What is Biomimicry?
Written by Beth Remmes, Coastal Outreach and Resiliency Coordinator
“This shift in stance from conqueror to student marks a new relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world.”
Biomimicry is defined as the conscious emulation of life’s genius or, even more simply, innovation inspired by nature. However, the practice of biomimicry goes beyond bio-inspired design as it is comprised of three Essential Elements: Ethos, (Re)connect, and Emulate.
Image: Biomimicry.net
The ethos element is the guiding force for why people choose to practice biomimicry. Coming from the understanding that other species have an inherent right to survive and that humans' survival is also tied to their survival, this element is based on ethical and responsible treatment of and gratitude for the earth and all of her inhabitants.
In the dominant industrial culture, nature is often viewed as a resource and commodity with only extrinsic value, something people learn about or try to control, and something that is separate from humans.
In many Indigenous societies and in the emerging field of Biomimicry, humans are not separate from nature. All life is interconnected and has intrinsic as well as extrinsic value. With humble respect, nature is seen as a model, measure, and mentor—as people learn from life’s genius.
The (re)connect element encourages people to observe and spend time in nature to understand how life works. It is a reminder that people are nature and part of Earth’s interconnected systems.
The emulate element is the scientific, research-based practice of using the principles, strategies, and functions found in nature in order to mimic the forms, processes, and ecosystems for more sustainable designs.
Interface is an Atlanta-based carpet and tile company. They are a leader in sustainability that incorporate all three elements of biomimicry. Initially, in the 1970s, they started out with the common extraction to landfill model. However, in 1994, after being questioned by a customer about their environmental impact, Founder Ray Anderson read Paul Hawken’s book, The Ecology of Commerce. It was a life-changing experience, and he became dedicated to revamping his company into a model of sustainable business.
Interface used Biomimicry to design their Entropy® Non-Directional Carpet Tiles inspired by the forest floor, and TacTiles® inspired by Geckos' Van der Waal forces, which connect tiles together rather than to the floor, without using glue.
Designers can better emulate the processes of nature by looking at the closed-loop system in a forest where nutrients are cycled through the system and nothing is wasted. In a forest, organic matter decays and enriches the soil. This is then absorbed by the plants and trees, which nourish the insects and animals in the ecosystem, who, at the end of their lives, feed the decomposers, enrich the soil, and the cycle continues.
Interface’s Climate Take Back™ program strives to make all of their flooring products from recycled and bio-based materials, and at the end of their products' lives, they are sent to ReEntry® to feed their third-party-verified closed-loop production system, which makes CQuest™GB backing—a product that stores more carbon in its life cycle than it emits. They also use discarded nylon fishing nets as face fiber for their carpet tiles and pay residents in under-resourced areas of the world for collecting and weaving these materials.
Looking to emulate nature on an ecosystem level, Interface also has a new pilot program, Factory as a Forest, that is testing how to run a factory based on strategies found in forests so that they may transform their facilities to provide the same benefits as high-performing ecosystems.
Additionally, The Ray C. Anderson Foundation (a financer of Georgia Interfaith Power & Light) sponsors The Ray of Hope Prize, which identifies the top nature-inspired startups in the world and fosters their growth by providing a 10-week program focused on sustainable business training, communication support, and funding opportunities.
Dr. Baumeister writes, “The real legacy of biomimicry will be more than products and processes that help us fit in here. It will be gratitude, and from this, an ardent desire to protect the genius that surrounds us.”
Today, I challenge you to think about how you might use the principles of biomimicry within your local faith community. How might you see the nature around your campus as a source for innovative ministry, sustainability, and resiliency moving forward?
