Biomimicry
Many scholars and innovators in the scientific community are beginning to question the way we approach waste management and sustainability as we gain more and more knowledge about the devastating ecological problems caused by product waste like plastic bottles and grocery sacks continues to grow. The life cycle for most products is currently on an age-old linear track: production, use, and disposal. Sadly, with the linear track model only 34.7% of waste being diverted for recycling. Furthermore, past efforts to address environmental issues have focused almost solely on what to do with waste once it is generated, which some say is a band-aid solution and should really be considered as a flawed approach to sustainability. As we reach a tipping point of environmental degradation and resource depletion, advances in environmental protection are becoming even more essential for preserving all life on earth.
In response, one of the newest and most exciting innovations in sustainability is the emerging trend of Biomimicry. Biomimicry focuses on nature’s own design principles and holistic processes. Simply defined ‘bio’ means life, ‘mimicry’ means imitate. The natural world is the most efficient example of sustainable engineering available, balancing ecosystems to maintain homeostasis, adapting to changing environments, and producing zero waste in the process. Many of the challenges we face in our environmental struggles have already been addressed by nature, and the idea is to use the natural world as a blueprint and resource for inspiration. Biomimicry teaches us to learn from nature on multiple levels, from imitating nature’s forms like patterns in sea shells and the structure of butterfly wings, to studying nature’s processes of creation and disposal, and even mirroring entire ecosystems. The potential of Biomimicry has more to offer than just a new way to manufacture and dispose of products, because it presents an opportunity to reimagine humanity’s interaction with the rest of the natural world as one of reciprocity, rather than simply a one-way exchange of resources.
Biomimicry is an exciting answer that replaces an age-old linear model with a circular model where each step is important to the next important to life. Biomimicry works very differently than our brains do but don’t let that get in the way of taking the time to explore this very exciting alternative. As more and more of us look to Biomimicry for answers innovators promise it will help to address environmental issues positively and ultimately influencing and changing the world we live in.
In response, one of the newest and most exciting innovations in sustainability is the emerging trend of Biomimicry. Biomimicry focuses on nature’s own design principles and holistic processes. Simply defined ‘bio’ means life, ‘mimicry’ means imitate. The natural world is the most efficient example of sustainable engineering available, balancing ecosystems to maintain homeostasis, adapting to changing environments, and producing zero waste in the process. Many of the challenges we face in our environmental struggles have already been addressed by nature, and the idea is to use the natural world as a blueprint and resource for inspiration. Biomimicry teaches us to learn from nature on multiple levels, from imitating nature’s forms like patterns in sea shells and the structure of butterfly wings, to studying nature’s processes of creation and disposal, and even mirroring entire ecosystems. The potential of Biomimicry has more to offer than just a new way to manufacture and dispose of products, because it presents an opportunity to reimagine humanity’s interaction with the rest of the natural world as one of reciprocity, rather than simply a one-way exchange of resources.
Biomimicry is an exciting answer that replaces an age-old linear model with a circular model where each step is important to the next important to life. Biomimicry works very differently than our brains do but don’t let that get in the way of taking the time to explore this very exciting alternative. As more and more of us look to Biomimicry for answers innovators promise it will help to address environmental issues positively and ultimately influencing and changing the world we live in.