike across Australia in
peak summer. Well, I mean somebody probably has, but I wasn't planning on doing it. I was gonna go East because of the prevailing winds globally tend to be more of a tailwind. And I was going to start by going across Europe, Turkey, the Caspian Sea, the 'Stans, and then kind of horizontally across China, and then down through southeast Asia, ending in Singapore. I was gonna fly from Singapore to Perth, across the southern edge of Australia, and then I was undecided on if I would repeat Japan or New Zealand or just fly from Sydney to Los Angeles and then finish the trip from there. But it was going to take probably about 15 months...
I think I mostly got the idea from watching too many YouTube videos. There's a guy named Ed Pratt that did about that route--and he did it on a unicycle if you can believe that. Bryce: I cannot. Matt: But yeah, I could literally talk about trips like all day.
Mumbai, India, Delhi, Manila, Jakarta, Tokyo, Megacities, Megacity, TDC, Organic Farmer Farming,
Barack Obama gets baby to stop crying, Hasan Minaj Correspondents' Dinner, Kinshasa, Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington DC refurbished used
The megaprojects: Mumbai Metro, Coastal Road, Sewri-Worli Elevated Corridor flyover, Trans Harbour Link, and Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Video Journalist/Cinematographer - Jayant Parashar
instagram.com/thegardenlizard
Journalist Jane Borges
linkedin.com/in/jane-borges-6aab1814
Kurush Dalal
linkedin.com/in/kurush-dalal-a7a50040
Key research links:
https://mumbai.citizenmatters.in/
mumbaimetrotimes.com/mumbai-metro-map-route
Why Mumbai has slums youtube.com/watch?v=jPZp_ICmfhE
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai
britannica.com/place/Mumbai
RE-ENVISIONING CITIES - Urban Design in Practise P K Das Lecture youtube.com/watch?v=hvtmxPg0iig
Megacity from slums to skyscrapers - DW
youtube.com/watch?v=8UbKpTwGuSs&pp=ygUSbXVtYmFpIG1lZ2FjaXR5IGR3
Metropolis by Ben Wilson amazon.com/Metropolis-History-Humankinds-Greatest-Invention/dp/0385543468
Mumbai Map Explained youtube.com/watch?v=03pVXOmc_28
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai_Trans_Harbour_Link
Mumbai Metropolitan Region en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai_Metropolitan_Region
The Massive Coastal Road That's Dividing Mumbai youtube.com/watch?v=5qBNG8fY4AQ
Quoted video sources:
Metro and Coastal road construction youtube.com/watch?v=FNeTrm0v0dw&pp=ygUQc2Fuc2FhZCB0diBzdXRyYQ%3D%3D
Trans Harbour Link youtube.com/watch?v=-_7nZIaI0tE
Video clip sources
Mumbai, BMC: youtube.com/@MyBMCMyMumbai
Mumbai local train crowd youtube.com/@suyogexplore
Trans Harbour Drone youtube.com/@Imdroneman
Mumbai walking tour youtube.com/@keeziwalks
Container port youtube.com/@apmterminals
Mazagon Dock submarine builders youtube.com/watch?v=P8yA6JyEkMQ
Mumbai walking streets youtube.com/@LADmob
Mumbai 1973 youtube.com/watch?v=OkltgaGscfU&pp=ygUcZW5jaGFudGluZyBpbmRpYSBtdW1iYWkgMTk3Mw%3D%3D
How to build a subway in a crowded city youtube.com/watch?v=yPsgQIT4k58&pp=ygUsaG93IHRvIGJ1aWxkIGEgc3Vid2F5IGluIGNyb3dkZWQgY2l0eSBtdW1iYWk%3D
Making of Mumbai’s first underground metro
youtube.com/watch?v=8zE_GvEwR3g&pp=ygUdbWFraW5nIG9mIG11bWJhaXMgZmlyc3QgbWV0cm8%3D
Metro New Lines youtube.com/watch?v=QW3ZAWDktUI&pp=ygUVbXVtYmFpIG1ldHJvIG5ldyBsaW5l
Tunnel Boring Machine breakthrough youtube.com/watch?v=cWYfo5pQ1kI&pp=ygUOdGJtIGJrYyBtdW1iYWk%3D
Metro Line 3 walkthrough
youtube.com/watch?v=dhAkDBzzzVw&pp=ygUobXVtYmFpIG1ldHJvIG1hcm9sIG5ha2EgdW5kZXJncm91bmQgMjAyMQ%3D%3D
Trial run first underground metro
youtube.com/watch?v=6_8UQxGIt6w&pp=ygUobXVtYmFpIG1ldHJvIHVuZGVyZ3JvdW5kIHdhdGNoIHRyaWFsIHJ1bg%3D%3D
Metro line 3 drone shots
youtube.com/watch?v=TJAlgZvyUTE&pp=ygUmZW52aXJvbm1lbnRhbCBwcm90ZWN0aW9uIG1lYXN1cmVzIG1tcmM%3D
Mumbai traffic and tuk tuk rickshaw drivers
youtube.com/watch?v=0DVYBRCpkMA&pp=ygUPdHVrIHR1ayBtdW1iYWkg
Drive in Bandra
youtube.com/watch?v=HBtEBfPjYro&pp=ygUhYXR1cmRheSBhZnRlcm5vb24gZHJpdmUgaW4gYmFuZHJh
Oval Maidan aerial
youtube.com/watch?v=PwxZbbeA7w4&pp=ygUYb3ZhbCBtYWlkYW4gc291dGggbXVtYmFp
Coastal road drone and animations
youtube.com/watch?v=R6jDZOVIQrg
Coastal road youtube.com/watch?v=xVU50hsoYt0
Sanjay Ghandi National Park youtube.com/watch?v=ek3BV_lz3hc
Tearing down Seattle’s Alaskan Viaduct
youtube.com/watch?v=zUvF0nDwTo4
Seattle drive into tunnel youtube.com/watch?v=c5q-srPmRfQ
Dharavi slum inside look youtube.com/watch?v=JMQ1W89mF90
Trans harbour link
youtube.com/watch?v=-_7nZIaI0tE
Navi Mumbai airport
youtube.com/watch?v=kupu6t-46S0
Planes youtube.com/watch?v=WPl-VsOKaRg
Boat ride at Gorai creek
youtube.com/watch?v=JKGiEnZ5ru8
This is Mumbai, the transforming megacity. Surrounded by the Arabian sea, Mumbai - which means “mother” in Marathi, the local language - is the heart of the state of Maharashtra.
Narendra Modi
0:00 Welcome to Mumbai
0:37 Origins of the Megacity
1:58 Port of Mumbai
2:25 Immigration overwhelms infrastructure
3:30 Mumbai Metro
6:30 City layout
7:08 Coastal road
9:30 Seri-Worli connector
10:17 Trans Harbour Link
10:53 Navi Mumbai International Airport
11:11 Mumbai Metropolitan Region
11:52 The tradeoffs to development: preserving Gorai
moonvalleyfarm.net
youtube.com/@moon_valley_farm
Good Work is a new TDC series.
The 26-minute extended episode:
tdc.video/programs/good-work_e1
Subscribe to TDC
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Transcript:
When I tasted the food that I grew it tasted way better than the stuff in the grocery store.
So much of you what you get in the grocery store is hydroponic and it really doesn't taste like that much. So real soil grown organic food tastes so good and I really wanted to share that with people who didn't have the capacity like I did at the time. So I
started the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program because I thought it was super cool. I love the CSA concept.
I started in my parent's backyard in Baltimore County...own organic system plan.... 25 acres in Frederick County. The benefit of having my own land was the ability to invest in infrastructure....We grow crops in two different ways: we direct sow them into the ground and we transplant them. With transplants we can really get a jump on the season, and the weeds, and disease as well, and pest pressure by keeping them in a controlled environment before we put them in the ground.
We have a germination chamber that puts the seedlings at the correct temperature so that we get really good germination. Aand then we grow them out in here. These are all our Peppers we have a bunch of different kinds of herbs here. You can see this fancy kind of Basil is that purple. We've got cilantro and lettuces and a bunch of brassicas. So we're growing an array of specialty crops here. I like to say 'specialty is our specialty.' This is our water wheel transplanter. These get filled with water and also some fertilizer. All of those trays that you saw in the greenhouse sit here, and up here, and here. That's mushroom compost that we get from farms in Pennsylvania. I don't know if you know that Pennsylvania is the mushroom capital of the world. All of our equipment is set up for this bed system. So all the tractors have the same tire width, so that they fit on either side of this bed. Which means that we can not only prep the soil, and put the compost, put the nutrients, create a bed, transplant, but then we can also cultivate. Bryce: Are you able to reuse a lot of this plastic? Emma: No.
Right now the national organic program does not allow
biodegradable plastics to be used on an organic operation. So we do have to remove them each year and
throw them away in order to keep our organic certification.
We have an apiary here (beekeeping)
They pollinate our crops and so they help us get better yields because more of the flowers are pollinated. They've been working day and night on creating new boxes, and making splits, and they're also catching swarms in the area.
Swarms are really really docile so even though there's bees all over you you can just walk right into them and they're not going to sting you because bees only sting to protect their house, but when they're swarming they're looking for a new home.
We also invest in our soil, that's a really big one. By treating our soil like it is the key to human survival, which it very much is. And that does require a long-term approach. We're able to weather harsher conditions by investing in organic matter and all of the different nutrients that the soil needs to really increase its ability to hold and drain water. It's one of the most important things I feel like I'm doing taking conventional land and regeneratively farming it and nurturing it back organically is not easy, and that's the situation this planet is in. Somebody's gotta roll up the sleeves and do the hard work and that is farmers. Creating a really resilient food system based on our local economy is how we're gonna thrive in a time of climate change. I just don't see global pandemics, and supplies chain disruptions, and wars or political strife putting us to continually relying on international or across-the-nation food for our daily subsistence. Now that we're several seasons in and actually acquiring more land. So we're on 25 acres, but this year we're actually going to be on 40 acres, and next year we're going to be on 70.
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Manila is the capital of the Philippines and the largest city in the 7,641-island country.
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One of the most beautiful countries is also one of the most dangerous. Not only have decades of unsteady leadership followed centuries of foreign occupation, but its capital is the most vulnerable urban area to natural disasters on Earth. Conditions have become so challenging that the national government may leave. But most of the 25 million people living here will stay and carry on, as is their way. Fortunately, some major improvements are in the works. This is Manila, the island megacity.
Key sources and videos quoted:
What commuting in Manila is like [video] youtube.com/watch?v=OtuA-_BiItQ
Urban Renewal Study researchgate.net/publication/331633998_Urban_Renewal_of_the_City_of_Manila_and_its_Impact_to_Environment_and_Physical_Design
Exploring Manila (BBC doc) youtube.com/watch?v=QGZIHZtQlms
britannica.com/place/Manila
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Manila
WW2 Footage of Manila youtube.com/watch?v=y6ok97Q98l4
A trip through Manila 1931 youtube.com/watch?v=bE7ng17Yy50
Parts Unknown, Manila youtube.com/watch?v=ZroEePqEAwQ
There is no subway here, only very limited above-ground rail, and a bus network that mostly consists of uncomfortable Jeepney’s. So everyone who can afford to drives, creating the most gridlocked city in Asia, if not the world. Commute times can reach an unfathomable six hours roundtrip. That’s how long it takes Emico to navigate the multiple stages of her commute into her office in Metro Manila each morning and back home to Rizal each night, even though they are just 19 kilometers apart.
The situation - thankfully - is improving. Thousands of electrified Jeepnys have hit the road, and construction has begun on what locals call the “Project of the Century”--the Metro Manila Subway. When fully operational in 2028 it could serve more than 1.5 million trips a day.
But not all developers have abandoned Manila. The new Bonifacio Global City that has gone up over the last two decades provides a safe, clean bubble for foreigners and wealthy Filipinos. By looks and design, it seems to rival many of the world’s other new luxurious steel and glass cities. Of course, similar to Delhi’s Gurgaon, it is mostly walled off from the extreme poverty existing just meters away.
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome to Manila
0:40 Geography of the capital
0:57 Spanish Manila
1:23 Philippine independence movement
2:08 War with the United States
3:22 American design
4:00 Manila in WW2
4:42 Modern Manila's challenges
6:06 Transportation system
6:30 A six-hour roundtrip commute
7:00 Metro Manila Subway
7:22 Most vulnerable city to natural disasters
7:55 Government moving to New Clark City
8:15 Bonifacio Global City
Megacity Episodes:
Buenos Aires, Argentina: The World's Southernmost MEGACITY
youtu.be/fOQrkk0E-TA
London, England's MEGACITY: Capital of the British Empire youtu.be/ZM7TBKD3a5U
Jakarta, Indonesia's MEGACITY - World's Second Largest City youtu.be/h8-fwBMo6bc
Los Angeles, California's Megacity:
youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Manila, the Philippines' MEGACITY: History of an Island Capital
Manila, the Philippines' MEGACITY: Capital of 7,641 Islands
Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Scenic mountains ring the fertile basin of Sichuan province, a land known for its agricultural abundance and famous cuisine of chili-infused sauces and spicy hot pot. Its capital has been continuously inhabited for more than 3,000 years, the only major city in China to have an unchanged name and location throughout the imperial, republican, and communist eras–a history that remains remarkably well preserved.
In the second century BC, Chengdu was one of Earth’s largest civilizations, with 350,000 inhabitants. In the 11th century, the world’s first widely used paper money was created here. Unfortunately, things turned bleak in the 1500s when its residents were nearly all destroyed by a murderous Mongol invasion. For decades afterward, Chengdu remained so sparsely populated that wild tigers freely roamed its streets.
During the Chinese Civil War in 1949, Chengdu was the last stronghold in the country for the forces of Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China before their evacuation to Taiwan. In spite of its short-lived status as the capital, the city attracted loyal business people, workers, and academics–an influx of talent that founded many of the industries and institutions that continue to make Chengdu the premiere cultural and economic center of Southwest China.
In the year 2000, Beijing launched the “Open Up The West Program” to encourage immigration from its wealthy coastal regions and spread prosperity to its 12 poorest areas in the west. As an established metropolis, Chengdu has been a major winner under the policy. Its population has doubled over the last 25 years while becoming one of China’s most dynamic cities. Between 2010 and 2022 105 highrises over 100 meters were completed, catapulting it to 12th on the list of the world’s tallest metropolises. But high-density construction is happening all across China. What’s special about Chengdu is the amount of land local officials have set aside for parks, paths, and athletic facilities, an effort to make it as livable as possible.
President Xi has officially designated it China’s Park City Demonstration Area. Municipal leaders even brought in experts from the United Nations to better understand how ecological development can solve some of Chengdu’s most pressing challenges. One ultimate goal is to create the world’s largest continuous network of paths by 2050 by reserving 500 meters on either side of its largest ring highway, a project that will eventually produce 188 square kilometers of parks.
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome to Chengdu
0:23 Geography of Sichuan province
0:54 History of Chengdu
2:00 Chengdu's emergence
2:39 Becoming a megacity
3:20 World's largest network of paths
4:02 World's Largest Building: New Century Global Center
5:10 China's emerging megaregions
5:55 The emerging Chengdu-Chongqing megaregion
6:37 Dirty air
6:54 Water, drought, and electricity crisis
Megacity Episodes:
Buenos Aires Argentina youtu.be/fOQrkk0E-TA
London youtube.com/watch?v=ZM7TBKD3a5U
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
LOS ANGELES: California's MEGACITY youtu.be/QropkR9iasY
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
TDC Most Popular Videos
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Visit brilliant.org/TDC for 20% off your annual subscription!
Subscribe to TDC for regular MEGACITY episodes: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
The world’s southernmost megacity is among the best places to live in Latin America. With nearly 17 million people, it’s one of those rare metropolises that can feel like the center of the universe. But there's also a sense that this city once came close to achieving true greatness, but has fallen well short. This is Buenos Aires, the remote megacity.
The University of Buenos Aires is one of the best in South America. It has produced four Nobel Prize winners and provides taxpayer-funded education to students from all over the world.
Argentina also has nearly 20 million tons of identified lithium reserves in the Andean plains. This metal is a central component in the batteries of EVs and mobile devices, a resource worth more than $1 trillion to Argentina in the next two decades alone.
In fact, the beloved Pope Francis is a born and bred Porteño.
The city’s other religion is futból. With at least 24 clubs, Buenos Aires has the highest concentration of pro teams in the world and is home to the 2022 world cup champions.
Key sources and videos quoted:
Argentina, a country study bit.ly/3XXKoi1
Buenos Aires 1920s, 1930s street scenes bit.ly/3ZW86wO
Buenos Aires vacation guide: bit.ly/3Jbdx5d
Buenos Aires summary: bit.ly/3HrTldL
Greater Buenos Aires bit.ly/4010IA6
A Brief History bit.ly/3Hp9yk1
Centro Cultural Kirchner bit.ly/3ZXMS1s
Argentina seethes with revolution bit.ly/3wsab6a
Buenos Aires drone footage bit.ly/3H7Cf3P
Parts Unknown Buenos Aires bit.ly/3iXo0GK
Buenos Aires, Argentina: The World's Southernmost MEGACITY
Megacity Episodes:
London, England's MEGACITY: Capital of the British Empire youtu.be/ZM7TBKD3a5U
Jakarta, Indonesia's MEGACITY - World's Second Largest City youtu.be/h8-fwBMo6bc
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete)
youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
Los Angeles, California's Megacity:
youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:29 Geography of Buenos Aires
0:40 Founding of the megacity
1:20 Colony of Spain
1:48 Revolution for independence
2:17 Buenos Aires becomes a global city
2:54 Rapid population growth
3:18 A European-style capital
4:09 The Party Ends
5:13 Rise of Juan and Eva "Evita" Peron
6:08 Political and economic struggles continue
6:41 A lot to feel good about
7:03 Improved life in slums
7:20 University of Buenos Aires
7:32 Argentina's lithium mining boom
8:08 Argentina's religion: Futbol (soccer)
8:16 2022 World Cup Champions (Messi)
8:27 An intellectual capital
8:52 Spectacular National Cultural Center
9:15 Champions of individual rights
9:25 Autonomous city
9:56 Areas for improvement (parks and energy grid stability)
10:43 Brilliant sponsorship
Juan Peron Eva Duarte Evita Peron Porteno Porteño Porteña Universidad de Buenos Aires Lionel Messi Maradona Yerba Mate tea nightlife walk 4k plaza de mayo villas miseria beef meat Juan De Garay fair winds mendoza subte subway asuncion Juan Manuel de Rosas province unification ranchero conventillos Italy spain Portugal Portuguese france germany president Madrid Barcelona colectivos bus police partidos Pope Francis Bolivia Ecuador Medellin Chile Santiago Antarctica
Subscribe for new episodes:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Key sources and videos used:
Iran targets its children https://nyti.ms/3GV54ly
Students join protests bit.ly/3u9dePC
Frontline: Our Man in Tehran to.pbs.org/2L4U1FI
Who runs Iran https://bbc.in/3ASba1X
Tehran middle class on economy bit.ly/3VCqfN0
Renewable energy in Iran, A Review: bit.ly/3u63RzZ
The Shah by Abbas Milani bit.ly/3VxyEBn
Tehran (Wikipedia) bit.ly/3UkkRNv
Video: Persia before Khomeini (YouTube) bit.ly/3u4noB0
Iranian diaspora bit.ly/3gCuIAR
Video: History of Iran (YouTube) bit.ly/3VB59yE
Megacity Episodes:
London, England's MEGACITY: Capital of the British Empire youtu.be/ZM7TBKD3a5U
Jakarta, Indonesia's MEGACITY - World's Second Largest City youtu.be/h8-fwBMo6bc
Los Angeles, California's Megacity youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO) youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Chapters
0:00 Episode teaser
0:45 Geography of Iran
1:04 Tehran becomes the capital
1:31 Rise of Reza Khan
1:55 Reza Shah modernizes Iran
2:28 Shah makes enemies
2:59 Britain and the Soviets invade
3:21 CIA MI6 coup to oust Mossaddegh
3:51 Reign of Shah Pahlavi
4:01 Rise of Ayahtollah Ruhollah Khomeini
4:14 1979 Islamic Revolution
4:33 Iran's current government
5:00 Millions flee brutal government to America & Europe
5:27 Khomeini makes enemies with the US: the hostage crisis
5:45 Saddam Hussein's Iraq invades Iran
5:58 Mass immigration to Tehran
6:12 Iran's poor economy
6:34 Failed nuclear program
6:46 Huge renewable energy potential
7:04 Vulnerability to climate change: heat waves and drought
7:37 Tehran's megaprojects: metro, fast internet, sewer and water
8:02 Tabiat bridge
8:10 Youth of Tehran push for revolution
8:39 Government struggles to contain protests
8:53 Unprecedented actions by and against school children
9:05 Crossing the point of no return
9:15 What's next?
Located in west Asia, Iran has eight foreign borders and access to the ocean through the gulfs off its southern coast. Most of the country’s 87 million people live in the northwest, where it's cooler on the steppes of mountains home to the highest peak in Western Asia–Mount Damavand. In 1786, this land became the 32nd capital in the history of Persia, closer to areas in the north that had fallen under the influence of Russia and Britain.
Iran is highly vulnerable to the climate change temperature rise of 1.8 degrees C - that’s one-and-a-half times the mean global rise of 1.2 degrees. Prolonged drought that’s decimated its water supply and turned thousands of villages into ghost towns as surrounding farmland goes dry.
Several major projects have been completed in the capital. Tehran now has the largest metro system in the Middle East. Six cent ticket prices and a daily ridership of 3 million are improving its terrible traffic and air pollution. Internet speed and penetration has increased 10-fold; Tehran’s new, integrated sewer and water treatment system is 90% operational; and it’s internationally-celebrated Tabiat bridge.
The current Supreme Leader is an 83-year old in questionable health guiding a regime struggling to contain protests led by women demanding full rights that are inspiring millions to demand a functioning economy.
I profiled London last time and am exploring Buenos Aires, Argentina next.
USA vs. Iran Highlights | 2022 FIFA World Cup
Subscribe for regular episodes:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Chapters:
0:00 Episode teaser
1:01 Roman Londinium
1:38 Westminster Abbey and Palace
2:07 City of London fly-in
2:23 Royal Exchange
2:47 Tower of London
3:10 Great London Fire of 1666
4:33 World-Class creative culture of the 1600s
4:53 Coffee Houses: hot bed's of innovation
5:19 The Royal Society
5:34 Lloyd's of London and the world's first great capitalist economy
6:10 British Empire
6:32 Trafalgar
6:59 Largest City in the World
7:16 Cleaning up London with a modern sewer system
7:44 Building the Underground
8:18 Suburban sprawl into the countryside
8:55 Greenbelt
9:25 The Blitz and rebuilding London
10:04 A city of immigrants
11:05 Brexit
11:45 Heatwaves and climate change
12:05 Thames Barrier and sea level rise
12:35 Coming water shortages?
13:30 A bright future
Key sources and videos used:
Metropolis: A History of the City bit.ly/3EzVl2r
Busiest airspaces bit.ly/3O8IgjC
Great Fire of 1666 bit.ly/3V03OBm
Battle of Trafalgar bit.ly/3O5RnSh
History of London, England bit.ly/3hEkC2h
The first super-sewer bit.ly/3EA2L5G
Pioneering techniques of ground engineering bit.ly/3XhBMTZ
Greenbelt threats map londongreenbeltcouncil.org.uk/threats-map
Largest foreign-born populations bit.ly/3X5Rl0U
Brexit bit.ly/3hLUNNK
2022 Heatwave and fires bit.ly/3EA3DY0
Thames barrier bit.ly/3EuFdhx
Running out of water by 2050 bit.ly/3THSWXA
Thames water reservoir bit.ly/3X5RSzW
Megacity Episodes:
Buenos Aires: youtu.be/fOQrkk0E-TA
Jakarta, Indonesia's MEGACITY - World's Second Largest City
Los Angeles, California's Megacity:
youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete)
youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
UK Funeral Concert Arsenal Chelsea Tottenham Spurs Liverpool Manchester queen adele beatles elton john ed sheerhan world cup Houses of Parliament world-famous Buckingham Palace
In this London video, I show you why London, England is the empire capital. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
London, England's MEGACITY: The Empire Capital
London, UK is the capital of the United Kingdom and one of the world's major cities. Renowned for its arts and culture, lively nightlife, and world-renowned universities.
Key sources and videos quoted:
Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown bit.ly/3Kmn4oj
Jakarta is Sinking! youtu.be/qOSwBIstZUs
Jakarta is the World's Fastest Sinking City youtu.be/dNE5aptbGyY
Asia's Sinking Cities: Jakarta youtu.be/M3M9KGPMkoo
Jakarta Kota Air (Part 1) youtu.be/UR_jL-x4W3M
Jakarta Unfair (Full Version) youtu.be/wCjbxuXv92U
Why Jakarta is sinking youtu.be/Z9cJQN6lw3w
Indonesia Pollution: Jakarta tries to clean world's filthiest river youtu.be/QpKr2qaxXto
Let It Flood: Ciliwung Delta by Bindi Purnama bit.ly/3PKERqB
Subscribe for city profiles:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
All other research links:
Indonesia's new capital youtu.be/HvQJiVTeDoc
34 million urban area population http://demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf
Demographics, economy of Indonesia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia
Employment shift to services from agriculture bit.ly/3PQMTxZ
World's second-longest coastline bit.ly/2T66SfJ
Jakarta growth from space 1990-2019 go.nasa.gov/3An8994
Capitalism and the Dutch East India Company (Batavia) youtu.be/zPIhMJGWiM8
Indonesian Independence 1945 youtu.be/G2ZTwL9-KPY
Fewer than 1 million have access to piped water bit.ly/3ct5mmy
Sinking 3 times faster than a few years earlier bit.ly/3ALgLYs
Talking trash in Jakarta youtu.be/M5N0NMpKp3A
$40 on Great Garuda Sea Wall (Guardian) bit.ly/3TgSocj
Indonesia's giant capital city is sinking (Nat Geo) on.natgeo.com/3pIqF6K
Why Indonesia is moving its capital (Real Life Lore) youtu.be/t9p1bS1ThwY
Nusantara construction begins [video] youtu.be/eordUP_VGCo
Indonesia passes law to relocate capital to Borneo youtu.be/g3SSXBOlDgY
Indonesia picks winning design for its new capital youtu.be/7-B-jTss5WA
Why do countries move their capital cities? https://econ.st/3PP9kns
Softbank’s exit from Indonesia’s new capital project bit.ly/3wweBcE
Jokowi is considering extending his term https://econ.st/3wrQV95
TransJakarta en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransJakarta
Megacity Episodes:
Buenos Aires, Argentina: The World's Southernmost MEGACITY
youtu.be/fOQrkk0E-TA
London, England's MEGACITY: Capital of the British Empire youtu.be/ZM7TBKD3a5U
Jakarta, Indonesia's MEGACITY - World's Second Largest City youtu.be/h8-fwBMo6bc
Los Angeles, California's Megacity:
youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Jakarta, Indonesia's MEGACITY: The World's Second Largest City
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:11 Welcome to Jakarta
2:55 'Urban planning gone horribly wrong'
3:09 History of Jakarta
3:56 Suharto comes to power
4:30 Land subsidence explained
4:56 Sinking 3x faster
5:29 Historic flooding
6:32 Raising their homes
7:15 The problems with channelization
8:34 Floodplain development
9:15 Kampungs resettlement
10:55 The rising sea
11:47 Great Garuda Sea Wall Megaproject
12:48 A New Capital: Nusantara
14:11 Questions surrounding Nusantara
15:19 A City worth saving
16:21 Piped water for all
16:58 Creating more greenspace
17:30 Building an aquatic metropolis
18:07 Floodproof homes
19:12 Tiny homes on stilts
19:44 How Kampung Tongkal was saved
Indonesia new law parliament bali ache criminalize Indonesia bans outside marriage as parliament passes sweeping new criminal code
Episodes covered in this video:
Delhi, India's Capital MEGACITY
youtu.be/OUPTGDrXDy4
Los Angeles, California's MEGACITY
youtu.be/QropkR9iasY
Shanghai, China's Largest MEGACITY
youtu.be/N6XZekbQ0SE
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
MEGACITIES of the World (Season 1 - Complete)
youtu.be/0ULzxD3w_c8
Subscribe for weekly city profiles:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thedailyconversation
http://www.twitter.com/thedailyconvo
This is the most populous city, and the capital, of a country that will soon have more people than anywhere else on Earth. Home to more than 31 million residents, it’s a chaotic place with a complicated history. It has major problems in housing, inequality, and transportation. But if it can solve them, its residents will experience an enormous increase in prosperity. As India’s seat of power, what happens here impacts a billion people and reverberates around the world. This is Delhi: a fulcrum of the 21st century.
The only megacity in the western United States has an ideal climate and a history of development based - uniquely - on vehicle mobility. There is no place quite like it on Earth. A powerful trendsetter, this diverse, beautiful city is one of the most recognizable on the planet. Arguably the most influential and successful urban area of the 1900s, its population grew from 100,000 to more than 15 million in just over a century. But this amazing boom favored some much more than others and has required a re-engineering of the natural environment on a scale previously unseen in human history. This is Los Angeles, California’s megacity.
Shanghai, the most populous city in the People’s Republic of China, rises on the low-lying swamplands where the tributaries and lakes of the Yangtze River Delta meet the East China Sea, and the vast Pacific Ocean beyond.
London england megacity london england uk united kingdom delhi jakarta indonesia jakarta megacity world cup qatar tdc argentina germany france messi ronaldo benzema neymar brazil spain netherlands arsenal chelsea manchester city moscow china japan united states new york los angeles tdc thededicatedcitizen mumbai tehran iran cairo tokyo beijing los angeles chicago la houston
Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, recently became the most populous in sub-Saharan Africa. It has some of the most bountiful and sought-after natural resources on the planet, many of which remain untapped by its enterprising and industrious workforce. Yet, despite being faced with some of the most challenging conditions in the history of civilization, it remains a land of enormous potential.
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome to Season 2
0:17 Delhi, India
17:55 Los Angeles, USA
40:00 Shanghai, China
53:04 Kinshasa, DR Congo
Megacity Episodes:
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Los Angeles, California's MEGACITY
youtu.be/QropkR9iasY
TDC Most Popular Videos
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Inside the $1.2 TRILLION Plan to Modernize US Infrastructure
youtu.be/iH5k061ZnWE
Gandhi, Dutch, History, Educational, UK, British, Spain, Italy, France, French, China, Germany, Europe, EU, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Russia, Moscow, Japan, Tokyo, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, New York
Sources:
Congo a river journey youtu.be/6t0k-hcffZw
Super rich in Central Africa youtu.be/KaPLylJk89w
Inside the murky business of cobalt mining in DR Congo youtu.be/ll7aUgeK3-o
Chinese company removed as cobalt mine operator https://nyti.ms/3vxSvWN
DR Congo worker abuse youtube.com/watch?v=KzZcbCn8l10
Deadliest journeys Congo: The Last Train in Katanga youtu.be/FVGQJM2MVNY
DRCs corruption score bit.ly/3PUPeZQ
90-page Corruption report: bit.ly/3vrLtmg
Subscribe for weekly city profiles:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thedailyconversation
http://www.twitter.com/thedailyconvo
All other research and footage sources:
History of the Congo river youtu.be/XMbeQT8Nzxo
King Baudouin declares Congo independent youtube.com/watch?v=TjCgC64odYw
Patrice Lumumba youtube.com/watch?v=qkTSCcW1MDo
How Chinese money is changing housing in Africa youtu.be/tqmLcGST4kw
What can $10 get in Congo youtube.com/watch?v=Tsa-38HCY8E
Kinshasa is drawing in waste bit.ly/3vvjKkM
Seek change through rap music youtube.com/watch?v=YUgFBP1u-yo
Conflict minerals in the DRC bit.ly/3zLJBHG
Wikipedia: Kinshasa bit.ly/3bjXLX0
History guild: The Congo war bit.ly/3bhHwde
China gifting DRC new parliament building bit.ly/3Q6WKRv
Bush meets Kabila bit.ly/3vrKHWo
China Cash Flowed to Former President’s Cronies https://bloom.bg/3bjYmrI
Kinshasa in 4k youtube.com/watch?v=bn0hlX_nbRk
The extraordinary foods and people of DR Congo youtube.com/watch?v=ky6BGlPuDOk
Innoss’B Fr Diamond Platnumz youtube.com/watch?v=ebZ7Ng1okCg
Additional drone shots bit.ly/3zj4Saa
Chinese entrepreneurs in DR Congo youtube.com/watch?v=O77HMmFAtSQ
Congo’s highway No. 1 youtube.com/watch?v=APzcFV1BAss
Report slams Congo’s $6 billion China mining deal youtube.com/watch?v=L8POLcJiYGA
Nyiragongo Volcano youtube.com/watch?v=ZVBEFHwzEWQ
Conflict and Coltan in Eastern Congo youtube.com/watch?v=F5VZtJDYWNM
Kinshasa slow motion youtube.com/watch?v=EB41Zl2lY0I
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome to Kinshasa
0:52 Geography and natural resources
1:56 The colonialists arrive
2:48 An independent (corrupt) DRC
3:48 Cobalt mining capital of the world
4:30 China's plunder
6:51 Kinshasa's poor infrastructure and services
7:39 Rich (few) vs Poor (many)
8:38 Bike merchant "traffickers"
9:52 A wild (slow) train ride
10:39 Looking ahead
Megacity Episodes:
Buenos Aires, Argentina: youtu.be/fOQrkk0E-TA
Los Angeles, California's Megacity: youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
Megacities of the World youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
TDC Most Popular Videos
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
lubumbashi Brazzaville mbuji-Mayi Henry Stanley Leopoldville Rwanda Rwandan DRC Belgian Belgium US USA United States America politician Mobutu Sese Seko government Congolese rebel militia President Joseph Kabila million population poverty failed state patrolled by thousands UN peacekeepers war-torn east city north west south dangerous US State Department travel President Felix Tshisekedi parliament Chinese xi jinping beijing tanzania Zambia central African republic sudan Goma uganda angola cameroon guinea congo river somalia Atlantic ocean closest capitals kananga south Africa johanasb lagos nigeria kenya cairo egypt giza dar es salaam khartoum
Key sources and videos:
KCET's building the metropolis documentary: youtu.be/gUkwI6vQxHs
Metropolis by Ben Wilson: tinyurl.com/nrnepfbs
Reminiscences of Los Angeles by Belle Buford Thom Collins: tinyurl.com/mryx88ah
Better Housing News Flash (FHA): vimeo.com/673653514
Los Angeles: Displacement in utopia: youtu.be/m41QLXShUgs
State Water Project (w/JFK speech): youtu.be/67msE99MKug
Who ended the red car? youtube.com/watch?v=Ba12H36qC1U
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) [Kirsten Dirksen]: youtu.be/yh1lQPgehSs
Shadow of a Drought: youtu.be/Df281Y6hhfI
Subscribe for weekly city profiles:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
All other research links:
The Mexican Era | California History: youtu.be/gKRzroZ30vo
The Mexican American War: youtube.com/watch?v=26raYPP4n7Q
The Gold Rush | California History: youtu.be/W1dmyx6LBKA
How Los Angeles gets its water: youtu.be/XdhEZZKPqWw
The port of Los Angeles: youtu.be/hYWwViivn9Q
Early oil and gas production in California: youtu.be/aMbL49KBYe0
History of Hollywood: youtu.be/ilFzX8ggXeo
From farm to freeway: youtu.be/9eAeQzWuPkU
Construction of LA Aqueduct: archive.org/details/csmha_000019
From redcars to freeways: youtu.be/9KoC2yfuazc
Evolution of Los Angeles: youtu.be/vR1J8IhpfLk
New Automobiles Auto Industry In WWII: youtu.be/yTWYBoGkgJM
Housing segregation and redlining in America: youtu.be/O5FBJyqfoLM
FHA fact sheet: hud.gov/program_offices/housing/fhahistory
The Story of Los Angeles International Airport LAX: youtu.be/B4NysCgVQ1Y
Flight to California: youtu.be/oopktYbHwLQ
Los Angeles, CA. 1940s in color: youtube.com/watch?v=eLbk4v7l2Mo
1940s Los Angeles from the air: youtube.com/watch?v=NsTwBBpCCcs
Reshaping LA | Lost LA: youtu.be/tSBQ5lqPTtg
Pioneers of Aviation Alan and Malcolm Lockheed: youtu.be/rU-0CZbtLmU
The real cost of freeways: youtu.be/HS6WrJZKbjs
State Water Project: An Aerial Tour 2021: youtube.com/watch?v=7A1jHyfqp8E
LA 3rd city in world in GDP: tinyurl.com/3wmp5pz8
ADU grant program: calhfa.ca.gov/adu/index.htm
Desalination plant: youtu.be/00jDa1D3DbY
San Andreas fault: youtu.be/kc4j59C_60E
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome to LA
1:06 Founding 'El Pueblo'
1:51 California becomes a US state
2:55 Growth into a city
4:09 LA Aqueduct
4:50 Absorbing other cities and towns
5:52 Hearing from an 1880's LA resident
6:10 Streetcars takeover
7:10 World's largest streetcar network
7:59 Automobiles takeover
8:10 FHA sparks a housing boom
9:46 Suburban sprawl
10:59 Cold War 'Defensive Dispersal'
12:00 Discriminatory housing practices
13:14 Freeways introduced
13:39 How freeways destroyed communities
14:06 State Water Project (feat. JFK)
15:30 A dominant city
16:26 LA's challenges
16:35 Boosting density around mass transit
17:07 High cost of living
17:42 Accessory Dwelling Units
18:12 Droughts and wildfires
18:34 The potential of water recovery
20:32 The coming 'Big One' earthquake
21:24 Goodnight and Goodluck
Megacity Episodes:
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete)
youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
TDC membership for research links: tdc.video/programs/shanghai-megacity?offset=2
More MEGACITIES: bit.ly/2NozRJl
Script:
Of all the cities on earth, the pace of civilizational transformation is most evident here. With over 25,000 buildings standing 12 stories or more, it has more high rises than anywhere else and is the most important economic engine in China. But there are real challenges on the horizon for this city of 25 million: some that took a pandemic to fully emerge, and others that grow more frightening with each passing year.
This is Shanghai, a bellwether of the 21st century.
The most populous city in the People’s Republic of China rises on the low-lying swamplands where the tributaries and lakes of the Yangtze River Delta meet the East China Sea, and the vast Pacific Ocean beyond.
Founded in the tenth century, its easy access to the extensive Asian interior made it an ideal location for those seeking to trade regionally and - eventually - with the empires of the West. In the 1800s, after a prolonged struggle with imperialists who used subterfuge and sabotage - like hooking millions, China was forced to allow foreigners greater access to its markets–and control over much of Shanghai. The city became a foothold for the British, French, Americans, and Japanese, who took possession of designated areas in the city, called “concessions,” where they established businesses that extracted great resources and wealth. Many Chinese call this the “century of humiliation.” Shanghai was essentially split into a “Chinese” half and a more modern European-styled “Western” half home to around 35,000 foreigners. Despite this dysfunction, the combined area thrived and by the mid-1930s it was one of the largest cities in the world with three million inhabitants.
Shanghai is where the second world truly began, as Japan unleashed Blitzkrieg. The combination of siege warfare and aerial bombardment, followed by attacks and house-to-house fighting, produced the horrific scenes now associated with Europe, but was first reported in China’s megacity.
Despite this nightmare, a glimmer of humanity still flickered in Shanghai, as evidenced by its unconditional welcoming of any Jews fleeing.
The war’s aftermath brought the Communists to power. This forced many foreign businesses to move south to independent Hong Kong. Despite this drain on capital and talent, the economic heart of the People’s Republic of China remained in Shanghai, and for the next four decades, this vital port city provided 70% of all the tax revenue that was collected and spent nationwide by China’s central party, whose bureaucrats were ensconced in Beijing–1,100 km away.
This was an untenable burden on the Shanghainese, and in 1991 two of their local leaders seized a rare opportunity to change things. After the crackdown on student protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989, China’s Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping wanted new management in Beijing. The reins of power were turned over to two former mayors of Shanghai: Jiang Zemin, who succeeded Xiaoping as paramount leader, and Zhu Rongji, who became Vice Premier. They declared that Shanghai would be the “dragon’s head” of China’s modernization.
Megacity Episodes:
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
LOS ANGELES, California's MEGACITY youtu.be/QropkR9iasY
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
TDC Most Popular Videos
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
This is a birdseye look at Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine as its residents prepare for terrifying urban combat with an invading Russian army that is coming to take their freedom.
Home to nearly 3 million people, Kyiv is situated on the west bank of the Dnipro (nee-prow) river. To the north, the Dnipro is dammed by the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Station, the site of a fierce battle at the start of the invasion when it was captured by Russian troops, then retaken by Ukraine. It is the main source of the city’s electricity and holds back the water in the Kyiv reservoir. If the dam were to fail, flooding could destroy the city’s low-lying riverside neighborhoods and plunge the rest of the capital into darkness.
The bridges crossing the Dnipro serve as a pinch point for Russian ground forces invading from the east. The advances of their armored vehicles have been repeatedly stymied throughout the country when farmland turns into more densely populated suburbs, funneling Russian vehicles into single-file lines that can be ambushed by highly effective shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons, and then pounded by Ukrainian artillery firing from several kilometers away.
So the handful of bridges crossing the Dnipro will be a major focal point in the days ahead.
The east flank of central Kyiv has another defensive advantage as well – its position on a hill that’s up to 100 meters above the river bank.
Kyiv is also facing Russians invading from Belarus in the northwest. Heavy fighting has reached Irpin, which lies across the river of the same name. Bridges crossing the narrow Irpin into Kyiv are more spread out than those crossing the Dnipro and lead to several roads that pass through an unpopulated, wooded area spanning a few kilometers before reaching the edge of the city.
Just to the north of Irpin is Antonov International Airport. In one of the opening moves of the war, it was briefly captured by Russian paramilitary troops flown in by helicopter. But the airport was quickly retaken by the Ukrainians.
Control of airfields is vital. There are four others in the immediate region: the Vasylkiv Air force base to the south, which was reported destroyed in a Russian missile attack on March 15, the Boryspil airport - attacked on the first day of the war - the Sviatoshyn industrial airfield, and Sikorsky International airport located 7 kilometers south of the city center.
For the current columns of Russian ground forces to reach the city center, they will have to fight their way through several kilometers of a highly built-up and developed European capital. Combat would take place over hundreds of blocks among both wide boulevards and narrow streets lined by 4-10 story buildings. We have not seen anything like this since World War II.
Based on how the war has gone so far, it is hard to imagine how Russia will effectively occupy and maintain control of a city this size in the face of what has been a fierce and persistent resistance.
But if the occupation is Putin’s goal, Russia will definitely need to control the Kyiv rail hub so resupplies can arrive by train. And - for symbolic purposes - it will need to control independence square and the government buildings around it.
However, if the goal is to encircle and lay siege to the city to starve and break its people, as the Russians are doing to other Ukrainian cities, the occupier's lines will likely have to hold up against many desperate attempts to break them from both inside and outside.
Whatever happens in Kyiv, the entire world is watching.
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
This is the most populous city, and the capital, of a country that will soon have more people than anywhere else on Earth. Home to more than 31 million residents, it’s a chaotic place with a complicated history. It has major problems in housing, inequality, and transportation, but if it can solve them, its residents will experience an enormous increase in prosperity. As India’s seat of power, what happens here impacts a billion people and reverberates around the world. This is Delhi: a fulcrum of the 21st century.
Nestled along a protective ridge that sends Himalayan snowmelt either west to the tributaries of the Indus river, or east to the Ganges, Delhi is the gateway to one of the most expansive, fertile agricultural plains on the planet, and a collection point for goods on their way to an extensive coastline for export.
This land has been the capital of empire after empire for thousands of years, but the defining moment in its modern history occurred 75 years ago when India declared its independence from the British Empire at Delhi’s Red Fort. This resulted in the partition of the Indian territory along religious lines into India, and West and East Pakistan, which eventually became independent Bangladesh.
This had massive consequences.
This flood of new arrivals overwhelmed the city as makeshift housing settlements sprouted and grew all over. This building wasn’t done to code and lacked basic plumbing and sewers. It’s a crisis that Delhi is still struggling to solve. Today, the percentage of its residents living in so-called unauthorized areas is as high as 40%. That’s a staggering 12 million people.
But to get a more complete picture of what Delhi is today, we must go back to events after Indian independence. In 1947 Indian per-capita income had not increased since 1757–that’s 190 years of British imperialists taking ownership of - and exporting away - vast quantities of India’s bountiful natural resources. Revolutionary Mahatma Gandhi and his hand-picked political heir, Jawaharlal Nehru, knew the Indian people needed a far different system than what the British Empire had imposed.
What Nehru wanted was an idyllic ‘Total Society’ in which injustice and inequality would be defeated by the perfect nation-system. This dream was cemented during a short four-day visit to Moscow, where Nehru and his father were wined and dined by the Communist Party’s elite celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution. With tightly managed visits to factories and theatres, it was an obvious attempt to impart a rosy picture of Soviet-style socialism onto visiting dignitaries, and it worked. Nehru was awed by the USSR’s achievements in industry, art, and bureaucracy.
Real estate and land development in the city of Delhi was tightly controlled. The Delhi Development Authority - or DDA - was created in 1957 and granted the exclusive responsibility of land development within the borders of the city. The DDA prevented individuals from owning more than a handful of acres and forced people to sell the agency their property at below-market prices.
Megacity Episodes:
Buenos Aires Argentina youtu.be/fOQrkk0E-TA
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
LOS ANGELES: California's MEGACITY youtu.be/QropkR9iasY
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
TDC Most Popular Videos
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
G20 Summit
Offset your own carbon footprint on Wren: wren.co/start/tdc
The first 100 people who sign up will have 10 extra trees planted in their name!
The $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the largest investment in America’s physical public assets in decades and the biggest commitment ever by the government of the USA to fight climate change. The bill expands the Buy America requirement for infrastructure materials, which will boost the American manufacturing sector and industries like steel production. Its core is an expansion of the 5-year transportation infrastructure law known as the FAST Act, passed in 2015. 45% of Americans lack access to public transportation and for every $1b spent on transit, 50,000 jobs are created. This bill will provide the largest investment in public transit in American history. Almost 40K people died in motor vehicle-related incidents in 2019, and unsafe road infrastructure is a major risk factor for these fatalities. On top of traditional infrastructure spending, the bill invests an unprecedented $550 billion over five years on dozens of innovative new programs. The bill builds out a national network of 500,000 electric car (EV) chargers to ease range anxiety and accelerate the switchover from gasoline to electric. $500m to electrifying school buses, $5b for zero-emission public transit buses, and $2.5b toward electrifying the many ferries on our extensive waterways. To make sure these vehicles are powered by renewable electricity, the bill makes the largest investment in the energy grid in American history. Hundreds of substations and thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines will bring green electricity to cities as wind and solar are now the lowest-cost sources of electricity. With 45,000 bridges in poor condition throughout the country, a new program will oversee $40b for repairs and rebuilds. The largest investment in Amtrak's history will modernize the passenger rail network for our transportation and economic future. Airport and port delays jeopardize over 1 million jobs. The bill will fund repairs, improve logistics, reduce congestion, and increase electrification to reduce emissions. More than 30 million Americans live in areas with no high-speed internet infrastructure and are still suffering seconds-long waits to load pages and constant video buffering–or they have to go to a library or restaurant just to get something done. This historic investment will guarantee that every American has reliable broadband internet access. 10 million households and 400,000 schools lack access to safe drinking water. The Biden administration detailed its plan to try to replace every underground drinking water pipe in the country in the next ten years. About half of the children in the US have detectable levels of lead in their blood. In 2021, 20 weather disasters of $1b each 688 people no alive. To build resilience to extreme weather, $71b on:
Flood mitigation and waterway management by the Army Corps of Engineers;
Water storage, recycling, and ecosystem restoration to help California and other western states deal with drought.
Wildfire fighting like clearing dry brush and trees fuel blazes.
Inside the $1.2 TRILLION Plan to Modernize US Infrastructure
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete)
youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
Inflation reduction act Joe Biden Michelle Obama Brian Tyler Cohen
The extended, ad-free episode tdc.video/programs/the-complete-history-of-how-the-us-almost-solved-climate-change?categoryId=61492
Featuring interviews with:
Writer Nathaniel Rich - Losing Earth: The Decade We Could Have Stopped Climate Change
Article: nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/01/magazine/climate-change-losing-earth.html
Book: amazon.com/Losing-Earth-History-Nathaniel-Rich/dp/0374191336
Rafe Pomerance: a leading climate change activist who has worked for decades to put - and keep - the issue on the agenda in Washington D.C.
woodwellclimate.org/staff/rafe-pomerance
Full list of research links available to members of tdc.video
Megacity Episodes:
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete)
youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
Los Angeles, California's Megacity:
youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
How We Almost Stopped Climate Change 30 Years Ago
Energy Policy Simulator: https://us.energypolicy.solutions/
Robbie Orvis: energyinnovation.org/team-member/robbie-orvis
Designing Climate Solutions: https://www.energypolicy.solutions/guide/
Video Transcript:
[Plank] I hear you. Performing research and development efficiently will be essential for discovering solutions to the problems that still need to be solved. Luckily there are a number of successful practices for countries to adopt that will allow them to foster the innovation necessary to achieve rapid decarbonization of their economies. [Orvis] Being able to recruit good talent, having a program that fosters both domestic and international experts in stem sciences is really important. Public private partnerships. Those have been really successful in the US where a company may want to invest in a new technology, but it might be prohibitively expensive for them to build a research facility or a lab. The US government and other governments, for example in Germany they have the Fraunhofer Institute, may have really advanced tech labs where they can partner with research organizations or companies who are researching new technologies, to come in and be able to use those labs for a fee for example and leverage the government's resources into research and development. Another important one is a program like ARPA-E. This is a program the Department of Energy runs, but the idea is to help companies overcome some of the periods in which it can be very hard to get financing to develop projects. There's this thing known as the valley of in research and development where you go from taking a product from the lab to commercializing it. And that interim stage, it can be very hard to find financing. So the extent the government is able to help, through government-backed loans or through research programs like ARPA-E that can help get products that are delivering results in the lab, into the field so they can start to be commercialized.
[Plank] Innovations are great, but for them to be implemented it often takes citizens educating their government representatives about the best way forward, and then staying engaged to make sure that path is followed. Hal Harvey - Robbie's boss at energy innovations and the lead author of this book - explained the importance of civic action during a Q&A after a recent talk.
[Audience member] How does one go about applying political pressure?
[Harvey] Applying political pressure? I'll just give an example, in California, before the public utilities commission, NRDC and a group called CERT are two of the most influential. You can call them up - they will answer the phone - and say I'd like to help. What can I do? And tell them what your skills are. And then they might say, 'I need a cost model for integrating solar with a grid, or I might need 50 people to come to the hearing,' right? There's a bunch of different ways to do it. We did this precision intervention with air quality laws and energy laws all the time. And we would get, like when there was a pollution law coming up, we would get a hundred mothers of asthmatic kids to come to that hearing. You win that venue, you win the vote. And that's what it should be. They're supposed to represent those asthmatic kids. They're not supposed to represent the owner of the coal-fired power plant--it's a public utilities commission. So that's what you do. You look at -- any good argument has ethos, logos, and pathos, so bring in one of those: do the analysis, bring in the kids, tell a story. Whatever it takes, but make sure you're an actor with intensity at that moment. Choose a venue, choose the moment, act with intensity.
[Orvis] He's absolutely right. For example, in the power sector, there's something like five public utility commissioners in every state, give or take, but that's actually where the rubber meets the road, and that's where policy gets made. If we could leverage the great enthusiasm and drive that people have to go to these marches and to push for divestment into actually attending these meetings, we could have a much much bigger impact in terms of actually getting those those reductions. And so Hal likes to talk about, you know five PUC commissioners, 50 states, that's 250. But actually there's only coal in maybe 15 of those states, so you start cutting it down, you see, 'okay, if we influence 50 people we can push the power sector to essentially decarbonize.' Targeting those focus points is a great way to leverage everyone's drive and motivation into actually getting those reductions on the ground.
Watch the full episode: tdc.video/programs/the-best-policy-solutions-for-cutting-co2e-emissions
Robbie Orvis: energyinnovation.org/team-member/robbie-orvis
Designing Climate Solutions: https://www.energypolicy.solutions/guide/
Full Transcript:
[Plank] Carbon pricing. Where have we seen the most successful implementation of a carbon price?
[Orvis] The cap-and-trade program in California is probably the most successful carbon pricing program in the world. There are a couple different kinds of carbon pricing: there's cap and trade, and then there's a carbon tax where the tax just specifies a certain price, and cap and trade actually specifies the amount, and then the price is kind of discovered through the market. California actually has a hybrid system. They have a cap-and-trade system, but if for some reason it becomes very costly, California has a floor price which then converts the cap into essentially a tax--because even though it might be cheaper than that it just says, 'okay this is the floor price and it's not going below that.' Or what's happened more frequently is the emissions reductions have actually been much cheaper than advertised, and in other regions this has caused the price of the market to basically bottom out at zero. So that type of system is really effective for containing the cost of a carbon pricing program while also ensuring - within the reasonable range of costs - that emissions are capped at a target level. The program in California has also been linked with other regions. That provides, again, that idea of flexibility for compliance and helps lower the cost across all those regions. It's been really successful, and it's been one of the only programs that hasn't experienced, to put it bluntly, a comically low floor price. The emissions trading scheme in the European Union - which is now trending towards increasing because the EU recently passed a set of reforms that significantly strengthened it - but for years it sat close to zero and effectively drove no abatement. I think we've had a wave of pretty unsuccessful carbon pricing programs globally, but policymakers have learned a lot of lessons from those programs and are now strengthening them. China's in the process of rolling out its own emissions trading scheme. The details are still a bit up in the air on that, but it will be great to see the world's largest emitter start implementing this program.
[Plank] Maybe this comes along with the carbon tax - but that we need to start thinking about putting a tax on beef. Has anybody been looking at that?
[Orvis] It's a tough one. Taxing beef is an option, but one thing we focus on - and one of the reasons it's not prominently featured in the book - is we look at just not just the potential to reduce emissions, but also the difficulty or the feasibility of achieving those reductions through policy. So if you only have to target 50 utility companies or even 500 regulators, that's a lot easier than having to go manage 300 million people's dietary habits. Yes, agriculture is a significant source of emissions - not just in the US but in other countries - but especially in the US where we have very high meat consumption per capita, in particular beef and dairy are the biggest drivers of agricultural emissions. And taxing it may be challenging, both in terms of getting the outcomes we want, but also politically very challenging.
[Plank] Yeah, we talked about how they pushed back on the EVs in Georgia, imagine if we start taxing people's burgers and cheese, right?
[Orvis] Even the concept of it has already generated lots of feedback that has been all over different news media outlets. So it's hard to foresee a situation in which that really takes off.
[Plank] I hear you.
The full-length, hourlong version of this interview is available to members of my new Video-On-Demand offering, TDC.video
If you found this interesting, you should definitely check that out. A premium membership not only gets you access to every full-length episode of the Climate Change Solutions show, you help support this project, and its goal of bringing these solutions to the attention of as many people as possible. Plus you get access to my research links from each episode of this show to help you efficiently dig much deeper into these solutions on your own.
Until next time, for TDC, I'm Bryce Plank. Thanks for watching.
Robbie Orvis: energyinnovation.org/team-member/robbie-orvis
Designing Climate Solutions: https://www.energypolicy.solutions/guide/
[Plank] Industrial processes - as I pointed out in my video on the top 20 emitters -making things like chemicals, materials, steel, and especially cement, will be one of the hardest areas of the global economy to decarbonize. I was struck by the figure that up to 50 percent of the energy used in industry is lost as heat.
[Orvis] Waste heat recovery is broadly the category referred to to try and capture that energy. But in industry there's generally energy that's used to create heat - often steam - for industrial processes, and then energy that's used to create electricity.
China has one of the most successful programs in the world to address energy and emissions in industry. It's called the Top Ten Thousand Program and it's really a bucket of several different policies ranging from things like worker training, to energy audits and energy reporting. It's amazing when you require people to report how much energy they're using and where it's coming from, you help industries identify processes where they're using much more than they should.
[Plank] So as the United States has turned to natural gas instead of coal, methane leaks are a huge problem. How are policymakers tackling this specific challenge?
[Orvis] There are different standards in different states. The Obama administration had a set of natural gas standards that have since been scrapped by the Trump administration. But monitoring is a big part of the issue. There's lots of miles of pipeline and it's challenging, and can be expensive, for natural gas operators to monitor all of that. But without monitoring, we don't really - it's very hard - to know the leakage rate and where the leakage is occurring if we don't have a better understanding of the system, and being able to identify those leaks. So at a minimum we need better monitoring of the pipeline system, and that covers the entire system all the way from where the gas is extracted, down to where it goes into people's homes.
[Plank] Cement is a massive emitter. The whole process is very emission, energy intensive. Are there policies that have achieved decarbonizing cement even a little bit? I think a little bit would go a long way given how much it's used.
[Orvis] A big one is something called cement clinker substitution, which basically means--the cement process involves breaking down some inputs into material that can then be used as cement. But you can replace some of that from other sources such as ash or gypsum, not that we want to promote the use of coal, but coal ash is often used as an input to cement manufacturing as a substitute. So there are a fair amount of substitute materials that you can use. Now you can't fully replace what's in cement, and there are trade-offs between substituting in those materials and other properties of cement, but provided it meets certain criteria, you can increase the share of cement that's coming from those materials and therefore avoid the process - the chemical process - by which you have to make the clinker. I think some industries are looking at alternatives for the energy used to create the cement. So exploring whether or not they can use indirect heat from electricity would be a big one, reducing the demand for cement actually is another big one. So buildings in the US last 50, 80, 100 years. Buildings on average in China last 20 years. And so every 20 years that building has to be replaced with new cement. And that's from a mixture of building codes, sometimes the quality of the materials - the steel or the cement - used is not high quality, and that causes the building to kind of crumble. In the long run cement is actually a good industry to target for carbon capture because that process of turning the inputs into clinker that's used for cement, that actually produces CO2 as a pretty pure by-product and so if you can just capture that in storage, you don't have to deal as much with separating it, which is one of the big costs of carbon capture. My hope is that in the long run that might be a good - cement might be a good - candidate for carbon capture. There's an emerging group of people who think that something called cross-laminated timber, which is a new way of reforming wood products that makes them have almost the same strength as cement, that that's a hopeful potential avenue, but it's it's still emerging and it's not clear yet how large of the market for buildings can be met by that.
Watch the full episode: tdc.video/programs/the-best-policy-solutions-for-cutting-co2e-emissions
Robbie Orvis: energyinnovation.org/team-member/robbie-orvis
Designing Climate Solutions: https://www.energypolicy.solutions/guide/
Exploring the most successful policies around the world for solving Climate Change by targeting and cutting CO2e emissions. With Robbie Orvis, author of Designing Climate Solutions: A policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy. Orvis is Director of Energy Policy Design at Energy Innovations.
Robbie Orvis: energyinnovation.org/team-member/robbie-orvis
Designing Climate Solutions: https://www.energypolicy.solutions/guide/
Exploring the most successful policies around the world for solving Climate Change by targeting and cutting CO2e emissions. With Robbie Orvis, author of Designing Climate Solutions: A policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy. Orvis is Director of Energy Policy Design at Energy Innovations.
Fifty percent of all greenhouse gasses come from just seven countries. This is a presentation of the best policies for cutting those emissions and stopping global warming.
In the first episode of this series we learned who the biggest emitters are. In the second, Dr. Francis taught us how those emissions are warming the planet and disrupting the global climate systems.
In this video we’ll explore the most successful policies for targeting and cutting emissions that are in place around the world. And who better to guide us than the person who wrote the book on the subject, Robbie Orvis. [Director of Energy Policy Design, Energy Innovations]
Designing Climate Solutions is an accessible tool for examining all the good work being done to tackle climate change. In it, Orvis and his team analyzed every type of emissions reduction policy around the world to figure out which are most effective. Their premise is simple: to solve this crisis we need to learn from each other what works best as quickly as possible. It was a huge inspiration and help for me in putting this series together so it’s great to be able to hear from Robbie directly.
Generating electricity through the combustion of coal and methane natural gas is currently responsible for the most emissions around the world. There are two main policies to encourage utilities to invest in wind and solar energy production: feed-in tariffs and renewable energy tax credits.
And where we’re going is to an electrify everything strategy to take advantage of all the renewable electricity we’ll soon be generating. The main fossil fuel consumer in the United States is now the transportation sector. So far, the primary tool for governments to lower gasoline consumption, cut emissions, and increase investment in new technologies, like electric vehicles, has been a vehicle performance standard. This sets a minimum limit on the miles per gallon a manufacturer’s entire fleet of vehicles must average.
Watch the full conversation: tdc.video/programs/how-earths-climate-system-is-changing
Dr. Jennifer A. Francis: jenniferafrancis.com
woodwellclimate.org/staff/jennifer-francis
My new membership site: tdc.video/catalog
Video by Bryce Plank
Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Warming Arctic air is disrupting the jet stream, causing more extreme weather: heatwaves, droughts, tornados, category 6 hurricanes, rainfall events, floods, wildfires, snowstorms, blizzards.
Full transcript:
(Bryce) The region experiencing the fastest warming is the Arctic. At the same time, areas like the Eastern United States have been experiencing colder than normal temperatures at times during the winter. This seemingly strange phenomenon is happening because warming arctic air is causing the jet stream, that regulates weather here in North America, to behave in more extreme ways.
(Dr. Francis) Because of the effect of the rapid arctic warming on the jet stream, the jet stream being this river of wind that encircles the northern hemisphere. It takes these north-south swings as it as it goes around the northern hemisphere. And one of the ways the rapid arctic warming is affecting the jet stream is to make those big north south swings be big more often. And when we have one of those big southward dips in the jet stream during the winter it allows the cold air from the arctic to penetrate farther south. And we see this happening more frequently over the Eastern U.S. and over Eastern Asia in connection with this rapidly warming arctic. When that temperature difference is really strong then that's when we see very strong jet streams. And when it's weaker, like when the arctic warms much faster than the areas farther south, then we tend to see the jet stream weaken and when it's weaker it tends to want to take these bigger north-south swings. They tend to get stuck in place for days and sometimes even weeks. Whatever weather you're experiencing relative to your position in that wave, you tend to have those same weather conditions for a long time.
(Bryce) The jet stream is also slowing down in the summertime causing three consecutive years of unprecedented hurricanes: 2017's Harvey, 2018's Florence, and 2019's Dorian. Each storm got "stuck" and dumped record rainfall on Houston, the Carolinas, and the Bahamas.
(Dr. Francis) The slow movement of Dorian was more related to the fact that in summer time we're seeing the jet stream weaken over the continents pretty dramatically. And the jet stream winds create the highs and the lows that steer hurricanes. In that particular case, there was a very weak high pressure area sitting off Cape Hatteras for several days and it sort of blocked it from heading north. And then that high pressure weakened and it allowed Dorian to finally start moving northward. So the paths of hurricanes depend completely on what the jet stream is doing. And when those winds in the atmosphere are very weak, it makes it very hard to forecast where a hurricane's going to go.
(Bryce) And a couple years before that Harvey just dumping.
(Dr. Francis) Yep.
(Bryce) Feet of-
(Dr. Francis) Yep, just a year before.
(Bryce) Just sitting over Houston. So is that what we have to look forward to?
(Dr. Francis) I think we need to look forward to having it happen more often for sure. And there's been a couple recent papers that have actually documented this trend. So it does appear that hurricanes are tending to be slower. And so the tendency for these storms to just sit in one place for a while is increasing, and it makes lots of sense--it all fits the story.
(Bryce) Is there a hurricane beyond a category five that we could see?
(Dr. Francis) Yeah, there's some discussion of creating a cat six.
(Bryce) Wow.
Dr. Francis) Yep there is talk of that. Going back to that water vapor I was talking about. So when the ocean temperatures are really warm there's also a lot of water vapor in the atmosphere and that's the main fuel to generate a hurricane. There's a lot of other factors, but the main one that you need for a hurricane to form, and to become strong, is that very warm water and a lot of moisture in the atmosphere.
My full, wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Francis is available to watch now, ad-free, through the link below on my new premium site. Membership gets you full early access to every episode of the Climate Change Solutions show and allows me to continue making them in these uncertain times. The small fee also unlocks links to all the research I do for each episode, so you can easily venture down some of the many rabbit holes I've been exploring. Thanks for watching. For TDC, I'm Bryce Plank
Watch the full conversation: tdc.video/programs/how-earths-climate-system-is-changing
Dr. Jennifer A. Francis: jenniferafrancis.com
woodwellclimate.org/staff/jennifer-francis
My new member-video website: tdc.video/catalog
Video by Bryce Plank
Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
One of the strongest connections between climate change and extreme weather events like record storms, wildfires, droughts, floods, and heatwaves is water vapor, the most abundant greenhouse gas.
Watch the full conversation: tdc.video/programs/how-earths-climate-system-is-changing
Dr. Jennifer A. Francis: jenniferafrancis.com
woodwellclimate.org/staff/jennifer-francis
Check out my new member-video website: tdc.video/catalog
Video by Bryce Plank
Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Full Transcript:
(Bryce) Global weather patterns are regulated
by ocean currents, but warming water is causing
those currents to change.
This is one of a handful of earth system tipping
elements that climate experts fear could set
off incomprehensible devastation.
(Dr. Francis) I'm sure most people have heard
about the ocean conveyor belt which is basically
the system of ocean currents that flow all
around the world's oceans.
There are two places really that that push
that current to flow.
One of them is in the North Atlantic.
And the idea here is that when fall and winter
come along the ocean surface waters get cold
and they freeze.
And when they freeze, they eject the salt
out of the water.
And that heavy, salty, cold water that comes
out of that freezing process is very heavy
relative to the other water in the area, and
so it sinks really rapidly.
And it creates this downward flow of water
which then basically turns south and starts
heading towards the southern Atlantic and
meets up with other currents along the way.
And another area where this happens is off
the coast of Antarctica, where also you get
some very cold air temperatures and ocean
water freezing.
So the concern is that in the area around
Greenland, the water has been becoming fresher
partly because of the water that's being melted
from the Greenland ice sheet.
(Medley) "Over the past few days we've seen
a significant amount of, actually, liquid
water on the surface that have both accumulated
in small ponds, and probably approaching the
size of lakes especially near the edge of
the ice sheet.
An interesting thing is that the melt season
actually in Greenland started pretty much
end of April, beginning of May--which, in
the grand scheme of things, is very close
to a month earlier than average.
My name is Brooke Medley.
I'm the deputy project scientist for Operation
Ice Bridge.
Last April and May, we were actually flying
in Greenland out of Kangerlussuaq on the NASA
P-3.
This was somewhat of a unique year where we
expected to be going early enough where we
would see the typical dry snow conditions.
But, rather, we were met with a much different
scenario where we saw all these spectacular
blue ponds of beautiful liquid water just
pooling on top of the surface.
The ice sheet is actually experiencing almost
an additional month of melt because it started
so early here.
Part of it is actually driven by the fact
that it's very warm right now, but also that
there was not a lot of snowfall last winter.
And so what that means is when the snow does
melt it very quickly exposes darker ice, which
can then melt even faster.
Just a significant increase in the total amount
of water that we just see in general over
the course of 2019.
There was so much melt that it actually ended
up being the second largest meltwater production
year for the Greenland ice sheet since 1980.
It's actually quite simple: the longer your
melt season that means you can just have more
time to accumulate more melt, and the only
place for this water to go is into the oceans."
(Dr. Francis) Also, there's more fresh water
flowing from rivers into the Arctic ocean.
That fresher water then comes out into the
North Atlantic in that passage between Europe
and Greenland there.
And so we're finding this area of fresher
than normal water just south of Greenland
and the reason it's looking colder than average
there is because when that fresh water is
sitting there it floats because fresh water
is lighter than the salt water.
It sits on top and it prevents that freezing
process and that creation of that very salty,
dense water from happening, it slows it down
anyway.
(Bryce) You can see that on the map--that's
the most contrasting, rapidly contrasting
color area.
(Dr. Francis) Exactly.
(Bryce) It's very clear.
(Dr. Francis) Yes it is.
And it even has a name.
It's called the 'Cold Blob.'
(Bryce) The cold blob?
(Dr. Francis) Yes, it's a very technical term.
(Bryce) Because it just sits.
(Dr. Francis) Yeah, it's been there for several
years and it's a very interesting area.
A lot of people are studying it because not
only does it have this effect on the ocean
circulation, but it also is causing weather
patterns to change in the North Atlantic and
in Europe.
Because whenever you change temperature patterns
in the ocean or on land you affect winds.
And when you affect winds, you affect weather.
Watch the full conversation: tdc.video/programs/how-earths-climate-system-is-changing
Dr. Jennifer A. Francis: jenniferafrancis.com
woodwellclimate.org/staff/jennifer-francis
Check out my new member-access website: tdc.video/catalog
Video by Bryce Plank
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Dr. Jennifer A. Francis:
jenniferafrancis.com
woodwellclimate.org/staff/jennifer-francis
Video by Bryce Plank
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Emission data: climatewatchdata.org/ghg-emissions?end_year=2016&start_year=1990
This is Episode 1 of Climate Change Solutions, a new TDC original series.
If reaching net-zero is the struggle of our lifetimes, then we need to systematically look at how we're going to get that done and share the best solutions with as many citizens and decision makers as possible. Luckily, there are many brilliant people out there dedicating their lives to solving this problem. This series will show you some of their work.
Whether you watch on YouTube - or become a member at TDC.video - your support sustains this show.
-Bryce
Start watching full episodes now: tdc.video
Accompanying membership website tdc.video
Reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions is the struggle of our lifetimes, so it is time for us to systematically look at how to do that, and share the best solutions with as many citizens and decision makers as possible. Luckily, there are many brilliant people dedicating their lives to solving this problem. This series will bring you some of their stories--their work.
Whether you watch on YT, or become a member, your support will help sustain this show.
-Bryce
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Use the coupon code TDC to get 10% off Dashlane Premium.
Megacities in this video include Tokyo, Japan; São Paulo, Brazil; Cairo, Egypt; Mexico City, Mexico; New York, USA; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Paris, France.
Subscribe to TDC for more videos like this:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Video by Bryce Plank
All images and video clips protected by the 'Fair Use' provision in United States Copyright Law:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
CREDITS:
TOKYO:
Drone/helicopter videography courtesy of:
instagram.com/bigheadgregdrone
youtube.com/watch?v=F8wCzbRu2xc
Music:
"Keep Em Coming" "Where Soul Meets Body"
The Muse Maker: www.themusemaker.com
soundcloud.com/themusemaker
SAO PAULO:
Drone footage courtesy of:
youtube.com/watch?v=UVa5-W6WGyw
youtube.com/watch?v=3Zz1-25Mv4M
CAIRO:
Editing help from Robin West
Music:
Matt Stewart Evans:
soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans/tracks
YouTube audio library
Motion Array
Full piece by NPR's Jane Arraf:
http://n.pr/2wFQGXA
MEXICO CITY:
Music from Motion Array's library
DHAKA:
Dhaka five part documentary:
youtube.com/watch?v=MoMifNO4w6s
Beautiful shots of Dhaka:
youtube.com/watch?v=-VYzQLArN6o
Footsteps interviews with citizens of Dhaka:
youtube.com/watch?v=SbSLomNBZcA
"Dragon and Toast" by Kevin MacLeod
http://incompetech.com
"Jalandhar" by Kevin MacLeod
http://incompetech.com
"Heavy Interlude" by Kevin MacLeod
http://incompetech.com
"Far Away" by MK2
NEW YORK CITY:
Citizen Jane:
youtube.com/watch?v=hKjkjntspfA
Matt Stewart-Evans
soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
Glimpse:
soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
PARIS:
Hyper-lapse footage courtesy of:
Tyler Fairbank
youtube.com/c/TylerFairbank
www.TylerFairbank.com0
Pavel Tenyakov
youtube.com/channel/UCHzDhebSXvisNFCLhjuGVgw
0:00 Start
0:22 Tokyo, Japan
12:08 São Paulo, Brazil
22:55 Cairo, Egypt
32:14 Mexico City, Mexico
40:43 New York City, United States of America
53:50 Dhaka, Bangladesh
1:00:49 Paris, France
Video by Bryce Plank
Script help:
Kiriana Cowansage
Leonardo Cardozo
Drone footage courtesy of:
youtube.com/watch?v=UVa5-W6WGyw
youtube.com/watch?v=3Zz1-25Mv4M
Information sources:
books.openedition.org/iup/1364?lang=en
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_S%C3%A3o_Paulo
http://gestaourbana.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Master_plan_english_version.pdf
theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/25/sao-paulo-brazil-failing-megacity-water-crisis-rationing
youtube.com/watch?v=e5sYa8PlKxY
washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/07/04/sao-paulo-prosperity-poverty-and-corruption/15ebb0c4-4ecc-4179-9f18-9a3777ed494b/?utm_term=.cddfd1bd9571
youtube.com/watch?v=GqB-Q3BzHjc
youtube.com/watch?v=L6uRP3L_0F0
youtube.com/watch?v=gZj1V40qjGI
youtube.com/watch?v=xflwYnqZCtg
theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/28/sao-paulo-water-amazon-deforestation
The dramatic cliffs and endless beaches of Rio De Janeiro makes it the city that probably first comes to mind when you think of Brazil. But São Paulo, the largest metropolis in the southern hemisphere, is the true economic engine of the world’s sixth most-populous country.
In 1554, Catholic missionaries - with the help of indigenous workers - built a small village perched 750 meters above sea level and 70 kilometers from the Atlantic coast. It was the only inland settlement in the country, a jumping off point for expeditions of conquerors, traders, and gold hunters.
In the 1800’s, Brazil became the world’s leading coffee producer, but the farmers in Rio over-cultivated their soil, giving São Paulo an opening to become the country’s agricultural hub. As one of the few inland towns, it was closer than Rio to the plantations spread throughout the interior, and it was directly linked by rail to the port of Santos, making it the ideal junction for shipments of goods on their way to the coast for export.
In 1888, Brazil’s businesses adapted to another significant change when Emperor Dom Pedro II - regarded by many as the greatest Brazilian to ever live - convinced his people to abolish slavery. With their captive labor force suddenly free, farmers and industrialists turned to immigrants from abroad. Today, as a result, São Paulo has the largest population of Italian descendants of any city on the planet, including Rome; the largest Japanese community outside of Japan; and - of course - significant numbers of Portuguese and Spanish.
Many of these newcomers were skilled factory workers whose knowledge helped São Paulo emerge as a manufacturing capital during the industrial revolution and WWII.
Over a period of less than 30 years, the city’s population exploded from 250,000 to 1 million. Steady growth continued through the century, passing Rio in 1960, and hitting 8.5 million in 1980.
Today, the population of the megalopolis known as “Sampa” is over 20 million. In many ways it is a thriving global city with the largest stock exchange in Latin America; a vibrant culture with over 100 museums and dynamic performing arts spaces and beautiful parks. As part of futbol-crazed Brazil, it proudly hosted matches during the 2014 World Cup; and is making significant investments in the next generation, with 850,000 students enrolled in higher education courses.
Unfortunately though, São Paulo’s rapid development has also taken a heavy toll, with four core problems rising above the rest.
The city’s only major bodies of water are the Tiete and Pinheiros rivers. As the population grew, the government - plagued by inefficiency and corruption - struggled to meet demand for basic infrastructure. Without enough wastewater treatment plants, sewage from millions of people flowed directly into the rivers. Toxic waste from industrial facilities was dumped without limit. When new highways were built, the city laid them on the only continuous stretches of land left, the riverbanks, and then hid stretches of them behind walls. But even if you can’t always see the rivers, their stench doesn’t go away.
When the Tiete is at it most-choked, it is a biologically deadzone as far as Barra Bonita, 260 km downstream.
It wasn’t always this way. The rivers used to be gathering points for recreation--distant memories that are motivating current rehabilitation efforts, which include projects to treat 100% of all wastewater before it enters the Tiete, putting an end to all dumping, and teaching people how to care for their rivers and streams.
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peru obama noticias trump news al jazeera
Video by Bryce Plank
Hyper-lapse footage courtesy of:
Tyler Fairbank
youtube.com/c/TylerFairbank
www.TylerFairbank.com0
Pavel Tenyakov
youtube.com/channel/UCHzDhebSXvisNFCLhjuGVgw
TDC on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thedailyconversation
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Script:
One MegaCity always seems to be at the forefront of progressive movements. Whether it’s innovation in its cuisine, couture, infrastructure, or governance, this refuge for the rebel, artist, philosopher, and scientist, has always held a place in the hearts of romantics and vanguards alike. Because here, in The City of Light, engineers and artists often share a line of sight. This is Paris, the Grand MegaCity.
Twenty-three hundred years ago, a group of Celtic Gauls called the Parisii settled on the Île de la Cité, a small island in the middle of the Seine. After falling into the hands of the Roman Empire, the town grew, until the Empire collapsed a short time later. Clovis, the first king to unite all the Frankish tribes is the origin of the name Louis, taken by 18 subsequent French monarchs.
For the next thousand years, or the period known as the Middle Ages, Paris saw rulers, religions, wars, and plagues come and go as it became the largest city in Europe. Home to one of the first Universities and the birthplace of Gothic architecture, Paris was ground zero for the enlightenment. Philosophies embracing individual liberty, religious tolerance, and the scientific method, were perfectly captured by the phrase Sapere aude, “dare to know.”
In the end, the monarchy and the Church were simply overmatched by the sheer power of a set of ideas whose time had come--ideas that were spread far and wide by books and pamphlets.
The stage was set for Revolution.
On the afternoon of July 14, 1789, the Bastille, a medieval fortress and prison symbolizing royal authority in the center of Paris, was overtaken by force. It was the opening move in a ten year struggle that featured the overthrow of the monarchy, the establishment of the French Republic, and political turmoil. The dictatorship of Napoleon followed, delivering many principles of the revolution to much of Western Europe.
By the middle of the 1800’s, Paris had well over a million people, but was made up of tight streets and overpopulated, filthy alleyways. Life for many was a miserable, day-to-day struggle in disease-ridden slums. So Napoleon’s nephew, who had become emperor himself, set out to make the city healthier, less congested, and grander.
He turned to a clever man described as big, strong, energetic, and full of audacity and skill: the visionary urban planner Baron Haussmann. He imagined the modern city as a living organism with the boulevards its arteries.
Over the next 17 years, the duo oversaw the most epic public works spree since Ancient Rome. Tens of thousands of workers were hired to carry out their plans, which included a new aqueduct and massive reservoir to bring clean water from the Vanne River, and hundreds of kilometers of pipes to distribute it throughout the city; completely rebuilding the sewer system and installing hundreds of kilometers of pipes inside of it to distribute gas for thousands of new streetlights; two brand new rail stations connecting Paris to the rest of France; and more than twenty parks to ensure that none was more than a ten minute’s walk away. Four of these ‘lawns of Paris’ were major parks, inspired by Hyde Park in London which Napoleon remembered fondly from his time in exile.
But the innovation that most transformed the city was Haussmann's dedication to wide boulevards, twelve of which converge on the roundabout circling the Arc De Triomphe. Throughout the thirty year undertaking, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced in phases as the entire city became a construction zone. This sacrifice - which wasn’t always appreciated by the residents of Paris - was well worth the end result. The discipline to keep the buildings lining these avenues the same height, all faced with similar colored stone, created a striking visual effect.
Over the next 100 years, Paris was thankfully spared the widespread destruction suffered by many other capitals in the wars and conflicts that unfolded across Europe. When the unthinkable happened in 1940, and flags were raised throughout Paris during the German occupation, the city was declared too beautiful to destroy.
Famous photos show him posing like a tourist at the base of the Eiffel tower, which was the tallest building in the world at the time of its construction in 1889. Originally planned to be dismantled after 20 years, converting it into a radio tower saved it and today it is the most visited landmark on the planet.
More MEGACITIES: bit.ly/2NozRJl
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Video by Bryce Plank
Drone/helicopter videography courtesy of:
instagram.com/bigheadgregdrone
youtube.com/watch?v=F8wCzbRu2xc
Music:
"Keep Em Coming" "Where Soul Meets Body"
The Muse Maker: www.themusemaker.com
soundcloud.com/themusemaker
YouTube Music Library
Media sources used in video:
youtube.com/watch?v=m4YZ1JLeptQ
youtube.com/watch?v=BYOGClmmeao
youtube.com/watch?v=pII_2VbgheI
youtube.com/watch?v=eW2-eDiD7w0
youtube.com/watch?v=kZ6pa6nYiN4
youtube.com/watch?v=ivHbs6DnZ-s
youtube.com/watch?v=nrRUdSBARao
youtube.com/watch?v=LOR25PjV0wI
youtube.com/watch?v=4LDLQ6dGj0U
youtube.com/watch?v=f9qQfURhph4
youtube.com/watch?v=O4ma1p4DK5A
youtube.com/watch?v=ssc5eLjLoMQ
youtube.com/watch?v=mpzIQt6l4xY
youtube.com/watch?v=YNDV6-1bXOg
youtube.com/watch?v=9nTlgtf7TME
youtube.com/watch?v=LSxPkyZOU7E
youtube.com/watch?v=Bu0a_qj-T6c
youtube.com/watch?v=XKDa0BfUduE
youtube.com/watch?v=YfAuGm-w3jc
youtube.com/watch?v=UPcAW-rj2bs
youtube.com/watch?v=L9F4Mt2tvM0
youtube.com/watch?v=7ckvRLHeNlg
youtube.com/watch?v=ttPkGSeNu3o
youtube.com/watch?v=CsPxjRobjpk
youtube.com/watch?v=SQAVPdeoSJs
youtube.com/watch?v=0DUlK4KaA_g
youtube.com/watch?v=MhBMGMCzUbA
youtube.com/watch?v=MhBMGMCzUbA
youtube.com/watch?v=3FFMBFNjdXc
And the film "Tsukiji Wonderland"
Script:
Our story begins 561 years ago when a samurai warrior built a castle on the shore of a fishing village called Edo. Its rich soil was ideal for growing rice and attracted farmers from far and wide.
In 1600, the great commander Tokugawa Ieyasu won the Battle of Sekigahara, a pivotal moment in history that secured Edo’s status as the most important place in Japan.
Unfortunately, the buildings of the expanding city were made of wood and paper, a dangerous combination to confront the warm winds of summer. Legend has it that on one particularly dry afternoon in 1657, a priest made the deadly mistake of burning an unlucky kimono. The fire flared up, ignited his temple, and engulfed 70% of the city. 100,000 people lost their lives.
Despite the disaster, by the middle of the 19th century Edo’s population was in the millions. That’s when the military shogunate system that had ruled for almost 700 years ended. A new government led by a young emperor finally made Edo the official capital of Japan, renamed it Tokyo.
Today, a century of conservation has resulted in parks covering 20% of the land in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Megacity Episodes:
Megacities of the World (Season 2 Complete)
youtube.com/watch?v=wb6w1rDa2jc
Los Angeles, California's Megacity:
youtube.com/watch?v=QropkR9iasY
AFRICA'S MEGACITY: Kinshasa, DRC (CONGO)
youtu.be/bgljcixHvAU
Megacities of the World (Season 1 - Complete) youtube.com/watch?v=0ULzxD3w_c8
TOKYO: Earth's Model MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=-SL9KRvzVmo
PARIS: Europe's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=bdObzSwVAw4
SAO PAULO: South America's MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=sNEeY_gXFBc
DHAKA: Fastest Growing MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=vKGITvyWMH0
CAIRO: Middle East youtube.com/watch?v=0tKphKvodLQ
DELHI: India's Capital youtube.com/watch?v=OUPTGDrXDy4
SHANGHAI: China's Largest MEGACITY youtube.com/watch?v=N6XZekbQ0SE
MEXICO CITY: Largest MEGACITY in the Americas youtu.be/8dEKLuZXrUc
Obama Makes Baby Stop Crying youtube.com/watch?v=uqhzWlqN3uc
President Obama's Anger Translator at White House Correspondent's Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=G6NfRMv-4OY
Greatest Recorded Speeches in American History (1933-2008) youtube.com/watch?v=vnVwvPpdFeY
Bill Nye Destroys Noah's Ark youtube.com/watch?v=F4OhXQTMOEc
President Obama Walks The Streets of Washington youtube.com/watch?v=nEEtBVPiI44
Trump Destroyed by Comedian Hasan Minhaj at 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner youtube.com/watch?v=DHLRj1LaPiQ
Seth Rogen Testifies Before Congress youtube.com/watch?v=hvdbHSGWAgs
President Obama's Anger Translator: Behind The Scenes youtube.com/watch?v=xThj8BJIjUg
When he was six years old, Irving Hernandez De La Torre arrived in the United States. In May, seventeen years later, he graduated with an engineering degree from San Diego State University. Now, he and his entire family face deportation after Donald Trump's administration ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which was implemented by President Obama in 2012.
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Subscribe to TDC:
youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Video by Bryce Plank
With editing help from Robin West
Music:
Matt Stewart Evans:
soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans/tracks
YouTube audio library
Motion Array
More on Cairo:
http://bit.ly/2h21QCB
britannica.com/place/Cairo
Full piece by NPR's Jane Arraf:
http://n.pr/2wFQGXA
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HD Eclipse video by Erika Valkovicova: http://www.lpontour.com
instagram.com/lp_on_tour/?hl=en
Composite image by Tyler Sym:
instagram.com/tsym015/?hl=en
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
Music by Glimpse:
soundcloud.com/glimpse_official/tracks
Video by Bryce Plank
How was your 2017 eclipse experience?
A study by the Charities Aid Foundation: http://bit.ly/2dFnEN7
Subscribe to TDC:
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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thedailyconversation
Charity navigator
charitynavigator.org
Video by Bryce Plank
Visualization by Robin West
Music:
"Undeniable" by Vibe Tracks (YouTube audio library)
Script:
The world is becoming more generous. That’s the good news coming out of the most recent world giving index, an annual study by the Charities Aid Foundation that provides insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world.
The research firm Gallup asked people from 140 countries around the world whether they had done these charitable activities in the past month: helping a stranger; donating money to a charity; and volunteering time to an organization.
Each country is given a percentage score and ranked. These are the top 10 most generous countries.
Number 10 is the United Arab Emirates. It jumped up from fourteenth to tenth thanks to its people’s willingness to help strangers. Its fifth place ranking in that category is the highest of any country in the overall top 10, and buoys its overall score after the UAE had the least amount of people on this list spend time volunteering.
Next is Ireland, it’s score is down three percentage points and is hurt by the second-worst helping strangers score on the top 10. This decline comes as Ireland’s economy is the fastest growing in Europe for the fourth straight year.
Eighth is the United Kingdom. It’s people rank as the seventh most generous at giving their money away, down four percent from its five-year average. However, its volunteering time is up three points. It will be interesting to see if behaviors in the UK change as the Brexit situation develops.
Taking the seventh spot is Indonesia. It scores in the top three in both donating money to charity and time spent volunteering. Overall, it leaped up fifteen spots in the rankings. This could have something to do with the survey coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan.
The Canadians come in sixth. Solid across the board, Canada doesn't crack the top ten in any single category--the only country on the list where that's the case. It's best ranking is in donating money, although slightly fewer Canadians did than last year.
Sri Lanka is fifth. Its ranking jumped up four places from its five-year average. It's helping a stranger and donating money scores are both now in the 60's, and its volunteering score is the fourth best in the world.
Fourth is New Zealand. It is top 10 in donating money and volunteering. Oceana, comprised solely of Australia and New Zealand, is a conflict free part of the world which allows its more economically well off people to be more generous with their time and money.
Which brings us to Australia, ranked third on this list. Its overall score is two points higher than its five-year average, helping it rise to the third spot. Like its regional neighbor New Zealand, its highest score is in donating money.
The United States is ranked second. Its average rank of nine across the three categories in the survey is best in the world, and its 61% overall score is the same as its five-year average.
And the number one ranked country on the world giving index - for the third year in a row - is Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Its overall score is largely driven by its 91% donating money score. Its heavily Buddhist population donates regularly to support the country’s monks.
Worldwide, people are more altruistic across all three of the categories in the study.
Separating countries by level of development provides even more insight into the data. We see people in developed places are slightly less likely to help a stranger.
Iraq and Libya are the countries most likely to help a stranger. The greater need amongst the population in these war torn places is encouraging more people to be responsive out of sheer necessity.
Men are more likely to help a stranger than women, and those over 50 years old are the least likely age group to do so.
On the flip side, the oldest among us are the most likely to donate money to charity.
The people of Turkmenistan are the most likely to donate their time, thanks to the widespread practice in that country of people spending their Saturdays volunteering.
Again, men are more likely to volunteer than women, and those over 50 are the least likely age group to volunteer their time.
And lastly, these are the continent-wide scores in each category compared to each other, and their five-year averages.
Thanks for watching.
Subscribe to TDC: youtube.com/TheDailyConversation
More on New York City's history:
youtube.com/watch?v=vqYNNOsgpqc
Citizen Jane:
youtube.com/watch?v=hKjkjntspfA
Video by Bryce Plank
Visualization by Robin West
Music:
Matt Stewart-Evans
soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
Glimpse:
soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Originally published: 8/12/2017
Video by Bryce Plank
Editing by Robin West
Subscribe to TDC for regular videos like this:
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Script:
Visual effects have come a long way in the 124 years since we first set eyes on the motion picture. Today, the world’s most talented vfx studios create films and TV shows that seamlessly blend the digital image with the analog, allowing artists to make their wildest dreams come to life on the big screen. The full maturation of the tools used by creators working on the cutting edge of the industry - like computer-generated worlds, real-time previewing of motion capture, cloud-based rendering, and hyper realistic digital humans - has laid the groundwork for the media revolution we’re about to experience as 360 degree Virtual Reality goes mainstream.
This is a look at the near-term future of visual effects.
In order to understand where we’re headed, let’s look at where we’ve come from.
[Clip from Jurassic Park]
Many of today’s premier VFX artists were hooked by iconic scenes like this one from Jurassic Park: aha! moments that opened their minds to the power of mixing computer-generated imagery with live action footage.
Today, nearly 25 years after Spielberg's T-Rex changed the game, every single film on the 50 highest grossing movies of all time list relied heavily on visual effects, or was completely animated.
But what might be even more telling is that 25 of them were released in the last five years. That’s an indication of how reliant the big studios are on VFX and how much we, the public, love to see visual effects take us to worlds we otherwise couldn’t visit.
The king of VFX, is director James Cameron. For both Avatar and Titanic — the two highest grossing films of all time — Cameron pioneered a number of new techniques that heavily influenced the blockbuster movie industry, like a motion capture stage six times larger than any before, a way to preview shots in the virtual world in realtime while motion capturing them on set, and a technique to enable full performance capture using small cameras right in front of the actors' faces to collect facial expressions and, importantly, eye movement. This allowed Zoe Saldana to breath emotional life into her Neytiri character in a way that was compelling to the audience.
Full performance capture has become an industry standard. But while it's become commonplace to bring characters like the Na’vi, Maz Kanata, Caesar, or the Hulk to life using facial capture technology, using it — or any other CG technique — to make a believable fully digital human is another story.
We are getting closer to crossing the uncanny valley. While it’s still cheaper to hire Tom Hanks than to recreate him digitally, we’re a long way from the waxiness of the CG characters he brought to life in The Polar Express.
So far, the most lifelike use of digital humans was Rogue One’s resurrection of Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia and Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin.
But Industrial Light and Magic had hours of reference footage of both actors, mapped the digital recreation of their faces onto full performances of other actors, and even found a lifecast of Peter Cushing’s face from a previous role.
[Artist] "This was gold for us because it was Peter Cushing as he appeared at a certain time in his life."
Neither Leia nor Tarkin’s cameos were very long or involved much movement, and they still didn’t quite look human.
But this technology could be about to take another leap. Last week, Weta Digital finally began post production on the four sequels to Avatar, which are slated for December 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025 releases.
And Cameron says he wants the films to set a new high bar.
[Quote from director James Cameron] “What Joe Letteri and Weta Digital bring to these stories is impossible to quantify. Since we made Avatar, Weta continued to prove themselves as doing the best CG animation, the most human, the most alive, the most photorealistic effects in the world. And of course, that now means I can push them to take it even further.”
But what really needs this push isn’t traditional films like Avatar, it’s the newest form of entertainment, virtual reality. Because effects studios can make literally anything else look photorealistic, creating believable digital humans seems to be the last big hurdle to creating feature-length films for VR. Why do I say that?
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Dhaka five part documentary:
youtube.com/watch?v=MoMifNO4w6s
Beautiful shots of Dhaka:
youtube.com/watch?v=-VYzQLArN6o
Footsteps interviews with citizens of Dhaka:
youtube.com/watch?v=SbSLomNBZcA
Video by Bryce Plank
Edited by Robin West
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Music:
"Dragon and Toast" by Kevin MacLeod
http://incompetech.com
"Jalandhar" by Kevin MacLeod
http://incompetech.com
"Heavy Interlude" by Kevin MacLeod
http://incompetech.com
"Far Away" by MK2
YouTube Audio Library
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Script:
Everest and the Himalayas. It may not seem like this mountain range could shape a Megacity almost 600 kilometers away, but it does.
This place, the capital of the most densely populated major country in the world, is also the fastest growing city on the planet.
This is an examination of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The constant supply of melting snow and water that flows down the Himalayas to the south creates the largest delta in the world.
Much of it runs through Bangladesh, an agricultural paradise with some of the richest soil on the planet.
But all that water is also a curse. With more than 700 rivers flowing into the Bay of Bengal, many of the country’s residents become displaced when monsoon season arrives in mid June every year. Annual rainfall in Bangladesh is over 78 inches, and two-thirds of the country’s 64 districts experience regular flooding.
Combine that with the highest population density of any major country, and you understand why Dhaka is adding more than 400,000 residents a year. If even a little of Bangladesh’s precious land is overtaken by water, many of its people instantly become homeless. To top that off, when fields and villages flood, these already struggling micro-economies become even less sustainable. So people pour into the capital because that’s where the jobs are.
More than two million people now work in Dhaka’s many garment factories. That industry is the engine of the Bangladeshi economy, producing 80% of its exports. But it can be a hard industry to break into if you’re a farmer coming from the countryside, so many unskilled people find work in the off-the books economy. There’s a reason why this is known as the rickshaw capital of the world. Cash gigs like vegetable salesman, barber, shopkeeper, boatman, and cycling cabbie make up nearly 4 out of 5 jobs here. Average pay for this full-time work is less than $100 a month.
Development is a tough nut to crack. In order to raise revenue to provide better services and solve problems like traffic congestion, the city needs to bring these people out of the shadow economy. That idea was examined in the Global Post’s excellent report on Dhaka from a few years ago:
[Erik German, Global Post] “Legitimizing this vast slum economy would mean compelling millions of vegetable sellers, shop owners, barbers to get licenses, pay taxes, and formalize working conditions. It’s a gargantuan task.”
Dhakka wasn’t always so low in the global economic pecking order. In its heyday, as the commercial capital of the Mughal empire in the 17th century, it was one of the wealthiest and most prosperous cities on the planet. The Venice of the East, known then as Jahangir Nagar, was a worldwide hub of the cotton and silk trade. Its palatial caravansary, the Bara Katra, sheltered merchants traveling along the Grand Trunk Road, one of the oldest and longest thoroughfares in Asia.
Then, Dhaka fell into two centuries of turmoil that saw its status decline. First, the British took control in 1765. When they were forced out in the middle of the twentieth century, the city became the capital of Eastern Pakistan. Bangladesh finally won its independence in 1971, but only after suffering heavy damage during many battles. One of the legacies of two and a half centuries of power struggle in this region is its confusing and hard to define borders. The India-Bangladesh boundary is one of the strangest in the world.
One look and it's obvious, Dhaka is taking in people from the entire region—Bangladeshi or not.
This great migration is overwhelming the city’s infrastructure and services, which simply can’t keep up. Still, there are some obvious things the country should be doing to help Dhaka better manage its growth.
[Solana Pyne, Global Post] “One deceptively simple suggestion: put control over vital services in the hands of a single municipal government accountable to the people it serves. As in many unplanned cities of it’s size, Dhaka’s police, utilities, and roadways are controlled by a dozen or more national authorities, mostly run by political appointees.”


