Spring has arrived, with bats, butterflies, and nest-building! Weekends and school holidays are spent at the beach. Ice cream, sunhats, and sandcastles are part of a visit to the beach. But can a visit to the beach involve biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the conscious observation of the natural world. The observations can be used to solve problems. Travelling is lovely, but tourism is also a huge problem.
Animals that travel often have a positive impact on the places they visit. Every year, millions of animals migrate. Migrations are impressive, and often, animals travel thousands of miles by land, sea, or air. But migration also has a vital role to play in the ecosystem. It affects the distribution of prey and predators and keeps nutrients cycling around the planet. Plants and fungi also travel, and pollen and seeds are spread by land, sea, and air.
“Among their many ecological roles, whales recycle nutrients and enhance primary productivity in areas where they feed.” They do this by feeding at depth and releasing fecal plumes near the surface—which supports plankton growth—a remarkable process described as a “whale pump.” Whales also move nutrients thousands of miles from productive feeding areas at high latitudes to calving areas at lower latitudes.” Phys org
Sustainable travelling means avoiding harm to natural environments. But travelling and a visit to the beach can also be regenerative. Regenerative travelling means giving something back to the place that you visit.
“If being “green” is about doing less damage and “sustainability” is about reaching net neutral, “regeneration” is about making things better. Better for the environment and better for the community.”Globetrender
Engage, learn, and interact with the place you visit. Explore the natural area using your senses. What does the place look like? What does it sound like? Can you make a positive impact on the place? Can you leave it better than you found it? A place might look better if you pick up plastic waste on the beach. Buying souvenirs is often part of a travel experience. Check where souvenirs are made and how they are made before you buy them.
Journal your travel experience and explore ways to positively impact the places you visit. What can you do?
And more importantly, what is the best ice cream from a regenerative traveller’s perspective?
Link to Life Cycle Analysis of Ice Cream and blog post about Life Cycle Analysis.
Featured Photo by Daria Obymaha from Pexels
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.