Local speakers will champion and accelerate local solutions to the climate crisis at the fifth-annual TEDxSelkirk College Countdown event. Open to the community, the free event will be hosted at the Castlegar Campus on November 20 from 4–6 pm.
“I’m curious about the innovative ideas emerging within our communities.” says Kayla Tillapaugh, sustainability coordinator at Selkirk College. “Anyone might have a brilliant idea that could make a significant impact, and I’m glad that we can provide an outlet for those ideas to be not only heard locally but shared with the world through the TED platform.”
This year’s TEDxSelkirk College Countdown, the only TEDx Countdown event in Canada, will showcase a range of topics—from rural transportation to mental health and building sustainable developments for the future to bettering communities through climate resilience.

The featured TEDxSelkirk College Countdown talks include:

– Reducing Carbon Emissions in Building Design: Local Passive House Case Studies by Lukas Armstrong
– Warm Health: Connecting Mental Health, Collective Trauma and Climate Change by Malin Christensson
– Quantifying Risk for Asset Management in a Changing Climate by Mel Reasoner
– Hustling the Weather by Diksha Salwan
– How to Better Our Communities through Climate Resilience by Ben Simoni
– Get a Move On! Rural BC Needs More Buses by Keith Wiley
“While there’s plenty of bad news out there about climate change, what I love about this event is that it features people working on solutions in our community,” says Laura Sacks, a member of the organizing team. “You will leave with a greater sense that a cleaner, healthier and fairer future is possible.”
The November 20 event is free, wheelchair accessible and open to anyone. Snacks and light refreshments will be available, and there will be a musical performance by Drew Storey, a student in Selkirk College’s Contemporary Music & Technology Program.
Learn more and RSVP at https://selkirk.ca/events/tedxselkirk-college-countdown

Selkirk College