In June, I had the great opportunity to attend the BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) Conference in Buffalo. In addition to discovering a Buffalo I never knew, I got to soak in some amazing speakers and their powerful stories.?
The Genius of Nature?
My favourite presentation was by Janine M. Benyus, biologist, innovation consultant, and author of six books, including Biomimcry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.??
Biomimicry is about looking to nature?s design for inspiration for new inventions. An example is the study of the sandcastle worm that makes a protective shelter from beads of zirconium oxide. Scientists have created a synthetic version of this glue for potential use in repairing fractured bones. I know you?re probably thinking about Spiderman right now.?
Janine went on to explain that the genius of Biomimicry extends beyond product innovations but can also inform our economic ecosystems. Our business fundamentals have focused on ?competition? and have ignored ?mutualism? which is the base for the resilience of our natural ecosystem. Mutualism highlights species working together and each benefitting from the relationship. She suggested that in our modern history, studying nature through the lens of mutualism would have been considered sympathetic to communist rhetoric and therefore ?anti-American?. As a result, scientists may have based more of their studies through the competition lens. But times have changed.?
Janine referred to the generosity of nature through the study of great oak trees with hundred year life spans. They were able to survive harsh weather and torrential wind storms due to their network of roots intertwined together, deep in the ground. She also mentioned how in other forests, certain trees would store excess water in their roots during the monsoons, and as dry season came, would redistribute the stored water back into the soil and ultimately to other organisms, benefiting the whole forest.?Janine argues that generosity and mutualism should reign, vs. the current values of greed and competition.
While this sounds peachy,?can it actually work? And how does it look in practice?
Can we really use biomimicry to inform our business behaviours?
The Real Deal?
Vancouver based Lunapads, is a B Corp?that creates natural and reusable menstrual pads and underwear. Their mission?to help women have healthier and more positive experiences of the menstrual cycles, and by extension, their bodies overall. Owners Madeleine and Suzanne have been producing Lunapads for over 15 years.
DivaCup, in Waterloo, ON was created by mother-daughter team Francine and Carinne. The company also seeks to address improve menstrual cycle experiences and environmental impact, but uses a different product entirely?a silicone reusable menstrual cup.?
Many would label Lunapads and the DivaCup as competitors as they both provide alternatives to mainstream menstrual care products. Yet, Suzanne from Lunapads does not see it this way.?
?We have never used the word competition in reference to the DivaCup,? she says, ?We look to them as compatriots and we work together to create more awareness to this important issue of empowering women through connecting with their menstrual cycle.??Instead of finding ways to gain market share by blocking each other out, Lunapads promotes and carries the DivaCup on their website. ?
DivaCup also promotes and refers certain customers to Lunapads. They keep each other updated on industry changes and health regulatory issues and they collaborate on trade shows and discuss sales channels and marketing opportunities. Both businesses believe that through a collaborative relationship they can further their mission and generate more success for both companies.?
And it seems to be working.?After 10 years, the relationship between the pair has grown and evolved as they each have both continued to grow in their own sales. Both teams explain that they admire each other?s success and note that they have much to learn from each other.?
At this point in the story, you are likely either fist pumping or shaking your head, saying, ?Okay, that?s awesome, but one story isn?t enough; this can?t really work.??
To that I say, ?Why not??*??
If our amazing and complex planet is able to exist for over 4 billion years, it clearly has a thing or two to teach us.?
As a new species, we?d do well to take notes.?
?
*To be fair, I also say, ?Ok. Give me some time and I promise you there are more stories like this waiting to be told.?
(Photo credit:?Anirban Biswas via Flikr)
Source: http://socialfinance.ca/blog/post/the-new-business-school-lessons-from-mother-nature
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