Emulating Nature's Wisdom: The Biomimicry Blueprint

EcoJustice Radio

Janine Benyus, the world-renowned “Godmother of Biomimicry,” and her colleagues at Biomimicry 3.8 have been demonstrating what it takes to design human settlements—cities, village, homes, and businesses—that create the same ecological gifts as the wildland next door. We also feature excerpted discussions from advocates like Anne LaForti and Dayna Baumeister, both from Biomimicry 3.8. Learn how biomimicry isn't just about emulating nature's aesthetics but understanding its functional mechanisms for survival and thriving. Unpack the principles of biomimicry, its implications for industries, and the ethical considerations of borrowing from nature's playbook. Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Biomimicry aspires to create a world mentored and inspired by Nature’s 3.8 billion years of infinite creativity and evolutionary ingenuity. Janine Beynus’s seminal book: Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature defines biomimicry as a "new science that studies nature's models and then imitates or draws inspiration from these designs and processes to solve human problems." Designing, creating, and innovating in a generous and abundant vs extractive way that regenerates and reciprocates life is a fundamental aim of biomimicry. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio LINKS Janine Benyus, from the film Biomimicry https://youtu.be/sf4oW8OtaPY?si=7W26J9cyuTayDTda Janine Benyus, from the Bioneers Conference keynote 2025: https://youtu.be/2ioEtnUjzQw?si=oawftg0O_wWGJVeY Interview with Anne LaForti on EcoJustice Radio: https://soundcloud.com/socal350/biomimicry-innovation-inspired-by-nature Dayna Baumeister "Learning From Nature" Omega Institute for Holistic Studies https://youtu.be/2SvltP8IcTk?si=5cqOAduiyyK2M26O Janine Benyus, from a TED Talk https://youtu.be/k_GFq12w5WU?si=4i1ChxIT7q6xe1FR Janine Benyus, a winner of countless prestigious awards, world-renowned biologist, thought leader, innovation consultant and author of six books, including 1997’s foundational text, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, is widely considered the “godmother of Biomimicry.” In 1998, she co-founded the Biomimicry Guild, which morphed into Biomimicry 3.8 [ https://biomimicry.net/], a B-Corp social enterprise providing biomimicry consulting services to a slew of major firms and institutions. In 2006, Janine co-founded The Biomimicry Institute, a non-profit institute to embed biomimicry in formal education, and over 11,000 members are now part of the Biomimicry Global Network. Among various other roles, Janine serves on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council, the advisory board for the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, the advisory board for Project Drawdown and as an affiliate faculty member at The Biomimicry Center at Arizona State University. Anne LaForti has a Master's Degree in Biomimicry from Arizona State University, and is a project manager supporting nature-based innovation in the built environment and beyond at Biomimicry 3.8 [http://biomimicry.net]. She is deeply interested in ITEK (Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge), regenerative agriculture and landscapes, and is constantly curious about how to grow nutrient dense foods. Anne was the 2022 Spring Nature, Art & Habitat Residency (NAHR) Fellow [https://nahr.it/] in Santa Ynez, CA, working on "Soil as Pattern Language: Emulating Healthy Soil Communities" and has been a NAHR Ambassador since 2022. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt Hosted by Carry Kim Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 258 Photo credit: Janine Benyus