Nature is the best designer. Evolutionary traits go through the test of time. Janine Benyus popularized the term biomimicry in her book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Biomimicry is using designs in nature to make more efficient human-made designs. The company Biomimicry 3.8 uses 3.8 billion years of life evolving on earth. 
The efforts of biomimicry design will improve sustainability, performance, be energy efficient, cut material costs, redefine and eliminate waste, heighten existing product categories, define new product categories and industries, drive revenue, and build brands. By studying the physics, chemistry, and ecology of life on earth, we can learn new designs and efficiency.
Biomimicry is important now because we have degraded our environment to the point where “half of all native ecosystems in the United States are degraded to the point of endangerment.” This means that we have to make an effort to make up for what we have done. Scientists are looking to nature to figure out a way that we can answer the question: “how can we live on this home planet without destroying it?”
Biomimicry 3.8 inspires, educates, and consults. They are a combined for-profit and not-for-profit. You can see Janine Benyus talk on their website as well.
Written by: Elise Mazur, AGS Intern on June 22, 2015