Why Biomimicry?
Science and technology/have given us a comfortable life.// But sometimes/our technology damages the natural world.// Janine Benyus,/a science writer,/suggests a way/to make our technology conform to nature:/“biomimicry.”//
　　No other living thing on earth/has accomplished more than human beings.// We have created many useful things/such as airplanes,/trains,/computers,/cell phones,/medicines and pesticides,/as well as institutions such as schools,/universities,/hospitals and banks.// Without them,/the modern world would not exist.//
　　These things let us travel far and wide,/gather information quickly,/educate ourselves,/and treat diseases.// However,/things we have created can be harmful.// Pesticides kill insects/but can poison the soil.// We need cars,/but CO2 may be one of the main causes/of global warming.//
　　Now/we must ask this question:/If we were to live in harmony with nature,/could we maintain/our comfortable way of living?// In other words,/how is it possible for us/to live a sustainable life?//

　　Janine Benyus suggests/that the answer to this question may be found/by looking to nature for inspiration.// The word “biomimicry” comes from bio,/meaning “life,”/and mimicry,/meaning “imitation.”// She says/that by imitating nature,/we should be able to find a way/to live in a nature-friendly way.// After all,/nature has been able to sustain/a life-supporting environment/for 3.8 billion years.// But now/that environment is threatened.// We humans must learn/how to sustain our environment/by observing/and trying to find inspiration from nature.// Nature in Benyus’s mind/is our teacher and our model.//
　　Benyus reminds us/that once we try to learn from  nature,/rather than about  her,/we may feel a sense of wonder.// In fact,/there are all sorts of plants and animals/doing things we can only dream about.// How about dragonflies,/which move more quickly/than our best helicopters?// How about hummingbirds,/which can fly hundreds of kilometers/on less than three grams of fuel?// How about ants,/which can carry many times their body weight?// They do these things/without damaging nature.//

　　Benyus believes/that we face environmental problems,/not because there are no solutions,/but because we have not been looking in the right direction.// Actually,/we can solve many problems,/especially in the area of design,/by looking to nature for inspiration.//
　　Engineers in Japan had a problem:/Shinkansen  trains made a very loud sound/when going into tunnels.// To solve this problem,/the engineers turned to the kingfisher,/a bird that dives into water/without a splash.// They found the solution:/they designed the nose of the train/in the same shape as the kingfisher’s beak.//
　　The Eastgate Center in Harare,/Zimbabwe,/is famous for its environmentally friendly air conditioning system.// The architects who designed this building/were inspired by termite mounds.// Termites keep their living space/at a comfortable temperature/by opening and closing small holes/in their mounds.// The architects used a similar system/for the Eastgate Center/and saved electricity.//
　　Lotus leaves/are one of the most water-repellent leaves/in the world.// Because of their rough surface,/even a little wind/causes water and dirt/to roll cleanly off.// Now,/a rough surface has been introduced/into a new generation of paint,/glass,/and cloth.// It is especially useful/for raincoats and sportswear.//

　　Benyus believes/that biomimicry may help us become more aware of nature,/thus leading us/to change our way of living.// We cannot keep taking advantage of nature forever/or keep dumping our waste/into our environment.//
　　For too long,/we have judged our innovations/by whether they are good for us,/or whether they make money.// Benyus suggests/that we put what is good for the whole earth first/and trust that it will also be good/for us humans.// The new questions should be the following:/Will it fit in?// Is there a model for this in nature?// What will it cost the earth/and future generations?//
　　Biomimicry is a powerful tool/that can play an important role/in our future.// In the early days,/there were just a few of us humans/in a very large world.// Now,/our population is growing rapidly,/and we are beginning to have a bad effect on the environment.// We are finally looking for an answer to the question:/“How can we live on our home planet/without destroying it?”// Benyus believes/that biomimicry is not only a new way of looking at nature/but also a key to our survival/on planet Earth.// We have to learn to live on the earth.// It is our home,/but it is not ours alone.//