All of the songs on Ask the Planet were written with the hope of teaching kids about biomimicry, which is the process of learning from and then emulating Nature’s genius to create more sustainable designs. It’s studying a leaf to invent a better solar cell or studying an electric eel to make a better battery. “Biomimicry introduces an era based not on what we can extract from the natural world, but what we can learn from it.” Janine Benyus, author Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.

Imagine what we could learn if we approached all of the millions of species on our planet as teachers, rather than as resources to be used up or ignored! This is the magic of biomimicry – it taps into our inherent sense of awe and wonder, and recasts humans as intelligent students of wild places and creatures, rather than arrogant conquerors of them. In the face of so much bad news about the destructive power of our habits, biomimicry reminds kids (and all of us) that we are surrounded by technologies we can say yes to. By becoming ardent students of nature, we can learn how to grow food, store energy, build homes and meet many other needs in ways that actually help the planet, rather than harm it. It sounds pie-in-the-sky, but actually, it’s basic operating procedure for most life forms on Earth. Successful life forms simply don’t waste energy creating things that ultimately harm the planet. Put another way, the Earth insists that all species pursue their own survival in ways that prove useful to the planet as a whole, or it winnows them out.

As humanity begins to wake up to this test, there is no greater gift we can give our children than to help them reconnect to the vast quantity of wisdom in the living Earth. We all want our children to learn from positive role models. Luckily, as Earthlings, we are surrounded by them. All we have to do is get outside and start listening. Who knows what we might discover through a more respectful relationship with nature? The possibilities are as limitless as the diversity of life itself.

The Biomimicry Institute:

The Biomimicry Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing and growing the global community of people learning from, emulating, and conserving life’s genius to create a healthier and more sustainable planet. Biomimicry’s rapid adoption and advancement are imperative over the next decade. Learn more about our projects.