Investing in sustainable technology and environmentally friendly practices is a critical part of a technology leader's goal to build a more eco-friendly future. By using nature as our sustainable architect, we can create technologies that better mimic the efficiency and effectiveness of natural systems. Biomimicry is one such approach that involves copying the processes and elements of natural systems to create solutions that address challenges facing various businesses. This technique has gained increased traction in sustainability circles in the recent past, and technology leaders can learn a lot from it. By mimicking the processes of nature, we can create designs that are more sustainable and efficient in the long term. When it comes to sustainability, nature has always been ahead of human technology. From ancient Greeks, who were inspired by birds, to the modern-day Velcro, which was invented by studying burrs hooks, biomimicry has a rich history.
By not incorporating nature into our sustainable practices, we miss out on the opportunities to create more efficient, sustainable, and resilient products and processes. When we don't incorporate nature into our sustainable practices we pose a major threat to our environment by using unnatural resources. As leaders, we often prioritize efficiency and productivity over our environmental impact and it is this mindset that disregards our natural world. In order to advance sustainable and restorative innovation, there needs to be a cultural shift to recognize and use sustainability practices such as biomimicry. Leaders sometimes are reluctant to invest time or resources in biomimicry because the precise science of it is not yet adequately understood, making them hesitant to invest in it. It may also be challenging to incorporate biomimicry into existing business models because there is a lack of awareness among businesses.
In Latin America, more than 40% of lakes and freshwater reservoirs are eutrophic, and worldwide harmful algal blooms are expected to increase by 20% by 2050. By removing excess nutrients from eutrophic water bodies and filtering surface water, Eutrolife mimics the filtering properties of salps and devil rays. The Eutrolife project was initiated by 5 team members Andrés Cardona, David Sánchez, Jennifer Balcucho, Joan Berrio, and Sebastián Balcucho from Colombia. The group of innovators from Colombia decided that for their idea they wanted to achieve filtering and redistribution. As they searched for inspiration in nature, the Salpas were discovered, organisms known for their colonial behavior. Food particles are filtered through mucus mesh by each individual. Their ability to form rapidly sinking pellets ensures that nutrients, including carbon, are redistributed deeper into the soil. A tangential force pulls the larger particles through a few pores and the smaller particles pass through a few pores. By first passing through a 3-dimensional filter inspired by Devil Rays, the water flow will be cleared of large aggregates, which will be directed to a green storage compartment. Upon passing through the second filter, dissolved nutrients and smaller particles will pass through biocompatible polymer nanofibers generated from electrospinning, so that solid particles smaller than nano sizes will be removed. Upon passing through this film, the dissolved nutrients will become immobilized. Water with nutrients will be mixed with a first solution in a container, then dropped into a compartment with a sieve at the bottom, where they will become beads with immobilized nutrients. The beads are finally released into the lake through a spiral tube through a mechanism activated by wind movement. This allows fish and other organisms to eat them. The prototype works in clusters, optimizing operation and performance in the same way as the Salpas. Initially, stored nanofibers can be removed from the second filter to add further value to the filtered biomass in industries interested in it.1
Biomimicry provides businesses with an opportunity to create products and processes that are more sustainable, efficient, and resilient. Sustainability advocates see biomimicry as a way to create more sustainable solutions that work within natural systems, rather than against them. The benefit of emulating natural systems is that companies can reduce their environmental footprint and optimize resource usage. Copying natural systems can provide businesses with the resilience needed to cope with changing environmental conditions. It is an innovation strategy that entails replicating nature's patterns, models, or designs to solve human challenges. It provides a unique approach to designing products and processes that are sustainable and restorative. By studying nature's colors, shapes, materials, and interactions biomimicry offers novel solutions to complex problems.
Leaders that incorporate biomimicry into their sustainable programs can save costs, increase competitiveness and reduce their environmental impact by learning from nature's time-tested designs and processes. Biomimicry is not a technical fix, but a holistic approach that requires a deep connection with natural systems and respect for diversity and interdependence. Implementing biomimicry requires cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder engagement, as well as a deep understanding of ecological and social systems. Through collaboration and a willingness to learn from nature, biomimicry can revolutionize the way an organization implements its sustainable practices. By co-creating with the biosphere in the future, we can envision a world where biomimicry is a mainstream technology practice.