Welcome back to TALKS, the most riveting and enlightening element of the Conscious Festival year after year. We spend many months (more like all year) carefully curating the topics and their speakers, and this is just a small taste of what we’ve whipped up for you this time.
Before we take you through highlights from this year’s program, know that we’ve remodelled our TALKS program. This year we have four transformative sessions packed full of juicy actionable insights that should leave you empowered to make changes in your life. This is how they’re broken down:
Wellbeing: In this session, we will delve into topics like fighting against apathy and the ‘it’s too late’ mindset, how we need to connect deeper with ourselves before we can connect deeper with the planet, why empowering women is key to mitigating climate change, and more.
Business: During this session, we will reimagine capitalism, look at how to navigate through the climate change chaos unfolding around us, and what solutions currently exist for us to solve it.
Planet: In this session, we will rethink the future through the eyes of modern Millennials and ask ourselves how we can spice up the conversation surrounding sustainability.
Fashion: This track will explore to help us understand how and why we should dress with sense and sustainability.
Listen and learn through inspiring keynotes, engaging workshops, wellness breaks, and action kits — everything you need to take #LittleGreenSteps to #LiveMoreConsciously. Here is what not to miss from this year’s TALKS (although there is a lot more, find the full list here).
The Angry Clean Energy Guy exploring what the climate movement needs to take from the AIDS movement…
If you’ve ever heard his hugely popular podcast called ‘The Angry Clean Energy Guy’, you’ll know that Assaad Razzouk isn’t actually angry (even though there is a lot to be angry about as a clean energy guy). We’re inclined to suggest he’s just passionate. We’re also thrilled that Assaad will be bringing that passion to the Conscious Festival. With a list of credentials too long for us to list, this high-profile thought leader will be delivering a talk on what the climate movement can take from the AIDS movement, in which he’ll give advice on navigating through the climate change chaos that’s unfolding around us, and what the solutions are for us to solve it.
Dr Aimee Maxwell’s delivering a keynote called ‘Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy’
We have already seen radical changes in our climate, and we now need to physically and psychologically prepare society to reduce suffering. But how do we cushion society against the changes we are too late to stop? Dr Aimee Maxwell is a psychologist from Melbourne, Australia who has been working to improve wellbeing through international, longitudinal projects for over a decade. Deep Adaptation is a way of viewing our current global situation that can help refocus people on what’s important in life while our social order collapses under the weight of its own consumption and pollution. Aimee is especially interested in the emotions of Deep Adaptation and how they move through us.
A riveting talk that explores why female empowerment is key to mitigating climate change
For centuries, women have been oppressed. And Christine Amour-Levar believes it is because of their relationship to men as victims that women are able to feel what nature experiences in the contact of human beings. Through her work as French-Swiss-Filipina philanthropist, adventurer, entrepreneur and author, she has supported and empowered women who have been subjected to violence and abuse. The studies that she’s come across have proven that if we give more rights to women, climate change will be solved more quickly. Do you agree? If you’re not sure, it’s likely because the conversation surrounding this topic has been relatively quiet. Until now.
Barney Swan’s talking about the individual impacts that can actually move the needle
Son of Robert Swan, we’re pretty honoured that Barney Swan is bound for Singapore with the sole purpose of speaking at The Conscious Festival. Known for the same vigour as his father, Barney was the first person to travel to the South Pole on reusable energy. It took him 65 days to traverse more than 1,000 kilometres, and he did it using NASA designed solar ice melters, lithium batteries, and biofuel made from waste. Through his non-profit called ClimateForce, in which Barney endeavours to clean up 360 million tons of CO2 before the year 2025, he travels around the world educating people on bringing actionable solutions, adventure, and passion into the UN’s sustainable development goals. For the first time, he’ll bring this talk to The Lion City which explores what solutions we can activate to be part of the solution.
We know it’s happening and we love to talk about it—the rise of plant-based and clean meat food on the global landscape
Panels always bring out the best conversation on a topic, especially when it’s been curated with a selection of the finest in their fields. Christian from Big Idea Adventures, Katherine Desbaillets from Braha Salad Stop, Kelvin Ng from Green Monday, and more will come together for a discussion on why, suddenly, plant-based food and clean meat is taking the world by storm with consumers and investors. They will offer perspective on where the industry is going, and if the movement can indeed be the next huge shift globally. The panel will be moderated by George Jacobs, president of the Centre for a Responsible Future.
Hear from the youths shaping our collective future
The power of the youth is unwavering, and these are the Green Warriors to watch. Introducing Rachel Tan, social media climate advocate (a fancy word for the force behind @nocarrierpls) and geography undergraduate; Bertrand Seah, a recent graduate of political science in the area of environmental politics (meaning he’s a top dog environmentalist); Xiang Tian, co-founder of LepakInSG where he’s spent half of a very hot decade trying to crack the code on creating systemic change; and Komal Lad, a student and founding member of Climate Rally by day and sustainable rapper by night. The panel will be moderated by Green Is The New Black’s own content lead and social media superwoman Tammy Gan. Together, this group of passionate young activists will unite and discuss the ways that a new generation of youths can unite and change the world into one they want to live in.
Have you ever wondered is carbon offsetting just greenwashing?
Our favourite eco-nomad Jaclyn Yost descends upon the Conscious Festival to deliver a talk on eco-anxiety and the issue of tourism. Professionally, she is the founder of ecomadic, but she is also a PhD student with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where she focuses on greenwashing within the hospitality and tourism sector. Since carbon offsetting has become a popular way for people to justify air travel, in her talk Jaclyn will explore if this actually works or if its just another case of greenwashing.
Should fast fashion exist? We pose this question to the pros
While some fast fashion brands are adopting sustainable practices, others are folding entirely. What role does fast fashion have in the future of fashion? And is it even possible to have a truly sustainable industry? This panel with bring together several industry leaders from around Asia and beyond to discuss sustainability in the fashion industry, including Karen Riley-Grant who currently heads up the marketing team at Levi Strauss and Co in Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Kai Paul, vice president of Indosole and developer of a technique that allowed the brand to utilize a far higher yield from discarded tires, Renyung Ho, co-founder and managing director of Matterl, Raye Padit from The Fashion Pulpit and more.
And finally, a panel that explores when fashion meets technology
Could technology be the answer that fashion is looking for? We ask the experts who will examine the latest trends in technology and fashion, and explore where they could eventually lead us. The panel will see Alexander Ho Young-Chan, co-director of The Mills Fabrica, Dr Bernice Pan, founder and creative director of DEPLOY London who pioneered her 360 sustainability ethos through zero-waste product-service customisation, and more. The panel will be moderated by Jon Taff.
The Conscious Festival by Green Is The New Black takes place from 11am – 7pm on Saturday 2nd November & Sunday 3rd November 2019 at the South Beach, 26 Beach Road, Singapore