Janine Benyus — Biomimicry, an Operating Manual for Earthlings
Mar 23, 2023
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Discover the potential of biomimicry in solving pressing issues and shaping our future. Explore the poetic nature of photosynthesis and its role in sustaining life. Learn about the importance of developing empathy for organisms in the natural world. Uncover the origins of 'survival of the fittest' and its connection to social Darwinism. Delve into the concept of biomimicry and its potential in solving climate change. Learn about the restoration of land and the return of creatures, highlighting the recovery of an ecosystem.
Biomimicry is a design discipline that takes inspiration from the natural world to solve problems and create innovative solutions.
Nature's chemistry is elegant and extraordinary, using a small subset of elements to create diverse designs that contribute to the health of ecosystems.
Biomimicry is actively applied in various industries, with companies like Boeing, Jaguar, Google, and Procter & Gamble embracing biomimicry principles in their design and innovation processes.
Deep dives
The Power of Biomimicry: Nature as Mentor and Teacher
Biomimicry is a design discipline that takes inspiration from the natural world to solve problems and create innovative solutions. It involves studying how nature solves problems and applying those principles in engineering, construction, and other fields. By observing the mechanisms by which nature operates, biomimicry seeks to mimic the intelligent and wise designs found in biology and ecology. The goal is to create conditions conducive to life, just as nature does by running on sunlight, recycling resources, and fostering cooperation. Janine Benyus, a pioneer in biomimicry, explains that nature's geniuses surround us, and by learning from them, we can make our world more regenerative and shift our perspective on future possibilities.
The Beauty and Generosity of Nature's Chemistry
Nature's chemistry is elegant and extraordinary. It uses only a small subset of elements from the periodic table, especially the non-toxic ones, to create the millions of diverse designs found in the natural world. Life adds design to matter, utilizing just a few materials to build structures that are strong, stretchy, and beautiful. As Janine Benyus notes, nature's chemistry not only creates beauty but also contributes to the health of ecosystems. From cleaning air and water to building soil and supporting wildlife, organisms in nature enhance their surroundings and make the Earth a more vibrant and life-sustaining place.
Applying Biomimicry in Design and Industry
Biomimicry is not just a theoretical concept; it is being actively applied in various industries and sectors. Companies like Boeing, Jaguar, Google, and Procter & Gamble are embracing biomimicry principles in their design and innovation processes. For example, Microsoft is working on implementing biomimicry in its data centers, aiming to create buildings and facilities that function like healthy ecosystems. By mimicking nature's genius, companies can not only improve their environmental impact but also enhance the performance and efficiency of their products and services.
Creating a Regenerative World and Shifting Perspectives
Biomimicry offers a path towards creating a regenerative world by adopting nature's wisdom and applying it in various aspects of our lives. By learning from and mimicking nature's designs, we can experience a paradigm shift in our approach to problem-solving, sustainability, and our relationship with the natural world. Janine Benyus highlights the importance of recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings and the significance of fostering a deeper sense of empathy and reverence for nature. Embracing biomimicry can help us transition from being managers of the natural world to becoming helpers and co-creators, working in harmony with the ecosystems that sustain us.
The Urgency to Learn from Nature
In the face of pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, the urgency to learn from nature's wisdom becomes paramount. Janine Benyus emphasizes the need to pay attention to before and after pictures of habitats that have been degraded and then regenerated. These images serve as reminders of the transformative power of biomimicry and the potential for healing and restoring ecosystems. By embracing biomimicry and re-establishing our connection to the natural world, we can tap into the creative intelligence that has shaped life on Earth for billions of years and work towards a more sustainable and harmonious future.
There is a quiet, redemptive story of our time in this conversation — a radical way of approaching the gravest of our problems by attending to how original vitality functions. Biomimicry takes the natural world as mentor and teacher — for, as Janine Benyus puts it, "we are surrounded by geniuses." Nature solves problems and performs what appear to us as miracles in every second, all around: running on sunlight, fitting form to function, recycling everything, relentlessly "creating conditions conducive to life.” Janine launched this way of seeing and imagining as a field with her 1997 book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Today she teaches and consults with all kinds of projects and organizations, including major corporations, as you'll hear.
Welcome to this unfolding parallel universe in our midst, which might just shift the way you see almost everything about our possible futures.
This conversation was part of The Great Northern Festival, a celebration of Minnesota’s signature cold, creative winters.
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