Nature: What are we learning from nature to help us build resilient and sustainable communities?

All the organisms on the planet are subject to the same conditions that we are, yet the way we live is far more disruptive to the world’s systems. How can we be inspired by nature to build resilient and sustainable communities?

Ideas answering this question

Piggyback leafy green patches with solar panels

Non Encrypted

I notice that leafy produce requires ponderous amounts of water to grow. I wonder, is there any way to reduce this high ... more ...

Agriculture, Solar, Water

For The Future of Architecture, Look Towards Nature

Charlie Rybak

Replace your water filter...with oysters? See how some communities are letting nature do their dirty work.
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Adaptation, Architecture, Green Building, Green Communities, Water

A Real-Life Lorax: Planting 1 Million Trees in Ethiopia

Editor’s Note: With the recent release of the movie The Lorax based on the famous Eco-tale by Dr. Seuss, we have a ... more ...

Activism, Adaptation

City Trees Help Combat Urban Heat Islands

American Society of Landscape Architects

City trees can reduce hourly ozone by up to 15 percent, sulfur dioxide by 14 percent, and particulate matter by 13 ... more ...

Climate Change, Education, Policy, Water

Pecan Street Smart Grid Demonstration Project

Pecan Street Inc

A community in Austin, TX is testing out the idea that we'll use energy better if we're smarter about it by linking ... more ...

Economics, Electric Cars, Green Building, Policy, Renewable Energy, Science, Solar, Water, Wind

BP Oil Spill Cleanup: Making Oysters Safe to Eat

Alex Harris and Haley Brooks

Ole Miss pharmacy prof, Mark Hamann, is developing a process to clean bacteria from oysters using CO2.

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Identifying Severe Weather Outbreaks Earlier

National Science Foundation

A team of scientists from three universities has developed a weather-prediction system that will allow forecasters to ... more ...

Natural Disasters, Science

BP Oil Spill: Related Research at Ole Miss

Alex Harris and Haley Brooks

Nearly 5 million barrels of oil were released due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill between April 2010 and July 2010, ... more ...

Winter Shrinking by Seven Days Each Decade

National Science Foundation

Adaptation, Agriculture, Science

How to Make Natural, Homemade Pesticides

Elizabeth Franks

Many people give up on growing their own vegetables at home because pests ruin their crops. People would rather buy ... more ...

Adaptation, Agriculture, Green Communities, Green Living

Green Roofs: Reflecting Light and Radiating Cool

National Science Foundation

A new study indicates that painting building roofs white could significantly cool cities and mitigate some of the ... more ...

Adaptation, Architecture, Engineering, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Science

Turning Society Around

Randy Hayes developed the Rainforest Action Committee and he is committed to protecting indigenous people and their rain ... more ...

Activism, Adaptation, Business, Climate Change, Education, Green Living

Using the Laws of Physics: Heat Rises

I have designed the eco-safe top slider window which allows for safe and cool ventilation in any home or office space. ... more ...

Architecture, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Efficiency, Engineering, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Science

Making Businesses More Aware of their Carbon Footprint

If consumers are more aware of the carbon footprint of their products, will they make better choices? Mike Bellamente of ... more ...

Adaptation, Business, Climate Change

A Sustainable Way to Think About Safety

Ramaswamy Nagarajan

How can we make flame retardants--normally environmentally unfriendly substances--into sustainable products? Researchers ... more ...

Biomimicry, Clean Tech, Science

Crab Shells Clean Acid Mine Drainage

National Science Foundation

Engineers at the Pennsylvania State University have found crab-shell chitin effectively raises acidity (pH) levels and ... more ...

Adaptation, Campus Sustainability, Colleges and Universities, Education, Engineering, Green Communities, Science

Porous Carbon Captures Greenhouse Gas

National Science Foundation

Keith Gubbins of North Carolina State University, Raleigh, in collaboration with industrial partners, has discovered ... more ...

Helping Insects Adapt to Climate Change

Jessica Hellmann

Climate change adaptation is about helping societies and nature adjust to changing climate. Ecologists need to study ... more ...

Activism, Adaptation, Climate Change, Science

Tennessee’s Mr. Photon Explains Solar Energy

With education at the forefront of the Living Light endeavor, a Solar Decathlon 2011 project from University of ... more ...

Architecture, Education, Efficiency, Engineering, Green Building, Green Living, Renewable Energy, Science, Solar, Solar Decathlon

Plastic Leaf Technology Mimics Trees to Reduce Carbon Levels

New technology could mimic trees by pulling carbon out of the air. The same technology could convert CO₂ into ... more ...

Adaptation, Biomimicry, Business, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Engineering

Relaxed Federal Rules Allow Bison Room to Roam Outside Yellowstone

Assignment Earth

On Yellowstone’s northern range, it’s easy to see why bison leave the national park in search of greener pastures during ... more ...

Activism, Adaptation, Health, Policy

How Is Climate Change Different From Global Warming?

From nature we see that there is an overall change in climate, not only global warming. Trends demonstrate that the ... more ...

Adaptation, Climate Change, Natural Disasters

Bald Eagle Survives Traumatic Impact With a Semi-Trailer

Assignment Earth

Truck driver Ben Wright was more than startled when a bald eagle struck his windshield with great force as he traveled ... more ...

Activism, Adaptation, Health

Corn v. Oil: Are Bioplastics a Viable Replacement for Petroleum-Based Products?

Americans use 40 billion plastic utensils every year at cookouts, picnics, and around the home. Almost all of them are ... more ...

Agriculture, Clean Tech, Green Living

From Industrial Wasteland to Community Park

American Society of Landscape Architects

What should we do with that old building? Turn it into a park! From the American Society of Landscape Architects ... more ...

Architecture, Climate Change, Efficiency, Engineering, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Health

The Climate-Friendly Gardener: Today the Backyard, Tomorrow the Nation

Union of Concerned Scientists

Smart gardening practices can reduce global warming emissions. The Union of Concerned Scientists visits Eden Place in ... more ...

Adaptation, Agriculture, Climate Change, Education, Efficiency, Green Communities, Green Living

Pa. Sustainable Home Harvests Rainwater

The words “sustainable house” may conjure images of hippie throw backs living in grass shacks, geodesic ... more ...

Adaptation, Architecture, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Water

Neighborhood Cooperatives to Alleviate Energy Dependence

Kasey Carlson

I would like to see development in energy cooperatives. Neighbors and neighborhoods have the potential to share the ... more ...

Activism, Architecture, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Efficiency, Geothermal, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

The Climate-Friendly Gardener: Urban Trees

Union of Concerned Scientists

Trees and shrubs help combat global warming by storing carbon and reducing energy use. The Union of Concerned Scientists ... more ...

Adaptation, Agriculture, Climate Change, Education, Efficiency, Green Communities, Green Living

NY Company Uses Mushrooms To Create Biodegradable Packaging

EnergyNOW! special correspondent Josh Zepps looks at how Ecovative Design is replacing materials made from synthetics ... more ...

Agriculture, Biomimicry, Business, Efficiency, Green Living, Science

Microbes! – Green Revolution

National Science Foundation

Can bugs save the planet? Join host Lisa Van Pay, PhD (aka a scientist) as she explores exciting alternative energy ... more ...

Biomimicry, Clean Tech, Science

Efficiency Blueprint

Gerard D. Manogin

Homeowners in the Oxford/University community in Mississippi are making a change in their lives by building green.
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Efficiency, Green Building, Green Living, Renewable Energy

Floods, Farmers and Climate Change

Even before this week's floods engineers in Mississippi have been working on projects that would alleviate flood damage. ... more ...

Adaptation, Agriculture, Climate Change, Engineering, Water

Let the Sunshine Into Your Wallet

Donica Phifer

In Oxford, Miss., architect Brent Swain is using passive solar techniques to build green homes. With his ideas, one home ... more ...

Architecture, Economics, Efficiency, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Policy, Renewable Energy, Science, Solar

Painting Their Faces Green

Hannah Chalker

More recycling bins in the Grove – there is actually a major demand for recycling in the Grove. Director of ... more ...

Green Communities, Green Living, Policy

Use Volcanic Rock Powder to Remineralize the Soil

Randall Lee Hopper

This is idea if shared can make us all the hero/heroine for the world. The foundation from the ground up. 80% diversity ... more ...

Adaptation, Agriculture, Biomimicry, Business, Climate Change, Economics, Efficiency, Green Communities, GreenGov, Health, International Climate Negotiations, Policy, Renewable Energy, Science

Looking to Nature for a New Take on Energy

Hi, I’m Peter. We are going to continue the exploration of The Radius of Curvature of all Natural Law with this ... more ...

Uncategorized

Biofuels and biofuel research beyond ethanol is crucial to developing alternative sustainable energy resources.

For years there’s been buzz — both positive and negative — about generating ethanol fuel from corn. ... more ...

Biofuels, Biomimicry, Clean Tech, Science

Algae biofuel may be the fuel of the future.

In a co-production with NOVA Science Now, QUEST explores the potential of algae once considered nothing more than pond ... more ...

Algae, Biofuels, Science, Transportation

Toxic Infertility

Assignment Earth

Molly Jones Gray is working hard to make sure that her toddler Paxton has a safe and healthy home. This Seattle mother ... more ...

Activism, Education, Green Living, Health

Saving Amphibians from Deadly Fungus

Assignment Earth

Building captive colonies for eventual re-introduction to the wild, scientists from Atlanta rescue endangered frogs and ... more ...