In this brilliant talk at a recent Ted-X event in Cape Town, author, psychiatrist and wilderness activist, Ian McCullum shares how we are impacting our environment and what we need to do as a human race to reverse the negative effects of over-population and our lack of care towards the planet. 

Ian McCallum is a psychiatrist, analytical psychologist and a specialist wilderness guide. A former rugby Springbok, he is a director of the Wilderness Foundation, a trustee of the Cape Leopard Trust and the author of multiple publications including two anthologies of wilderness poems: Wild Gifts (1999) and Untamed (2012). His book: Ecological Intelligence – Rediscovering Ourselves in Nature – won the Wild Literary Award at the World Wilderness Congress in 2009. An adjunct professor at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, his academic interests focus on evolutionary biology, conservation psychology and environmental ethics. In 2012, together with friend and journalist, Ian Michler, he completed a five-month, 5000 km journey through six southern African countries, walking, cycling and kayaking to highlight the importance of trans-frontier/corridor conservation. Ian is also the facilitator for the business leadership trails with the Wilderness Leadership School