J06 - design and the environment.

I think design and the environment is an important topic. I am especially interested after watching the TED talk and reading Cradle to Cradle in the concept of Biomimicry. I think it is a fascinating idea to look to nature for design inspiration, and I don't know why people haven't done this sooner. By getting inspiration from nature, people are able to create things that aren't going to have all the harmful affects that so many things today have. Below are some articles and videos to further explain this concept::

what is biomimicry?
This is a link to the Biomimicry Institute website that explains what Biomimicry is and gives a few examples. The website also explains what the Biomimicry Institute does and how you can get involved.

 

In this video they briefly explain Biomimicry and give an example of a new way to create energy that scientists are working on developing in Austrailia. It is an ocean power system that mimics the way a sharks tail moves side to side and they are using this movement to generate electricity. 

grooves gather water

This is an example of one way Biomimicry could be used to gather water by looking to the thorny devil for inspiration.

This is a more kid-friendly video, as it is hosted by a kid, but again it gives good examples of how we can use Biomimicry.

15 coolest examples of Biomimicry
More examples. My favorite ones are the lotus effect hydrophobia, imitating the surface of the lotus leaf to create water-proof surfaces, and the butterfly-inspired displays, where they make use of the way light refracts to create colorful images.

This video explains how HOK (a global architecture firm) is teaming up with the Biomimicry guild to form an alliance that will create sustainable, natural living environments. They are going to start in Connecticut and create houses and buildings that will mimic nature in how they function.