Why we need mining to save the environment | Alp Bora | TEDxWilsonPark

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey from aerospace to mining, highlighting the industry's vital role in everyday life, especially in renewable energy technologies. They discuss the environmental and ethical challenges mining faces, exemplified by a major disaster in Turkey. Despite these issues, mining is essential for a sustainable future, and the speaker urges consumers to push for greater transparency and responsibility in sourcing materials. By raising awareness and demanding better practices, consumers can help create a cleaner, more ethical mining industry, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mining is often viewed negatively due to environmental concerns, poor working conditions, and disasters, but it’s essential to modern life.
• 😀 The 2014 mining disaster in Turkey, which killed 301 workers, sparked widespread public awareness and anger about the industry's safety and practices.
• 😀 The speaker, Sandy Chew, initially had no interest in mining but found a passion for the industry after an internship, realizing how integral it is to daily life.
• 😀 Mining provides metals for essential products like smartphones, computers, cars, and buildings, making it a vital yet underappreciated industry.
• 😀 Renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric batteries, require mined metals and minerals, linking mining to environmental sustainability.
• 😀 Although mining has a significant environmental cost, it’s necessary for the transition to clean energy, making it an essential part of the solution to climate change.
• 😀 Major mining companies have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero by 2050, but this commitment lacks clear accountability and urgency.
• 😀 Consumer awareness and demand for sustainable practices can drive significant changes in the mining industry, as businesses respond to consumer values.
• 😀 Transparent information about the sources and environmental impact of metals in consumer products can empower people to make more informed, sustainable choices.
• 😀 The idea of incorporating sustainability into mining can be compared to food labeling, where consumers could easily scan products to see the environmental footprint of the metals they contain.
• 😀 Sandy Chew emphasizes that mining is not going away and plays a crucial role in building a sustainable future, and consumers have the power to accelerate this transformation.

Q & A

What event brought mining into the spotlight in Turkey in 2014?

In 2014, an explosion in a coal mine in Turkey trapped hundreds of people underground, resulting in the deaths of 301 workers. This incident became the worst mining disaster in the country's history and sparked nationwide conversations about mining and its risks.

How did the speaker first become involved in the mining industry?

The speaker initially pursued a career in aerospace, studying engines and planes. However, after college, unable to find a job in aerospace, they took an internship at a mining site. It was during this internship that they became fascinated with mining and decided to pursue it as a career.

What was the speaker's 'aha moment' related to mining?

The speaker's 'aha moment' occurred during a visit to a remote mining site in the Canadian subarctic. The extreme cold and reliance on diesel-powered generators for electricity highlighted the environmental cost of mining, making the speaker realize the industry's significant resource consumption.

What is the environmental paradox discussed in the script?

The paradox is that while mining is a resource-intensive and environmentally harmful industry, it is also essential for producing the metals required for renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric batteries.

What commitment did major mining companies make last year?

Major mining companies, as part of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. However, there are concerns about the accountability and the timeline of this commitment.

Why is the commitment to net-zero by 2050 seen as flawed?

The commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is seen as flawed because most executives who made the commitment will have retired by then, potentially reducing accountability. Additionally, the plan does not address emissions from mining's customers, such as steel producers and manufacturers.

How can consumers influence the mining industry?

Consumers can influence the mining industry by demanding more sustainable practices and transparency. When enough consumers ask questions about how metals and minerals are sourced and their environmental impact, businesses are compelled to respond and adopt greener practices.

What example does the speaker give of how consumers could gain more awareness about mining practices?

The speaker suggests a scenario where consumers could scan a QR code on products, like a Pepsi can, to learn about the metals used, how they were mined, and their carbon footprint. This transparency would raise awareness and pressure companies to adopt more sustainable mining practices.

Why is mining considered essential for the future, despite its environmental impact?

Mining is essential for the future because it provides the metals and minerals required for technologies that are crucial for a clean energy future, such as electric batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. These technologies depend on mined materials to function.

What is the ultimate message the speaker wants to convey about mining?

The speaker emphasizes that while mining is an integral part of modern life and the transition to renewable energy, it needs to become more sustainable. Consumers have the power to drive this change by demanding transparency and supporting responsibly sourced products.