Sometimes, big change begins with something as small as a bee.

Pollinators — bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, and more — are the invisible workforce behind our food, our flowers, even our forests. Without them, plants don’t grow. And yet, these tiny creatures are vanishing at alarming rates.

The good news? You can help. And it only takes 15 minutes.

One plant, one simple act

This August, TEDxAtlanta is teaming up with the University of Georgia’s Great Southeast Pollinator Census. It’s a citizen science project where everyone can make a real difference.

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Here’s how it works:
Find a blooming plant. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Watch closely. Every time a pollinator lands, you count.

That’s it. No fancy equipment. No biology degree. Just your eyes, a clipboard, and a willingness to notice what so many of us overlook.

Why your count matters

Every observation becomes data that scientists, planners, and conservationists use to protect pollinators and the ecosystems they sustain. Your 15 minutes feeds into something much bigger, showing where pollinators are thriving and where they need help.

Local hands, global impact — the kind of idea that belongs on a TEDxAtlanta stage.

Join us

Bring your curiosity, your family, and maybe a sunhat. We’ll meet on Saturday, 23 August, from 10 a.m. to noon at Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. You’ll get a quick briefing and a guide to help you tell a bee from a fly, then you’re off to count.

Because small actions can lead to big changes. And change starts with you.

Click here to RSVP today and count yourself in!

Learn more about the census

Margaret Weniger, Career Story Collector

Margaret Weniger

What if everything you’ve been taught about building a successful career no longer applies?

Margaret Weniger has spent years exploring that question from both sides of the table. As director of entrepreneurial programs for CREATE-X at Georgia Institute of Technology, she helps founders navigate uncertainty while building companies designed for the future. As a technology sales executive, leadership strategist and author of “Broken,” she has interviewed hundreds of professionals, founders and executives to understand why some people emerge from career disruption stronger than before.

Margaret’s work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, leadership and the changing nature of work. Drawing from her own unconventional career and years of research, she challenges long-held assumptions about success, ambition and what it really takes to build a meaningful career in a world that refuses to stand still.

At TEDxAtlanta, Margaret invites us to rethink one of the most familiar ideas about work. The answer may change not only how you think about your career, but also how you approach whatever comes next.