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Need to identify both critical insights and critical flaws to critique. How is biomimicry changing the world? Biomimicry is just as it sounds, mimicking our

Need to identify both critical insights and critical flaws to critique.

How is biomimicry changing the world?

Biomimicry is just as it sounds, mimicking our natural life on Earth in human-made objects. Biomimicry works on the basis that since our natural world is doing so well, and humans are doing so poorly with our environment, we can enrich the environment by mimicking creation. "Biomimicry is about bringing nature into every project as a mentor and a guide, not something to destroy or change" (Morgan, 2022). Contrary to what humans usually do, which is destroy and use the environment for monetary gains, biomimicry takes a different approach. We learn and adapt ourselves by studying nature and how they do things to help our planet. Now where do sustainability and changing the world fit into all of this? Sustainability fits in by moving away from old techniques that harm our world to innovative techniques. Let's take a look at an example, windmills. Windmills produce energy from wind power and reduce the need for fossil fuels and reduce our carbon footprint (EnelGreenPower). The wind is an unlimited energy source that substantially evolves how we think of energy efficiency. Wind turbines are designed in an amazing and surprising way. They are designed with biomimicry in mind by developing the propellers with bumps like that of a whale fin. "Scientists at Duke University, West Chester University and the U.S. Naval Academy discovered that the bumps at the front edge of a whale fin greatly increase its efficiency, reducing drag by 32 percent and increasing lift by 8 percent"

These bumps that can be found on windmill propellers are extremely productive and take inspiration from humpback whales, which have what are called tubercles on their fins. The whales are so unique that we call this the tubercle effect, and it is what we use for windmills. "The tubercle effect works by channeling energy and flow over the airfoil into more narrow streams, creating higher velocities of intense maneuverability" (Graham, 2021). This is a beautiful example that shows how nature can drive innovation and help create solutions for our warming planet through biomimicry. 2. Can biomimicry really help save our planet? Biomimicry can be used, like anything else, in a positive or negative way. For example, airplanes were inspired by birds, however, we all know that airplanes are terrible for the environment. "...The most famous biomimetic achievement of all time, the airplane, which is responsible for emitting two-and-a-half percent of global greenhouse gases and slaughtering the birds that inspired it by the millions" (Forbes, 2020). While this can be discouraging, the bright side is that biomimicry innovation can lead to net-positive sustainability outcomes as well. In my research, I found an incredible biomimicry innovation that is exciting for the future. This innovation is called Bio Haven floating islands. In 2005, Bruce Kania invented a technology using biomimicry that mimics a grassy island to deliver benefits to nature and humans from wetlands (FII). Bio Haven's technology is geared toward helping our animals and wildlife first and humans second. Through this, sustainability, a happy planet, and healthy water habitats are achieved. Bio Haven floating islands are made of technical materials to form a biofilm to create a habitat for plants, animals, and fish, while providing clean water from the microbes in the biofilm (FII). Another innovation that Bio Haven does is water clarity. Bio Haven filters cloudy water that can block out the sun from wildlife by filtering out suspended solids from the water

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