Biomimicry: Learning from nature's closed-loop systems for sustainable design
“Life is a circle. The end of one journey is the beginning of another.” This is the norm in Nature.
When leaves fall and when plants and animals die, they decompose and release nutrients back into the soil. New plants take root from using these nutrients, thus completing the nutrient cycle. Similarly, water evaporates from water bodies into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth as rain and snow. The water returns to the oceans, where the cycle begins anew.
Natural systems and processes are inherently regenerative and sustainable. Humans, however, are the only species that generate waste that cannot be naturally processed by the planet. The linear practice depletes resources and increases waste and carbon emissions. However, a circular economy eliminates waste and creates a cycle for the materials. The end of one product’s life is the beginning of another. The materials used to make the product are recycled to make new products. They are kept in the loop for as long as possible, through repairing, recycling and redesigning.
What should we do to close the loop on materials? How can we transition to a circular economy? The answer lies all around us. Take a leaf out of Nature's book. After all, it has perfected the art of circularity for billions of years. The practice of taking inspiration from nature’s efficient and sustainable systems to solve human problems is called biomimicry.
What’s biomimicry?
The Biomimicry Institute defines Biomimicry as a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in Nature to solve human design challenges. The institute was cofounded by Janine Benyus, a biologist and author, who popularised the concept in her 1997 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.
The Institute makes it clear that biomimicry does not just mean design that ‘looks’ like Nature, but rather carries the functionality that those organisms, processes, and systems possess that help them thrive.
Benyus distinguishes three guiding principles: Nature as model, measure and mentor. Biomimicry studies Nature’s models and emulates these forms, processes, systems, and strategies to solve human problems. It uses an ecological standard to judge the sustainability of innovations and is a way of viewing and valuing Nature. It introduces an era based not on what we can extract from the natural world, but what we can learn from it.
The biologist further defines three levels of biomimicry - the mimicking of natural form, natural process and natural ecosystems. The Wright brothers studied the flight of birds to understand lift and control, which led to the development of their first successful aircraft. Modern aircraft design continues to draw inspiration from birds in improving its efficiency. Another popular example of biomimicry is the development of Velcro, inspired by the way burrs stick to animal fur. Velcro, a widely used fastening solution in various industries, including fashion, sports, aerospace, and healthcare, is based on the latching mechanisms of burrs.
The link between biomimicry and Circular Economy
Ellen Macarthur Foundation credits biomimicry as among the school of thoughts that inspired circular economy thinking. Circular economy, as a framework for sustainability, works hand-in-hand with the biomimicry approach as the latter offers a solution to circular economy as it challenges us to rethink the way we produce, consume, and design our products in a manner that is within the planetary boundaries.
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Biomimicry innovations that support sustainability
The lotus leaf's ability to repel water inspired the development of water-resistant coatings for packaging materials, aligning with circular economy principles by extending the lifespan of packaging and reducing the need for single-use materials. This way, packaging can become more durable, reusable, and aligned with circular economy principles.
The texture of sharkskin led to the development of swimsuits with reduced water resistance, improving swimmers' performance. By emulating nature's designs, circular fashion can benefit from reduced resource consumption, extended product life cycles, and innovative textile solutions.
Examples of Nature-inspired circular solutions are emerging across the globe. GreenPod Labs, a startup in India, has developed a solution to avoid food wastage during storage and transport. By mimicking the natural defense system of plants, it has developed packaging sachets that release plant based volatiles to activate the built-in defense mechanism within specific fruits or vegetables, in order to slow down the ripening rate and minimize microbial growth. Their product can extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by 40 to 60% at ambient temperature and conditions.
The U.S.-based Mycocycle has developed a process that improves the natural functions of fungi to transform construction waste into low-carbon raw materials for the built environment. Fungi are natural cleaners and builders. Their mycelial networks are highly efficient, reducing the toxicity of materials while transforming them, via biosorption, bioconversion, and biodegredation. Their mycelium is made of a naturally occurring material that is fire and water resistant, insulative, durable, and lightweight. According to the Mycocycle website, it is a perfect raw material for the building industry.
The Oasis Aquaponic Food Production System, a Michigan-based team, has created a circular system where fish waste nourishes plants. It has combined fish farming with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment, helping subsistence farmers grow better food sustainably (using less space, less water, and no chemicals), improve nutrition, and generate income.
Impact on the economy
Biomimicry activities can also generate large spillovers in terms of value and employment creation, with an estimated contribution of US$1.6 trillion to global GDP by 2030, according to BIOINSPIRATION: An Economic Progress Report, published by the Fermanian Business and Economic Institute. Resource and pollution mitigation could amount to another $0.5 trillion by adopting Bioinspired technology, the report says. It has the potential to create jobs in sectors as diverse as transport, electronics and food manufacturing.
It’s time governments and the financial sector recognise the value nature-inspired innovations bring to the table and support such businesses. These solutions can accomplish both the goals of environmental preservation and economic growth.
Eliminating waste and pollution, Circulating products and materials for as long as possible and Regenerating natural systems by returning natural resources to the earth are the three principles of a circular design.
Interaction Design Foundation offers the following steps to develop a circular design:
As we go about this process, it is also important to take cue from Nature and its time-tested methods.