One of the key things that attracted me to the field of biomimicry was that it showed in very clear terms the value of protecting biodiversity. I just heard the authors of “Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity” interviewed on PRI’s Living on Earth and thought it well worth sharing:

Variety isn’t just the spice of life…it’s essential for life. According to the new book “Sustaining Life, How Human Health Depends upon Biodiversity,” we need birds, bugs, and bacteria a lot more than they need us. We use them for medicines, biomedical and agricultural research, and new materials.

And from the book’s publisher: The Earth’s biodiversity-the rich variety of life on our planet-is disappearing at an alarming rate. And while many books have focused on the expected ecological consequences, or on the aesthetic, ethical, sociological, or economic dimensions of this loss, Sustaining Life is the first book to examine the full range of potential threats that diminishing biodiversity poses to human health.

Check it out now at Oxford University Press, Amazon or your favorite book seller.

Fascinating program this morning from one of my favorite radio shows/podcasts:

In Baltimore, Maryland, there’s an octopus that likes to play with toys. In Vienna, Austria, there’s a border collie with a vocabulary of 340 words - more than many toddlers. Southeast Asia is home to dozens of elephants who like to paint. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, re-thinking animal intelligence. Not only are they smarter than we thought – in some cases they’re smarter than us.

You can listen to the program here, but note you’ll need Real Audio player installed.

I’m feeling inspired after catching an interview on KPFA (starts at 96:25) with author and long-time activist Frances Moore Lappé. I recommend taking a look at her latest book “Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity, and Courage in a World Gone Mad”

“My book’s intent is to enable us to see what is happening all around us, but is still invisible to most of us. It is about people in all walks of life who are penetrating the spiral of despair and reversing it with new ideas, ingenious innovation - and courage.” Continued at http://www.gettingagrip.net/look-inside/

Here’s another ’smart’ product company: VentureBeat reports that Cyber-Rain, maker of wireless sprinkler control systems, an has raised $1.5 million in first round funding.

If you happen to be in Marseille, France tomorrow (Tuesday, July 8th) stop by the Society for Experimental Biology’s Annual Meeting at the Parc Chanot to learn about “Hydrodynamic flow control in marine mammals”.

Sea creatures have evolved over millions of years to maximize efficiency of movement through water; humans have been trying to perfect streamlined designs for barely a century. So shouldn’t we be taking more notice of the experts?

The shape of whale flippers with one bumpy edge has inspired the creation of a completely novel design for wind turbine blades. This design has been shown to be more efficient and also quieter, but defies traditional engineering theories. “Engineers have previously tried to ensure steady flow patterns on rigid and simple lifting surfaces, such as wings. The lesson from biomimicry is that unsteady flow and complex shapes can increase lift, reduce drag and delay ’stall’, a dramatic and abrupt loss of lift, beyond what existing engineered systems can accomplish,”

Continued…

This is actually news from early June but I’m just catching up on reading - isn’t that what holidays are for?

RockPort Capital Partners recently announced the close of its third venture capital fund with commitments of over $450 million, making it one of the largest venture funds focused on clean technology investments. Continued at CleanEdge.

In a series titled “Just Imagine“, CNN seeks answers to the question “What will life be like in 2020?”. Here’s one from biomimicry pioneer, Janine Benyus:

I think that if we really pay attention and we become nature’s apprentice, if we begin to learn from these designs and recipes and strategies in the natural world and we recreate our technologies in that image.

I believe that every organism that I can see is sweetening this place. I think if we were to learn from their strategies, we too might be participants in that process, not depleting this place that sustains us, but actually enhancing it to the point where it becomes more and more conducive to life. Continued at CNN…

Another in this series looks at learning from humpback whales that could impact the way heart pacemakers are designed.

And one more - a great photo series. Thanks CNN!

Great idea if done right:

For GBP 199, Green Homes Concierge inspectors will come to a customer’s home, toting heat-detecting cameras and other devices to help them evaluate its leaks, wall insulation and appliances. Afterwards, the inspectors will recommend ways the home’s owner can reduce CO2 emissions, and hopefully save some money in the process. Significantly, GHC’s services don’t end there. For a full year the firm will act as a helpful concierge. Should customers wish to make the inspection’s recommended improvements, GHC will help them locate contractors and suppliers able to do the work or tell them where to buy low-energy light bulbs and other environmentally friendly items…Continued at Springwise.

And now for something different: to celebrate reaching 100 posts over these past few months I’ll share the following letter from a friend downunder…

Hello David in the USA

Thankyou for your congratulations. Eighty years old - bypass surgery twelve years ago and exercises at the Synergy gymnasium. that’s my answer to ageing and I hope my mind stays clear.
These days I describe myself as an environmentalist. This began after a revisit to southern New South Wales after an absence of 35 years.In the 1950’s and sixties I was a stock and station agent auctioneer based in that region.
The landscape appeared to be swept with a giant broom. Most notable was the absence of ground cover, shrubs, young trees. When you live in a rural area away from a city the day to day loss of habitat is not apparent.
This state has a network of Travelling Stock Routes. They are wide laneways alongside our roads. A generation ago they were used by drovers to move sheep and cattle to saleyards or to other properties. Road transport ended the day of the drovers’ easy going lifestyle.
Our government has decided many parts of these iconic routes will be leased to nearby neighbours. Grazing soon depletes the understory essential for native birds.
Parts of these routes contain valuable remnants of flora and fauna. We hope to retain some areas.
There are 2400 weeds in Australia. Our ranges in NSW and including our land of 20 hectares are becoming overtaken with with a non palatable grass from South Africa and tiger pear which is similar to the prickly pear which has been controlled biologically with the introduction of the cochineal beetle. Unfortunately the former does not respond to any treatment except spraying and removal by hand.
Then there is the Murray Darling River system in decline because of droughts and, can we be certain, global warming.
We are living in times of sudden change. Most people have little interest in the environment. “You see it on the TV mate - she’ll be right”.
For me it’s onwards ever onwards. Is there any other way.

best regards

Russ

Russell Watts was recently awarded an “Order of Australia” For service to conservation and the environment through advocacy roles for the preservation of endangered flora and fauna, particularly native bird species, and to the development of ecotourism initiatives.

Photo Credit: The Northern Daily Leader