Copyright on Ted talks is IIRC Creative Commons Attribution, so not a difficult thing to deal with.

I thought it was apt because..

people land in Tree Jail not for 'using' a tree but abusing it and disrespecting the environment by landscape griefing (UFO Trees),
He chops that tree up and does all the minecrafty things with it, Giving the material new form and new function, building cabins etc, squaring the logs or leaving them round etc. He talks about how nothing is wasted. It generally ties into the idea of respect for the environment and making good and full use of things, which is the lesson tree jail should teach

also axe puns.