Uploaded October 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Dealing with the waste of a consumer society is one of the greatest challenges of our modern times. But as UPS’ Sustainability Director, Peter Harris wonders: what if waste weren’t waste at all? He proposes a plan where the methane from the trash we produce fuels the machines that transport our critical goods: a closed-loop, circular economy that powers our world along the way.
TED@UPS was a TED-curated event featuring a diverse group of speakers from across the UPS community. Jointly produced by TED and UPS, the event put a spotlight on ideas, projects and insights that will contribute to the importance of pushing forward through obstacles.
About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and fresh approaches to challenging problems can be discovered inside visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share these insights. Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas.
Learn more at ted.com/ted-institute
Follow TED Institute on Twitter @TEDPartners
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/TEDInstitute
Dealing with the waste of a consumer society is one of the greatest challenges of our modern times. But as UPS’ Sustainability Director, Peter Harris wonders: what if waste weren’t waste at all? He proposes a plan where the methane from the trash we produce fuels the machines that transport our critical goods: a closed-loop, circular economy that powers our world along the way.
TED@UPS was a TED-curated event featuring a diverse group of speakers from across the UPS community. Jointly produced by TED and UPS, the event put a spotlight on ideas, projects and insights that will contribute to the importance of pushing forward through obstacles.
About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and fresh approaches to challenging problems can be discovered inside visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share these insights. Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas.
Learn more at ted.com/ted-institute
Follow TED Institute on Twitter @TEDPartners
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/TEDInstitute
