April 2009 - UNEP Announces the 2009 Champions of the Earth.
"Paris, 22 April 2009 - Six tireless innovators of positive environmental change and an inspirational anti-poverty organization from Africa were today named as the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) 2009 Champions of the Earth. ...
Janine Benyus, the winner in the Science and Innovation category, is a pioneer and champion of the biomimicry movement who is at the helm of the eco-design revolution. Her 1997 book 'Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature' inverts the way we all think about design, industrial processes and areas from pharmaceuticals to energy developments.
Ms Benyus's central theme is that, by unraveling and learning how plants, animals and life-forms like bacteria have evolved over millennia, many of the innovations and solutions to the world's pressing problems can be found setting the stage for new, biologically-based businesses and jobs. Ms Benyus's work is a powerful argument for conservation of biodiversity, not just for its own sake, but as a key survival strategy for humanity and a central natural resource.
Janine Benyus said: "A sustainable world already exists, in the prairies, forests, tundras, and coral reefs of our planet. The search for solutions to problems like climate change should start here, emulating life-enhancing technologies that have been field tested for 3.8 billion years. This award is a great honor for all those who are shaping the emerging field of biomimicry, innovation inspired by nature."
The UNEP site includes a 3 minute interview with Janine Benyus on the premise of biomimicry, the transition from academic research to practical applications and the Innovation for Conservation program.
Thanks to the Biomimicry Institute for the pointer!
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