Natural Design Solutions

[Jeanne du Plessis]

There is a pressing need to find sustainable solutions for the way we live and it is in this context that the Biomimicry meme is garnering tremendous momentum. The idea is simple: Ask Nature. With 3.8 billion years of R&D under her belt, Mother Nature has figured out what works in the long run.

Finding inspiration in the natural world is nothing new. Biomimicry enables us to tap that knowledge in a way that generates solutions that are not only innovative, but inherently sustainable.

Some of these solutions and, to our delight, some of the plants and animals that may inspire future designs, were showcased at the recent Biomimicry Symposium at The San Diego Zoo that I was fortunate enough to attend.

The Zoo is one of the foremost conservation establishments in the world, but conservation doesn't always pay the bills. Biomimicry enables them to share their wealth of biological and ecological knowledge with industries and communities, to create solutions that are sustainable and profitable, while also contributing to the Zoo's bottom line.

In addition, each example of a successful biomimetic design builds the case for conservation: we have only scratched the surface when it comes to Nature's innovations and the results are already astounding.

The biggest library of design solutions for a sustainable future is outside. I'm not only referring to breathtaking landscapes, graceful lionesses and cuddly koalas. Biomimicry humbles us to learn from organisms that are unlikely models for stuffed toys, and gives us a compelling reason to protect all ecosystems. In the natural world, you don't have to be pretty to be remarkable.