How livestock can "green" global deserts and restore degraded land | Alejandro Carrillo | TEDxBoston
What does it take to restore our degraded soils? To stop desertification? We need biology to create the conditions needed to awaken dormant native seeds and rebalance ecosystems. Livestock grazing in sync with Nature can bring that much needed biology to our thirsty, unproductive, lifeless soils. This is being demonstrated by ranchers in the Chihuahuan Desert that want to do things differently. See what a decade of holistic grazing and regenerative livestock management can do. Once desertified unproductive land, stretched with bare soil that did little to retain the scarce rain, is now something beautiful. Lush perennial grasslands have returned, and with them the biodiversity, the soil's water retention and carbon sequestration capacity, and the natural evotranspiration cycles that bring even more restorative rainfall. Alejandro Carrillo is a fourth-generation rancher in the Chihuahuan desert. Rarely his precipitation goes beyond 8” per year (over 200mm). Alejandro’s ranch, Las Damas, has been part of multiple documentaries and studies focused on regenerative ranching such as Common Ground, Sacred Cow, To Which We Belong, and Water in Plain Sight. Alejandro’s Grasslands Regeneration Project company assists ranchers and organizations on regenerative grazing practices in North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East. He also participates as a delegate to the UNCCD in multiple countries. Alejandro holds a MS in Technical Management from The Johns Hopkins University and BS in Computer Science from Monterrey Tech. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 11:15Power of being uncomfortable | Somya Baral | TEDxVITSomya Baral explores the power of discomfort in driving transformation through personal stories of resilience. He shares how a knee injury led him to complete a marathon and how embracing AI pushed him beyond his limits. Introducing the "Cold Plunge" mindset and S.T.A.R.T. framework, he demonstrates how small shifts create lasting change. In this TEDx talk, he urges us to step beyond our comfort zones, reframe challenges, and lead with purpose. Somya Baral, Vice President at Morgan Stanley, has over 18 years of experience in capital markets, specializing in algorithmic trading, smart order routing, and low-latency electronic trading systems. With expertise in FIX protocols, sales and trading strategies, and performance optimization, he has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge financial technology solutions. A DevOps expert, he integrates tools like Git, Jenkins, Ansible, Docker, and Kubernetes on AWS to enhance system reliability and security. Certified in ITIL Foundation and Service Operations, he excels in strategic planning, agile project management, and fintech innovation. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 11:46Why Losing Today Wins You Tomorrow!! | Rohit Bhandwalkar | TEDxVITWe all believe in a formula for success—work hard, follow the right path, and everything will fall into place. But what happens when it doesn’t? When the plan fails, and you’re left wondering, What now? In this talk, Rohit Bhandwalkar shares his journey of chasing a dream that didn’t work out—twice—and how that failure led him to unexpected opportunities, passions, and a life he never could have planned. Through personal stories and the science of post-traumatic growth, he explores how setbacks aren’t dead ends but turning points in disguise. Rohit B. Bhandwalkar is currently engineering student of VIT (Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, Mumbai) with a passion for building apps and software that make life easier. A skilled debater, he was a district-level finalist in the Federal Bank's Speak for India debate competition. When he's not writing code, he's either leading initiatives-having held a leadership role in the Unstop Igniters Club-or captivating audiences with his words. A storyteller at heart, he has performed at numerous open mics and events, with his work featured in anthologies like Petals 2022, From My Heart, and Poetry Express. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx