Our carbon cycle is out of balance. Since the Industrial Revolution, there has been a sharp increase in Greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. The problem is only going to get worse, if we do nothing to stop it. Gavin breaks down the stigma surrounding microbes, while explaining how they might be used for sustainability purposes, and be used to rebalance our carbon cycle. Gavin Collins is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and associate professor of Microbiology at University of Galway, where he investigates the use of complex microbiomes for environmental solutions. He is a former Charlemont Fellow (Royal Irish Academy), and Ireland-Canada University Foundation Fellow, and is a European Research Council laureate. He is a Fulbright Scholar, and visiting professor at the University of California Berkeley, where he is also a member of the International Bioeconomy and Macroalgae Center. 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