Chapter 10

Beatle

Biomimicry, a new breed of plastics

As the Age of Plastics draws to a close, another fork in the road is offered.  This is an examination of how we, as animals, fit into a finite ecosystem alongside the other inhabitants of our earth. Biomimicry is a discipline which calls for new invention to draw inspiration from nature herself which through regenerative, circular principles, has refined her designs over millions of years to provide a sustainable earth. 

 

Libretto

You could look at Nature as being like a catalogue of products, and all of these have benefited from a 3.8 billion year research and development period.  In the age of Accelerations, it will be those who learn to mirror Nature who thrive.

 

Do you see this beetle?  

So light in my hand.  

It uses one polymer, chitin,  

To make it waterproof, strong, resilient, breathable,  

Creating colour through structure  

Take a peek  

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo  

In Nature’s kingdom  

All the colours of the rainbow  

They are spread across the world.  

Light in the dark street  

Light in the dark  

In every pore  

PPPPPPPP  

In every pore  

Nature uses five biodegradable polymers  

Cellulose, keratin, chitin, lignin, pectin  

To create all that we see

Abundance

Quick change artistry, essence of alchemy

Abundance, materials of a trillion uses

 

Rotating, spiral

Regenerative, generous

Cradle to cradle, rotating

Circular by design

Sprial, spiral to the centre

Spiral and lock in, lead out

 

Nature is the consummate engineer and what surrounds us is the secret to survival.