Overview
“The real survivors are the Earth inhabitants that have lived millions of years without consuming their ecological capital, the base from which all abundance flows.” – Janine Benyus
Finding sustainable solutions for a balanced ecosystem by empowering people to learn and apply nature-inspired design strategies is the philosophy that lies at the heart of biomimicry. Biomimicry design thinking is a process used by innovators across many fields to identify challenges and develop systemic solutions in a creative way — based on nature. The typical process consists of five stages:
– Define the intended impact of your design
– Biologize by analyzing and reframing solutions in biological terms to “ask nature” for advice
– Discover existing organisms that perform the sought-after function
– Draft abstract by restating design strategies in non-biological terms, looking for patterns
– Evaluate the design concept for how well they meet the challenge and fit into Earth’s systems
Looking at the magnificent natural world around us, we see ecosystems functioning flawlessly for millions of years without interference from humans. There is a beauty to the patterns in which nature has developed, each with unique intent. As we continue building technology, the best resource we can look to in creating a more sustainable, efficient, smarter society with reduced stress and increased creativity is nature’s systems, patterns and functions.
Biomimicry moves from an industry-informed perspective to a nature-informed perspective, studying and copying how nature solves problems to take full advantage of 3.8 billion years of ‘R&D’ and natural selection. Creative problem-solving tools are invaluable in the face of the climate crisis, as we must look to the age-old design of nature itself to learn how to adapt to and mitigate devastating impacts.
Many inventions we take for granted today are a product of biomimicry. For example, Velcro was invented by George de Mestral in the 1940s when he examined the way burrs attached to his clothing with a unique hook design. We study the golden orb-weaver spider (Nephila clavipes) for its unbelievable ability to produce silk that is five times stronger than steel, a naturally-derived arachnoid material much tougher than the Kevlar in bulletproof vests and able to absorb five times the impact without breaking — or the need for high pressures, heat or corrosive acids.
Surrounding ourselves with nature reduces stress and increases creativity, allowing us to operate at our highest potential. The more we incorporate nature into our constructed places — even through simple green building design shifts to increase daylight or views of the outdoors — the stronger our connection to the environment becomes, incentivizing its protection and restoration. It becomes a co-beneficial cycle!
THINK
As human beings, we are innately tied to the natural world. Although our fast-paced, tech-focused society can cause us to separate from the ecosystems that surround us, we are innately drawn to nature, our greatest teacher.
“After 3.8 billion years of research and development, failures are fossils, and what surrounds us is the secret to survival… In that time, life has learned to fly, circumnavigate the globe, live in the depths of the ocean and atop the highest peaks, craft miracle materials, light up the night, lasso the sun’s energy, and build a self-reflective brain… [all] without guzzling fossil fuel, polluting the planet, or mortgaging the future. What better models could there be?” Janine Benyus sums it up so well in her 1997 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.
Whether we deliberately imitate nature’s best strategies or are simply influenced by the ecosystems around us, what we build often mimics biology. Biomimicry is all around us!
ACTIVITY
Look around your neighborhood, home and community. Where do you see biomimicry in action? Ask yourself why things are shaped, colored or placed as they are. What fixtures of society stem from biomimicry? Here are examples of integrated biomimicry from Biomimicry Institute.
Take two photos of biomimicry in action and write a caption explaining each. Post your photos on social media and tag @TurningGreenOrg.
Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #TGClassroom.
THINK
Today, you have an opportunity to see, hear, feel and experience how the natural world is moving around you. Will you lean in? Reconnection with nature is where it starts.
Biomimicry Institute defines (re)connection as a practice that reminds us to observe and spend time in nature in order to understand how life works and encourages innovators to think about personal connection to nature informing work. Reconnection feeds empathy, the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of another.
As youth climate activists, we believe empathy is essential for understanding and solving environmental problems, yet modern society has lost much empathy for living creatures and our Earth.
ACTIVITY
We invite you to spend 20 minutes outside to listen, learn and share — whether a nearby park, trail, porch, backyard, anywhere. Find a place where you feel connected to the natural environment.
- Bring a notepad
- Settle into a comfortable position
- Listen to this guided meditation recorded by one of our Turning Green student leaders to set the mood, if you wish
- Jot down notes responding to the following:
- What makes you feel connected to the natural world?
- How does this connection influence the work that you do?
- As you observe the space around you, what sensations arise?
Close your eyes. Place your hands on your knees, palms up. Align your spine, so you sit up straight. Inhale deeply, followed by a long exhale. Center on breath, noticing the rise and fall of your chest. Now try to focus on one sense at a time (sight, sound, touch, feel, taste) and feel what comes through. Are there birds chirping? How does the earth feel beneath you? Can you smell the flora? Open your eyes. What patterns are the plants making with light and shadows? If your mind wanders, that’s okay. Acknowledge circulating thoughts and let them be. Re-center. How does your body feel in this natural environment? What do you learn from observing nature around you? Take one more deep breath. Pause in gratitude for the environment that surrounds you.
Create a representation of your main takeaways from this experience, either a journal entry or drawing. What does reconnection mean to you now? Has this experience reshaped how you may reconnect to nature in daily life? What did you learn? Is there a detail, shape or idea in the natural environment that inspires you? What emotions or colors sum up this experience?
Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #TGClassroom.
THINK
Nature has designed complex structures for efficiency all around us. Plants, animals and organisms are alive today because of adaptation, mutation and shifts. Pay attention to their teachings!
“If the history of life on Earth were put to a 24‑hour clock, humans would have been here shaping the world for mere seconds. As latecomers, it’s time to begin asking the rest of our complex planetary family how to build a more resilient, regenerative, and beautiful world.” — Ask Nature
ACTIVITY
It’s time to get inspired! Explore the Biomimicry Institute AskNature online library of over 1,800 natural phenomena and bio-inspired applications. Explore the Inspired Ideas, Biological Strategies and Collections tabs at the bottom of the page.
Select one design or biological mechanism that is particularly interesting. Write a reflection (200 words) on why this strategy or system that mimics nature inspires you, as well as other thoughts on biomimicry as a concept.
- Which aspects of the strategy or system are most compelling?
- How has your perspective of nature changed?
- How can these systems from biomimicry be applied to your own life, campus or community?
Share your artwork on social media to inform others of your pledge, and inspire them to take action too! Tag @TurningGreenOrg with #TGClassroom.
Don’t forget to post about the challenge and your learnings/doings on social media and tag us on Facebook @TurningGreen, on Twitter @TurningGreenOrg, and on Instagram @TurningGreenOrg and use #TGClassroom.