Last month, I wrote about the fast fashion industry. Unfortunately, typos happen, but one typo can change the context of an entire story and its meaning. So, let’s correct this right now.
Fast Fashion is about “inexpensive” clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers, not “expensive.” The TEDx speaker Stephen Will-Weir, an expert on this topic, is shedding light on the impact of this type of rampant consumerism, so I want to make sure his work is described correctly because last month’s issue had an unfortunate typo.
Let’s turn our attention to another TEDx speaker from April 13. The stage was graced by Juliano Calil, the CEO of Virtual Planet Technologies, Santa Cruz. Juliano, a senior fellow at the Center for the Blue Economy and an adjunct professor at the Middlebury Institute, is a pioneer of science communication for climate action. His visionary work and Ph.D. from UC Santa Cruz make him an extraordinary innovator in our county.
Immersive Storytelling
He opened his speech by saying, “Now, imagine if we could get people to experience the impacts of climate change in a way they can see, feel, hear and understand them.” He then shared how we can revolutionize how we communicate climate change by using Virtual Reality (VR) and other immersive technologies.
His work is based on the theory of change, “…a roadmap that helps us understand the how and why we need desired change.” What struck me in his speech was how powerful a headset can be. In five seconds, you can experience the impact climate change can have on your neighborhood or city instead of thinking the impact is happening over there, somewhere far away.
The Mission
Juliano’s work concerns innovative solutions and challenges like coastal flooding, wildfires and heat waves. Virtual Planet’s mission is to inspire positive change and tackle global challenges through immersive storytelling.
In his talk, he says, “Just throwing facts and issues at people isn’t going to cut it anymore. We need to shift from passive communication approaches to immersive experiences and narratives that resonate with the heart and inspire action. We can’t just inform; we must inspire!”
Juliano asks us not to just read about change; he wants us to “visualize it, feel it, and most importantly, make it happen.”
Mid-Schoolers
I invite you to contact Juliano about his revolutionary work. In one such study, we learn about his 10-week mid-schoolers project: “In Santa Cruz, the VR experience with Save The Shores in Santa Cruz focused on marine protected areas. … The kids try the VR for about 10 minutes and then run a series of activities. The team interviewed about 300 kids so far, and the results are incredible; 90% were eager to tell their family and friends about their VR experience, and more than 50% could identify the various species in the project. Fifty kids wrote letters to their State Assembly.”
TEDx Experience
Like a proud mama bear, as one of his coaches on the team, learning about his life’s mission is inspiring. He said, “My TEDx experience was intense, personal and transformative. It allowed me to distill years of research, insights and projects into a concise, impactful presentation.”
He expressed the challenges of speech preparation and memorization and ongoing support of the team and how this experience motivated him to “keep pursuing his goal of raising climate awareness and inspiring actions that will lead us to a better future.”
Juliano’s work is not just about delivering information, it’s about inspiring change. He speaks to various companies, organizations and children, leaving a lasting impact that inspires action and delivers change.
Be sure to visit the Virtual Planet website virtualplanet.tech, and listen to his speech. You will find yourself turning inspiration into action.
Janet Janssen is a Life in Business coach, public speaker, Leadership Santa Cruz County board member and SLV and SV Chamber member. Visit janetjanssen.com for upcoming events and presentations. Contact her at [email protected] or 831-335-0553.
