Nature Inspires Some of The Coolest Things
By Chip Giller on August 3, 2019
Hey there,
I know what you’re thinking. Reading a nature-themed climate change newsletter from a guy who shows up to business meetings looking like he’s just finished up a hike is a little on-the-nose.
But hear me out. Nature’s got a lot more to offer us than a great place to eat trail mix.
Very Smart People everywhere are learning that natural processes and ecosystems offer great models for the world that we create: Think a biodegradable Michelin tire based on coral growth, Adidas shoes meant to one day be recycled into a new pair, even a flood-friendly courtyard tile dreamt up by a group of middle schoolers and inspired by … potatoes. (Weirdos like me sometimes call the concept biomimicry.)
Read on to learn more about nature-inspired design — how can you resist the allure of a kelp-based tank top or a seed-inspired monocopter you can make yourself?! You don’t need a pair of hiking boots to find inspiration in what already works.
— Chip, Grist Founder
1. Your New Hero
Nona Yehia is CEO and co-founder of Vertical Harvest in Jackson, Wyoming. The company produces Bumble Bee tomatoes, rainbow chard, butterhead lettuce — as much bounty as a 10-acre traditional farm, all in a state-of-the-art, hydroponic greenhouse that takes up only one-tenth of an acre of land. And it does it with a lot of help and inspiration from nature.
Unlike many other vertical farms, which are located in artificially lit warehouses and cut off from the outside world, Vertical Harvest makes use of natural sunlight and ventilation. The company even uses “bug-on-bug warfare” to fend off insect pests, Yehia says.“We have parasitic wasps that are right now patrolling to take care of white flies and aphids.”
Vertical Harvest’s design and business model — many of the company’s employees are people with disabilities— have garnered attention from around the globe.