How Nature Develops Sustainable Solutions for the Home

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Rather than trying to dominate or overrun nature, some companies are being inspired by it with good reason. Over eons, nature’s “laboratory” has developed sustainable solutions to life’s challenges. The super-sticking powers of the blue mussel led to the discovery of a formaldehyde-free wood glue technology. © Columbia Forest Products Nature’s Design Principles The process of drawing inspiration from nature has been called biomimicry or biomimetics with “bio” meaning “life” and “mimesis” meaning “to emulate.” Engineers and scientists are increasingly looking at how nature handles everything from energy and food production to nontoxic chemistry, transportation and packaging because those methods do not consume or poison but allow continuation of the processes into the future. Nature, for example, offers solutions such as self-cleaning surfaces that do not require detergents, manufacturing processes that use materials that do not leave toxic wastes and use little energy, antibiotics that do not result in resistant pathogens and anti-collision devices for vehicles. The design approach called biomimicry looks for nature’s strategies, such as maintaining physical integrity; getting, storing and distributing resources; and making, modifying or staying put—all while not  destroying the very system in which they exist. That approach contrasts with long-time strategies that harvest resources to the point of exhaustion or poison the environment in which the products are used. But how does this affect the average homeowner/consumer? “Knowing that the natural world is providing inspiration for the technologies and products we all use and purchase is important information to have,” says Sam Stier, director of K-12 and Non-formal Education at The Biomimicry Institute and director of the Innovation for Conservation Program. “It tends to increase people's interest in and respect for the natural world when they know how learning from nature is improving the quality of human life and our environment. When you know where something you use comes from, you have a truer, more fulfilling picture of the world,” he says. This awareness allows you to make decisions about what sort of impact you want to make on the world by your purchases. Innovation at Work  The toxic residue and un-sustainability of certain practices and products in our world have become evident, and natural alternatives are being sought more often. For instance, lead was often used in paint to give it color and to make it water-resistant with a tough yet flexible coating. But the federal government banned lead-based paint from housing in 1978 because lead is toxic. Since then, safer alternatives have been discovered. Damaging stormwater runoff is often experienced because of the impermeable surfaces of cities. Taking cues from nature, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now promotes the use of rain gardens and green roofs. These options offer the techniques of infiltrating and evaporating that mimic how water would naturally move through an undeveloped area. In addition, these vegetated areas play into larger ecosystem techniques by improving air quality and reducing heat islands, those concrete and asphalt metropolitan areas significantly warmer than their greener surroundings.

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