As an undergraduate student studying Environmental Science, I fell in love with a non-traditional and budding concept called Biomimicry. Biomimicry, in short, is an attempt to recreate naturally occurring, efficient, and effective characteristics sustainably in the business world. The theory is based on simple biologic principles such as evolution and natural selection. The pioneer of biomimicry, Janine M. Benyus, suggests in her 1998 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, that instead of formulating our own ideas and conclusions to solve our problems, we should turn to nature. With over 3.8 billion years of life on this planet, she argues that every kind of system, model, process, etc. has been nearly perfected by nature, and all we have to do is apply the same principles to business. One of the greatest aspects of biomimicry is its endless amount of possibilities. It is confined only by humanity’s capability to observe the natural world.
In the relatively short history of the science, biomimicry has already seen remarkable success across a whole spectrum of fields. Take for example adhesives. Artificial adhesives can be extremely taxing on the environment to produce in both energy consumption and pollution. However, a recent observation of a gecko’s foot is beginning to eliminate the need for industrial strength carpet glue. When looked at closely, the gecko’s foot has millions of tiny fins that break up into fibers. These fibers act like spit ends one might get from using a cheep shampoo. Individually, these fibers create very faint negatively charged bonds that react with whatever the gecko is walking on; and when utilized as a group, they can support far more weight than just the gecko. In addition to the strength, it has been noticed that the gecko is able to release its foot by pulling it up at a 30-degree angle with little to no effort. This simple yet effective characteristic will make it easier to reuse carpet and completely eradicate the use of toxic carpet glues.
Another example of biomimicry being used in society is in the production of paints. A major problem with paint is that it needs to be regularly cleaned in order to prolong its effectiveness, but these cleaning supplies can be toxic when used and costly to manufacture. Historically, consensus has been that the smoother the paint surface is, the fewer cleaning episodes will be required. However, a close observation of tropical plants concludes that this assumption is incorrect. Many of these plants consist of leaves that are hydrophobic, which means they have the ability to repel water. Due to a network of millions of minute crevasses on the leaf’s surface, water beads up and rolls off the leaf taking everything in its path – including dirt. A simple example that helps illustrate this characteristic is an air hockey table; the way the puck glides over the surface, never being able to come to a complete stop. Hydrophobic paints would therefore require little to no cleaning alleviating the need or production of paint cleaners.
As you can see, biomimicry is nothing more than an idea, and idea that invites you to look at the world through a different lens. It is not a program that can be implemented in order to produce more sustainable results. It is not a three-step guide nor is it supported by a list of regulations. There is no governing body certifying results or findings. It is a basic yet fundamental idea that requires nothing more than observing the natural world and the vision to incorporate those observations into action. Most of all, it is an idea that allows nature to have a voice in protecting its future. The real question is, are we ready to listen?
