Learning from Nature - Circular Economies & Biomimicry | Seth Galewyrick | TEDxHieronymusPark
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that at least part of why you live here has something to do with our access to nature in this valley, which is unrivaled. The central claim is that humanity must adopt a mindset of circularity, learning from nature's proven ability to create value through relationships, exemplified by the 3.8 billion years of natural processes. The strongest evidence is the comparison between the closed-loop natural systems and the wasteful linear economy, citing methane's 30 times greater atmospheric damage.
## Speakers & Context
- Speaker presenting on biomimicry and circular economies.
- Audience is unspecified, possibly local residents given references to local areas like Stevensville and the valley.
- Key local assets include the valley's unrivaled access to nature.
## Theses & Positions
- A huge intact ecosystem serves a purpose as a "reference library or a model of a world that works."
- Biomimicry involves learning from nature and applying those lessons to solve human problems.
- The key takeaway from nature's systems is that "very rarely new material coming into or leaving; it just changes form."
- The defining characteristic of a circular economy is that resources flow in endless closed loops, where nothing is waste.
- The linear economy—extracting, making, using, and throwing away—is on a path towards human and potential extinction for up to 60 percent of other life.
- Full circularity is an aspirational goal and may never be fully achieved.
- To build a successful circular economy, technology alone is insufficient; the approach must prioritize community relationships and partnerships.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Biomimicry** — The process of learning from nature and taking those lessons to solve human problems.
- **Circular Economy** — A system where resources flow in endless closed loops, meaning nothing is waste.
- **Linear Economy** — The destructive process of extracting raw materials, manufacturing, consuming, and discarding items in one direction.
- **Symbiosis** — A relationship type where organisms exchange both materials and information.
- **Slosh** — The technical term for the movement of brain fluid within the skull during impacts.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Velcro Mechanism:** Developed by a Swiss engineer after noticing birds sticking to him and his dog; mechanism is based on the sticking/fastening principle.
- **Plant Seed Dispersal Mechanism:** Solution involves turning the flower into spiky points to prevent being eaten and to allow hitching a ride on other organisms.
- **Woodpecker Brain Protection Mechanism:** Using the omohyoid muscle to apply pressure on the jugular vein, which slightly restricts blood flow back from the brain, allowing the brain to swell slightly and preventing further damage.
- **Ponderosa Pine/Ant/Aphid System (Mutualistic Symbiosis):** Ants protect aphids; aphids secrete honeydew (concentrated sugar solution) for the ants; the tree provides base resources.
- **Organic Waste Composting (Natural):** Organic waste decomposes, releasing $\text{CO}_2$, and results in "new awesomeness" like new life.
- **Wastewater Disposal Process (Community):** Organic waste hits the wastewater treatment plant, is composted, and returned to local soil at 100 percent.
- **Linear Economy Cycle:** Extract raw materials $\rightarrow$ Make things $\rightarrow$ Use them $\rightarrow$ Throw them away.
## Timeline & Sequence
- **40s:** Decade when the Swiss engineer noticed birds sticking to him and his dog, leading to Velcro's invention.
- **3.8 billion years:** Timeframe over which nature has been performing "reduce reuse recycle."
- **Last year:** Speaker recalls seeing the TED mainstage recording of Janine Benyus.
- **Two days:** Time frame for an Amazon purchase to arrive at home.
## Named Entities
- **Janine Benyus** — Local Stevensville hero and author of the book on biomimicry.
- **O'Hara Commons** — Local community gathering point that offers services, including a tool share.
- **Stevensville** — Location referenced as the source of the speaker's focus.
- **Selway Bitterroot Frank church wilderness** — Massive intact ecosystem noted for its value and size.
## Numbers & Data
- **3.6 million acres** — Size of the Selway Bitterroot Frank church wilderness.
- **20 million people** — Population that the Selway Bitterroot Frank church wilderness covers if projected over the East Coast.
- **80 million times** — Estimated number of times a woodpecker bangs its head over its lifetime.
- **30 times** — Factor by which methane damages the atmosphere compared to $\text{CO}_2$.
- **100 percent** — Level of closure claimed for the community's wastewater treatment plant process.
- **40,000 people** — Population used in calculating the volume of consumer goods purchased.
## Examples & Cases
- **Velcro:** Invention derived from observing birds sticking to the speaker and his dog.
- **Spiky Flower:** Natural solution for seed dispersal, preventing consumption while allowing hitchhiking.
- **Cue Collar Use:** Demonstrates how applying pressure to the jugular vein prevents mild traumatic brain injury in high-school football players.
- **Ponderosa Pine/Ant/Aphid/Woodpecker/Fox/Fungi System:** An example of a complex, interconnected resource flow where waste becomes raw material.
- **Mountain Bluebird:** Example of resource sharing through nesting material distribution.
- **Lichen:** Example of a symbiosis involving fungus, algae, and sometimes bacteria.
- **Mason Jar Use:** Micro-step example: bringing a mason jar to get coffee and closing a "teensy tiny loop."
- **Tool Share Program:** Alternative to purchasing a rototiller, creating a small circular economy step.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- **Velcro:** Adhesively fastening material invented from natural observation.
- **Cue Collar:** Product applying pressure to the jugular vein to prevent brain injury.
- **Rototiller:** Equipment that can be acquired through a tool share program.
- **Mason Jar:** Reusable container used in a micro-economic model.
- **Garbage Disposal:** Household appliance used in the local composting approach, with technical caveats.
## References Cited
- TED mainstage recording of Janine Benyus.
- Book on biomimicry.
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Natural/Wilderness Access:** Being spoiled by the unrivaled access to nature in the valley versus needing to actively study its systems.
- **Consumerism vs. Sharing:** Buying new goods versus utilizing tool share programs or repair.
- **Composting Method:** Composting organic waste through the dedicated composting process (which releases $\text{CO}_2$) versus throwing it in the trash (which releases methane).
- **System Boundaries:** The difference between the aspirational goal of 100% circularity versus achievable incremental steps.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- Full circularity is an aspirational goal and probably never fully achievable.
- In isolation, individual actions (like using a tool share) do not demonstrate large-scale change.
- Older garbage disposals may not grind food finely enough for current community composting methods to work effectively.
## Methodology
- **Biomimicry Study:** Analyzing nature’s function $\rightarrow$ extracting lessons $\rightarrow$ applying to human problems.
- **System Comparison:** Contrasting closed-loop natural resource flow with linear, waste-producing manufactured life cycles.
- **MRI Demonstration:** Using MRI scans to show quantifiable differences in brain condition due to external pressure (woodpecker/cue collar model).
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- Implement local services like the tool share at O'Hara Commons.
- Practice making gradual "micro steps" (e.g., bringing a mason jar for coffee) to build collective change.
- Reconsider items purchased as valuable, long-lasting resources to be shared, repaired, or used outside.
- Adopt a mindset that resources flow around and must be conserved.
- For organic waste, composting is the recommended primary method, supplemented by community wastewater treatment plants where appropriate.
## Implications & Consequences
- Continued adherence to the linear model puts humanity on a path toward its own extinction and the possible extinction of up to 60 percent of other life.
- Improper waste management (especially landfilling organics) results in methane release, which damages the atmosphere 30 times more than $\text{CO}_2$.
- The failure to adopt circular thinking means continued resource depletion and climate instability.
## Open Questions
- How to develop technology and business models that fully integrate nature's lessons, such as rethinking polymers using spider silk.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that at least part of why you live here has something to do with this our access to nature in this valley is unrivaled."*
- *"we're learning from nature is our mission."*
- *"this is biomimicry in a nutshell."*
- *"it's brilliant right"* (said after describing the spiky flower points).
- *"there's no such thing as waste in nature everybody knows that and it's totally true in nature every organisms waste is another raw material."*
- *"what a ridiculous idea that is why would we ever do that"* (referring to landfilling organic waste).
- *"reduce reuse recycle"* (Used repeatedly as the fundamental principle).
- *"I'm curious when you're out there do you ever see anything that looks like this"* (Rhetorical question setting up the comparison).