#ulearn15 a selection of my photos...

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

It is always about the people... meeting face to face!

MAGIC!

Mindfulness Monday with Vicki - exploring the National Geographic Photography of the Year expo!

Amazing works to view...

Fun on the waterfront...

Kind of windy on the waterfront...

Exploring the Wynyard Quarter...

Taking time... in the sun... on the waterfront...

LOVE the title of Tuesday before Ulearn - Permission to Play!  We should always play - never wait for permission...

Conference and living onsite!

First of many catch ups with the wonderful Anne-Louise

Fun with Emma and Pauline

PLAY play PlAy

Met these two amazing teachers...

Some fun going on here Emma....

Wow Bev, we mustn't leave it so long til our next catch up!  

Little bit of e-fellow MAGIC...

Cocktails with these amazing, inspirational ladies...

Conference showcase

First of many catch ups with the Amazing Steph!

e-fellows...

Ann and Louise celebrate the amazing e-fellows of 2015!

The FAMOUS FIVE - back together again... first time since Ulearn 2012!

Catching up with Annemarie and Caroline

HUGE crowds for the keynotes...

Mary capturing the keynotes visually...

I had the privilege of attending Sonya's flat classroom live streamed session...

2028 isn't that far off...

Some very interesting ideas in here. What does this mean for us now?  What MUST we change? What MUST we increase our awareness of?  What MUST we decrease?

#ulearn15 initial reflection...

Homeward bound before I slowed down for long enough to write up my goals for Ulearn…

So I am reflecting without the written goals…

Has it really only been five days since I left home? It seems improbable that so much has happened in one week. It seems impossible that we are already reflecting on #ulearn15. It seems inconceivable that so many educators have made so many connections, so many aha moments, so many new wonderings and challenges, so many calls to action.

Where to begin?

Let me start with the absolute declaration that I am privileged to work for the MOST amazing whanau in the world – CORE Education Ltd. From the initial preparations, through to the opening, the connections, the presentations, the sharing, through to the closing waiata – Tatai Aho Rau, our whanau have embraced us all in the heart of learning. So long ago I was speaking of the dream of wearing the ‘yellow lanyard”. Three years in and I am privileged to wear the lanyard with pride, embracing all that it means to learn, share, laugh, dream, connect, embrace, celebrate and just BE ME in our CORE whanau. Celebrating my third year as part of the Social Media / Connected Educator team is a true blessing and privilege. To BE where educators need us, to support their next steps in a connected journey is such an incredible opportunity.

To share three sessions with delegates at Ulearn15 is an awesome privilege. Each session unique and MAGICAL…

Links to presentations to come…

Lets have a little look at my week…

Monday – arrive in Auckland, connect and collaborate with Vicky as we prepare and embrace mindfulnees.

Tuesday – Permission to play – tweeting from sessions, connecting with educators, setting up rooms at ACG, conference showcase, e-fellow dinner.

Wednesday – Keynote seat drop, Tweeting from key note, vox pop filming, Presentation on Twitter and connecting, tweeting from Grant Lichtman’s workshop, Connected Educator Lounge party, Twitter dinner

Thursday – Tweeting from keynote, Connected Educator lounge, Presentation with amazing crew – Mentoring, Presentation Driving your Professional Inquiry, Connected Educator lounge, Reflection time with Connected Educator team, Conference dinner

Friday – tweeting from Derek’s reflective panel session, Connected Educator Lounge, Pam Hook’s Solo workshop, Thanking Pam Hook, Tweeting from closing keynote,

Running on the adrenaline of the week, til now, the yawns have set in…

I want to capture some of my highlights…

· Mindfulness with Vicki on Monday.

· Grant Lichtman really lit my heart and soul with the challenge of hearing the story, listening to the people, reflecting on successes and challenges.

· Deliberate Acts of Facilitation from Grant Lichtman’s session. I am totally in awe of the way he used the power of the people at the table to collaborate and share, then share with others… very clever facilitation.

· Sharing my story of the transformative power of my journey, being mentored. Sharing a very personal story, from my heart, holding my tears.

· Feedback from my session from Whare. We all need validation, but to be quoted by Whare and to be tweeted this by my twitter buddies bought tears… Aroha and gratitude…

· Being a part of the Connected Educator team. My dream and belief that connection with others is EVERYTHING, socialisation and collaboration is everything, means it is a privilege and a honour to be part of this team. Gratitude and respect to Tara and Catriona for leading us this week.

· Sharing our twitter / connected educator session with educators so hungry, so thirsty for connection, online, outside their own back yard.

· Sharing my session ‘driving your inquiry through networking’ with such a beautiful group of people. The feedback from the session bought tears to my eyes. We must never forget to validate, and accept validation. We must never stop connecting and acknowledging the power of connecting to move us to so much more than we are capable of alone. We must never stop dreaming, believing and achieving.

· The socialisation – small group, one to one, face to face, e-fellow dinner, twitter dinner, showcase dinner… We are all about the learning and this conference is so focused on the learning. The socialization, the relationship building is what takes us beyond this just being #ulearn15, empowering us to connect and maintain the relationship online until our next face to face.

· The visual recording of the keynotes. A powerful way to capture ‘the story’ in a way offering another way to connect with and engage with the story.

· The power of the story within us all.

· The showcase dinner deserves a mention all of its own. WOW just WOW! The high seas was the place to be…

· Ann Lieberman’s keynote was an incredible story of the power of the teacher, leader, learner. Some incredible challenges issued to us all. How I am I going to share my learning, how am I going to lead?

· Pat Snedden’s keynote was an incredible privilege to hear. I have such an inside view into the life and MAGIC of my dear friend Helen King who is instrumental in transforming. I have renewed awe.

· Fionna Wright’s post on the CORE Education Ltd blog this week challenged me and heightened my awareness this week. “Every action of ours serves to include or exclude’. WOW what a challenge. I was very mindful this week of every opportunity I had to include. Thank you to everyone who included me!

· The buzz, the hype, the absolute ‘learning’ focus of CORE Education Ltd. What a privilege to work for this company. Tatai Aho Rau!

· Living in! This is an absolute highlight of the conference. Being able to return to our rooms, being able to take a lighter bag, being able to have space – thank you for this beautiful privilege.

· Being in amongst almost 2000 passionate, dedicated, educators who create MAGIC for learners daily.

· To acknowledge the incredible team who work to make this possible. From tech, to events, to media, to minders, and everyone involved, CORE Education Ltd you are MAGICAL.

As we approach landing, I am thinking about how #ulearn15 must be much, much more than a week in the life of learners. It must be a catalyst, an affirmation, a challenge, a connection, a trigger. It MUST impact on learning and learners. It MUST impact on us, our hearts, our minds and our ways of being. It MUST call us and challenge us. It MUST sustain and nourish us to take action. It MUST be oh so much more than a conference.

Personally, #ulearn15 is etched within me. It is in my breathing, as I breathe deep, mindful of my privilege of being an educator. It is in my movements, as I walk many paths, facilitating, ‘making easy the way’ of educators, it is in my mind as I reflect, synthesize, integrate, embrace new learning. It is in my eyes as I see new ways, new horizons, new opportunities. It is in my ears, as I listen, really listen to the voice of all, learners, educators, leaders, whanau. It is in ME!

Ulearn15 has called me to action. I am going to create a doc to share all of our reflections from Ulearn15, as we share and connect and continue the journey.

Thank you for the privilege.

I would love to hear your highlights, reflections, calls to action…

My new condition... #tedxcitis

I have a reasonably significant new condition... #tedxcitis... and, be warned, it is very contagious!  I just can't stop thinking about, reflecting on and talking about TEDX.

Many, many years ago I started watching Tedtalks.  Of the hundreds I have watched over the years, each and every one has taken me on a journey, challenged me, and caused me to reflect and think again.  

Way back in 2010 I had the privilege of recording an edtalk with Claire Buist, thanks to the wonderful Jane Nicholls.  Since then I have been able to share my story and I really do believe it is MAGICAL to have your story captured.  I know that much of my journey might have disappeared had it not been for this capturing and I am grateful for the opportunity.  

Back in 2012 I had the incredible experience of attending my first TEDX event, TEDXDunedin.  I was in awe.  The crowd, the talks, the ideas, the connecting... the entire experience filled me with wonder and awe.  

Then in 2014 I attended #TEDXChristchurch, a day of intense emotion, learning, challenge, story telling, reflecting and connecting.  

In April 2015 I was privileged to get tickets for #TEDXQueenstown and I feasted on another incredible day.

On Saturday I attended #TEDXChch and my heart, mind and soul were blown wide open.  I experienced intense emotions from joy, to sorrow, to grief, to fear, to wonder, respect, and absolute awe! The power of the story was evident from sun up til sun down.  Each and every story touched me in some way and I just cannot stop talking about it.  To be fair, I think my family are a little relieved I am flying away today. Flying away to share my tedx wonderings with new, eager listeners I am hoping to find.  I have talked them out.  From VW fuel emissions, to stories from the inside, to tourettes, ants, cancer treatments and power, imagination and character.

So, would you believe this coincidence? Left in the magazine pocket on my seat of the plane is a copy of the 'the economist', a magazine which I have never, or probably would never read.  Well, the cover photo and article are 'dirty secrets of the car industry' - the story of the VW lies, which connects and causes me to reflect on the second TEDXchch talk.  Eric Frangenheim talks of being RAS alerted, and I am so mindful of this.  Had I not attended TEDX I would not have given the cover a second glance, and would not have read the article.  I am richer from the experience and opportunity to reflect on this significant issue.  How can we keep destroying the beautiful world we live in?  Why do we lie and cheat?  How can companies live with lies?  Is it always wrong to lie?  What will become of VW?  What questions will need to be asked? 

So a word of warning to those at Ulearn... I am going to talk about TEDX!  I am going to continue to reflect and discuss.  I am going to tell a slightly different story at the start of my presentation... I am going to tell more of my story... It is in the story that the true MAGIC is woven....

And, two more serendipitous moments of MAGIC to add to this post... Flying with me was Professor Richie Poulton, speaker at TedXDunedin 2012.  So of course, I took a moment to chat and grab a photo.

Professor Richie Poulton is Director of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit which conducts the Dunedin longitudinal study, one of the most detailed studies of human health and development ever undertaken. A multidisciplinary, longitudinal study of 1,037 babies born in Dunedin during 1972/73, the Study members have been followed up since birth, at age three, then every two years to age 15, and at ages 18, 21, 26, and 32. The latest assessment phase, at age 38, commenced in 2010 and was completed in March 2012, and was an outstanding success with 96% of the surviving Study members being assessed. 

Then later this afternoon, on the waterfront in Auckland with Vicki, we viewed the National Geographic Photographer of the year exhibition.  And there before my eyes was the clip by Mark Gee, from TedXchch 2014.  

WOW - what co-incidence.  The stories are everywhere... all around us!

...and thanks to Vicki for tolerating my #tedxitis....

... more tedxChch reflecting...

 http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/72670941/tourettes-girl-steals-tedxchchs-heart

#tedxchch ... beginning to reflect...

Where and how do you begin to reflect on the day?

Inexorably changed as a result of today... I do believe that all of us who are part of the 1200+ family that is #tedxchch today, are forever touched and changed. We cannot experience the emotions of today and awake tomorrow unchanged. From laughter, to tears, fear, grief, empathy, tension, awe, wonder and love, I've experienced it all alongside you all today... 

Today was my fourth TedX and without a doubt it was the most emotive, powerful journey. The power of the human story today captured us and held us spell bound. 

What will I take from this day forward?

If only I had the wit and humour and brain of Michele A'Court, I could entertain and inform you in style. Apologies, but I will do the best I can to share the impact of each and ever speaker on me!

Te Pao A Tahu - thinking again about Culture and Heritage

The power of the opening mihi fro Te Pao A Tahu touched me. I was bursting with pride to see our very own Gemma on stage. I was absolutely gobsmacked how much of the korero I could understand. Increasingly I am picking up words and grasping messages in the spoken reo. For this I am incredibly grateful to Gemma. 

Michele A'Court - thinking again about our voices

Female comedian of the decade - WOW. Do we reach a point when we stop saying what we really believe? I think this is something I have held onto. I say what I really believe. I think this is the neoteny in me, I have indeed retained the attributes of childhood into my adult life in many ways. The meaning of life is connection. Find a community and share your voice. Making what you want to say count! 

Ian Wright - thinking again about jet-powered garbage trucks

Wow, doing things differently, making a difference... exciting times ahead when we think again and make things better. Clean transportation as a viable option in the future... near future?

Rod Oram - thinking again about explorers

Greed, selfishness and apathy - we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. Never forget to take time to ask the questions you have. NEVER! Always ask the question! The question must be heard! Be mindful that we are asking the right questions. How can we live well on this planet? We are heading for ecological disaster, and we MUST take action to avoid the disaster we are rapidly heading towards? Poisoning our ecosystem MUST stop!

Slavko Martinov - a special moment in the day... best in show chicken mocumentary!

Bridget Frame -thinking again about resources, efficiencies, and the impact of philanthropy

How and where is the funding coming from for grants, and at what cost to communities. Could there be a collaborative opportunity to allow for greater benefits?

Robyn and Analise Twemlow - thinking again about Tourette's as a disability

WOW what an incredible story. Realising that Analise doesn't have a problem with tourettes, others do! What a rare and beautiful privilege to hear the story of a mum and her stunning daughter - a story that touches us all. Sooo much change to make a difference for sufferers of tourettes' syndrome. 

Dr Swee Tan - thinking again about the origin of cancer

A new way of looking at cancer - you just had to be here for this.... too moving to blog about.. watch it when it is online! Total awe and respect for this most humble genius of a man... The message I take from this is keeping asking questions, all the questions, dig deeper, look further... 

Jason Kerrison

WOW - what a stunning privilege to see and hear the talent that is Jason. Sharing his works in progress... WOW! Stunning lyrics!!!

Carolina Izzo - thinking again about the importance of teamwork

WOW - the story of the restoration of the theatre royal - and particularly of the dome. The story of team, and perseverance and innovation and the dawning of the importance of the America's Cup for the carbon fibre lining to attach the restored canvas. WOW hearing your story was so powerful Carolina.

The Sintes Brothers - thinking again about tap dancing

WOW - talk about breaking down the stereotypical image of tap dancers. Stunningly entertaining... talented and fun!

Max Suckling - thinking again about the power of pheromones

Teehee - my takeaway from this is keep wearing individual perfumes... teehee. Just as one man can identify his wife while blindfolded by his wife's perfume... so a moth identifies his mate... by introduces the same smell everywhere the moths are confused and don't mate... Why oh why are we still using pesticides? HOPE for a pesticide free future on the near horizon....

Craig Jarvis - thinking again about buildings that add life

Biophillia - our connection with nature - our love of life! Biophillia - my favourite new word of the day... and a word that gives power to the feeling I have in my new office in the tree tops. Our ability to sustain life... physically, mentally, socially, spiritually and emotionally. What is happening to the human being who occupies the space... are we connecting with life and nature, or removing? Craig Jarvis, we need you to have a voice in the building of schools!

Eric Liu - thinking again about power and civic imagination

An American that spoke with the heart of Canterbury, and understanding of the re-build and the MAGIC of gapfillers. Eric introduced a clever phrase "Techtonic shifts", changes all of what we understand and knew... Three elements of citizenship - Power, imagination and character... at the core of what we do and why we do it! WOW!

Matt Vickers - thinking again about the choices we have and how we die 

This talk challenges us in so many ways. Assisted dying... infringement of human rights? Lecretia's story! A story so powerful... told so powerfully. 

Finnian Galbraith - thinking again about the pronunciation of native languages 

There is no 'pakeha' way of pronouncing Māori words. Phew so privileged to be learning with you Gemma! Learning the language, kapa haka learning, valuing the learning of the language. Culture is irreplaceable. 

Julian Arahanga & Ladi6 - thinking again about the courage to sing from the heart

Agh - the most powerful story as finale! Hearing of the MAGIC of the story that is 'songs from the inside'. Touched so much by the strength of the message that all we need is someone to believe in you. The power of the mentoring is so precious in this story. The MAGIC of seeing Tama come on stage, in his words, from cage to stage, a beautiful moment indeed. Valuing and embracing the stories that NEED to be heard, and NEED to be understood... We all make mistakes... change the life of someone... We are all challenged to change the life of someone... This is indeed, a most powerful call to action!

Indeed we have feasted on a fine bounty of stories from the heart of the teller, direct to our hearts and souls.

I am a different person tonight, a richer person, a better person, for hearing the stories of others, for being a part of a community that gathers together for good!

I have walked in the mocassins of many today... a privilege indeed...

I go to bed weary, exhausted, in awe, overwhelmed, emotional and RICH... rich in so many ways.

Aroha, gratitude to you all! 

Julian Arahanga and Ladi6 #TEDChristchurch

Born and raised in Raetihi at the base of his ancestral mountain Ruapehu, Julian Arahanga has been involved with film from an early age, working as a grip, camera assistant and lighting technician, and landing roles in Once Were Warriors and The Matrix. His production company, Awa Films, has produced docu-drama and TV series for Māori Television and created the highly acclaimed reality show Songs from the Inside.

Ladi6 is an award-winning and critically acclaimed musician. In 2011, she won two NZ Music Awards (Best Urban Album and Best Female Artist) and two Pacific Music Awards (Best Pacific Urban Album and Best Female Artist). Her sophomore album, ‘The Liberation Of…’, was certified Gold in New Zealand and won the prestigious Taite Music Prize; its Platinum-selling, Top 10 single ‘Like Water’ was voted by MTV Iggy as the Best Love Song of 2012.


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Songs from the inside... music programme administered in New Zealand prisons... helping write, recording, then gifting to the prisoner...

WOW what an incredible initiative... The power of music to celebrate, restore, 'make easy'...

One opportunity to pitch an idea... that one idea and one opportunity are often all that is needed... 

Prison idol... yeah right... loving listening to this story... fake it til you make it!

Give prisoners the opportunity to tell their story through their song... they are communicating a story that is more readily acceptable... 

The power of music to change the emotional space.  Music cuts through social, emotional and cultural barriers... 

Designing a course to make this possible... getting established artists to mentor the prisoners.  Push them out of their comfort zone, gain trust first.

Teaching prisoners to tell stories through performance.. if you want someone to open up to you, you have to open up to them...

The telling of the story reveals the prison, not as a statistic, but as a person, with respect deserved... 

The power of mentoring so evident here... finding the song on the inside... Everyone has a song on the inside... we are born with it... it is our past and our hope for the future... often our song is suppressed... and we fail to sing... 

Some of the most vulnerable in our community, teach us how to shed our own skin, pull back our own layers, so we can see and feel the hope.

Good people gathering for good reasons, great things happen - MAGIC even.

Volunteers go into the prisons everyday - to help, to make a difference, 

Safe environments are so fundamental to all initiatives... mentees and mentors across the cultures... Māori, Pakeha, Pasifika...

Scribe, Anika Moa, Ladi6, ... opportunities to give back!  Thoughts of being able to help and make musical dreams come true... 

Belief that something about us can help others... becomes a reality that it is not about us... it is about others... it is about vulnerable sharing...

Valuing and embracing the stories that NEED to be heard, and NEED to be understood...

Oh my goodness... we had the privilege of sitting with this AMAZING guy and chatting at the lunch break...

From the cage to the stage....
All anyone needs is someone who believes in us...
We all make mistakes... change the life of someone... 

We are all challenged to change the life of someone...

Songs from the inside - empwered, free, nobody to somebody... 

People helping people is the solution to a better tomorrow...

How does it feel... how has it changed me... I feel free to stand here.  I represent them all...

We are people too... 

1200 of us her at #tedxchristchurch will NEVER EVER be the same after this story today....

I believe because someone believed in me... all we NEED!!!

Finnian Galbraith #TEDXChristchurch

15-year-old Finnian Galbraith shot to fame in July when he posted a YouTube video of a speech he prepared for school. Within days, the video had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, and reported on by outlets as far-flung as The Guardian and the BBC. He lives in Paekakariki, Kapiti, where he is a Year 11 student at Kapiti College.

Youtube Video

Story telling... 

Pronunciation matters.... 

There is no 'pakeha' way of pronouncing Māori words.  Phew so privileged to be learning with you Gemma!

Learning the language, kapa haka learning, valuing the learning of the language.  

Culture is irreplaceable.

Matt Vickers #TEDXChristchurch

In 2011, Lecretia Seales was diagnosed with a brain tumour – and in 2015, in the final stages of her life and with her husband Matt Vickers by her side, she went to the High Court seeking the choice to receive assistance to die from her GP. Today, her now widower Matt continues to campaign for consensual physician-assisted dying for terminally ill patients, carrying, as he says, “a responsibility to ensure that Lecretia’s personal sacrifice wasn't for nothing.”

This talk will challenge us in so many ways...

Assisted dying... infringement of human rights?

Lecretia's story! 

Agh... what a story... 

#tedxchch MAGIC

A meaningful bag is just one more sign of the MAGIC of #tedx

The bag we have today is made by women freed from human trafficking...

All goods in our bags must be:

• Locally sourced
• Ethically produced
• Inspiring
• Community involved brand

Everything about this day is MAGIC!!!

Stepping outside ourself, putting ourselves in the shoes of others.. seeing life from another perspective...

30 second ideas..... #tedxchch

People sharing their ideas...

Random, eclectic bunch of 'ideas worth spreading'...

What a mixed bunch...

Maybe these should be tried out on a mini audience first... 

hmmm... great ideas begin somewhere...

And just for the record.. girls you won hands down!

Eric Liu #TEDXChristchurch

Eric Liu is the founder of Citizen University, directs the Aspen Institute’s Citizenship & American Identity Program, and was recently appointed by President Obama to the Board of the Corporation for National and Community Service. His books include the national bestsellers The Gardens of Democracy and The True Patriot, both co-authored with Nick Hanauer. He also served as a White House speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and later as the President's deputy domestic policy adviser.

Twitter: @ericpliu

Present at the creation... Dean Acheson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Acheson

REimagining what a city can be out of disaster...

"Techtonic shifts".... teehee... changes all of what we understand and knew...

Everyone has a voice... social media and social justice, learning from one another in real time.

Present at the creation of a new age...

Three elements of citizenship
Power, imagination and character... at the core of what we do and why we do it!

Power - the capacity to ensure others do what you would have them do... We have an obligation to be literate in power... to understand - power is not a zero sum game... one does not have to lose when one gains... Power is a positive sum entity.  Power and voice and agency we all have, the more strong, adaptive and powerful we all become... at the edges, all.  Inclusion wins!!! Power must be claimed... it is not simply granted.  We must become fluent in elements of power... to organise, lobby, to bypass broken systems and ensure the voice of all is heard!  We must flex our claim, our power... Claiming power...

Imagination - the capacity to conceive of what is not!  Imagination needs to be cultivated.  The power of imagination in civic life... new ways of seeing one another and seeing the world we re in... Institutionalisation of empathy - WOW - the job of all of us!  Awareness of exponential consequences of actions.  Seeing others as we see ourselves... to see all of us as 'a body'.

Character - civic character in the collective.  Pro social contributor.  We must intentionally cultivate.  To be mindful of cultivating character. NZ focus on reciprocity, connecting...  Being citizen is about being responsible.  

Culture - how we all embrace, cling to, live our culture - how we can set of pro-culture behaviour... Each one of us is a node in the network... 

See a gap - fill it!  Christchurch gapfillers - in awe of all the gaps you fill to make life better for us all....

Christchurch has the blueprint for re-creating a better society!  WOW - Christchurch stands for every town... 

We do not need ruin and devastation to imagine new ways of relating... WOW - this speech has lifted the roof on the theatre... 

To live as if we were present at the CREATION of a new world because we are.... 




                                                         

Craig Jarvis #TEDXChristchurch

Craig Jarvis is an architectural designer with a passion for simplicity and sustainability. He worked in London on heritage-listed buildings in his early career, and spent 13 years in Melbourne running his own commercial building, project management, and architectural design firm. In 2004, Craig moved to Christchurch and bought a piece of bare land by the beach. He has spent the past five years in a 13sqm off-grid tiny house with his two young children.

Where do we start with living in a sustainable home?

Off grid?  Smaller? 

Why the hell are we still using CCA in New Zealand... This concerns me, alarms me, scares the shit out of me... New Zealand... why are we killing ourselves... Stop looking at a problem in isolation and look at a complete picture...

Healthy building need to be a basic for us!

The toxic ingredients in our buildings are alarming.  Why are we diminishing and destroying our connection with nature with our buildings?  Energy efficiency should not be our sole focus. 

Energy efficiency is NOT sustainability!

The catalyst - wake up - method, materials and motivation... the catalyst is out connection!

Biophillia - our connection with nature - our love of life! Our ability to sustain life... physically, mentally, socially, spiritually and emotionally.  What is happening to the human being who occupies the space... are we connecting with life and nature, or removing?

Nature deficit disorder... the last child in the woods... 

"our children spend more time building tree-houses on ipads than in trees"  We need to encourage them to interact with nature....

Connection with all of life..

The MAGIC is what we see and feel when we connect with nature.  It changes our quality of life... 

Google - relationship between employees and connection with nature... outstanding results...

Patient recovery with a window compared to those without.... significant positive effects... 

Get outside... get in amongst nature...

Include biophillia in the building of our homes, our schools, our hospitals...

Work with the laws of nature - not against them....

Using materials that are 'right and safe' for us to live in...

Design for the quality of life!!!!

We need to nurture our love of nature, our love of life... it is critical to our wellbeing... it needs to be acknowledged, protected and nurtured...

Dream - one day that all homes will feed us, inspire us, heal us, and fill us with wonder and awe and mystery...
                                                                                
Homes that embrace a love of life....

Max Suckling #TEDXChristchurch

Professor Max Suckling leads the biosecurity research group at Plant & Food Research and is a Professor at the University of Auckland. He studies a very wide range of pest and beneficial insects, with a strong chemical ecology focus. They use electrophysiology and behavioural tools to resolve questions about the chemistry of natural signalling products, including insect attractants. The group have been recognised with a range of awards, including New Zealand Innovators (2013) for work on commercialising moth sex pheromones.

Let's talk about the ants... Beware the 'crazy' ants - they'll destroy your electronics...

Also, beware the pesticides..

Pesticide resistant moths... 

Just as one man can identify his wife while blindfolded by his wife's perfume... so a moth identifies his mate... by introduces the same smell everywhere the moths are confused and don't mate...

Pheromones... introducing a smell into the environment.. like introducing the same perfume into a room... none of the males can find their mate... no sex in the orchard... no reproduction...

The success with the moths, transferred to ant problems.. 

The power of pheromone... ants can't get home without a trail... order to chaos in the ant world... Trail following reduces by 90%.

Why oh why are we still using pesticides? HOPE for a pesticide free future on the near horizon....