Biomimicry

"Last month, the first ever Biomimicry 3.8 Global Conference at the University of Massachusetts in Boston brought together over 350 future-minded professionals, all asking, “How can humans create conditions conducive to Life?” They meant something more than just sustainable economies, cities, and manufacturing, but a new kind of regenerative human system that creates abundance for all species on Earth. After discussing generative cities and sustainable materials, the conference’s final day turned to the question of how nature might redesign our entire economy to encourage the regeneration we envision."

"In this exclusive piece, Sunday Times bestselling author and former Friends of the Earth UK Director, Tony Juniper, attacks the common perception that Nature exists separately from our current economic system. For after all, what has Nature really done for us?"

In 15 years the emerging field of biomimicry could represent $300 billion annually of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 dollars, according to a new report. Additionally, it could account for 1.6 million U.S. jobs and provide another $50 billion in terms of mitigating the depletion of natural resources and reducing CO2 pollution.

Building long-term costs into the price of goods would increase price, and companies would avoid environmental damage to bring consumer costs down.

"The natural world knows how to conserve in lean times. Here are some biomimetic ideas to learn from."