What you’ll learn: why a Nobel laureate and an architect think our buildings have lost their ambition, what a termite mound already knows about cooling a building without air conditioning, and why the idea of making AI data centres beautiful is really an opportunity to make them biomimetic instead. Buildings as public health The mostContinueContinue reading “Termite Mounds Already Solved the Data Centre Problem”
Tag Archives: sustainability
Nature’s Recycling Heroes: How Old Things Become New Again
“Why nothing in nature really gets ‘thrown away’ — and what that teaches us about clothes and waste” Have you ever watched leaves fall in autumn and then disappear into the soil by spring? Or seen mushrooms growing on an old tree stump? That’s nature’s secret recycling team at work! The Great Circle of StuffContinueContinue reading “Nature’s Recycling Heroes: How Old Things Become New Again”
Learning from Living Systems: Four More Nature-Inspired Climate Assignments for the Age of Connection
In nature, life learns and adapts through relationships – every living system is shaped by its interactions with others and the world around it. A forest exchanges knowledge underground through its mycorrhizal threads, coral reefs build strength through countless tiny collaborations, and a flock of birds finds its direction not by hierarchy, but through connection.ContinueContinue reading “Learning from Living Systems: Four More Nature-Inspired Climate Assignments for the Age of Connection”
Growing Tomorrow’s Climate Innovators: Biophilic Design Meets AI Literacy
In an age where the built environment and technological advancements are taking precedence over environmental concerns and the natural world, how do we raise children who are rooted in nature and ready for an AI-driven future? This post explores biophilic design and AI literacy, showing how climate-smart schools can breathe, adapt, and inspire. From learning under shade structures that mimic flower petals to prompting AI like nature detectives, children are not just observing the world, they’re shaping its future. Discover how tomorrow’s environmental innovators are growing today, one thoughtful question at a time.
How Biomimicry Can Be Used to Address Climate Change
What if the answers to our biggest climate challenges have already been solved, by nature? In this post, we’ll explore how biomimicry, design inspired by the strategies of living organisms, is helping to create innovative climate solutions. We’ll also look at how children can take part in this movement through storytelling, hands-on design challenges, and imaginative exploration. By learning from the resilience and ingenuity of the natural world, young minds can help shape a more sustainable future.
What Nature Can Teach Us About Greener AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a part of everyday life, powering everything from voice assistants to personalised learning tools. However, this technological advancement comes with a significant environmental cost. Training and running AI systems use a lot of energy, which means more carbon emissions. It also drives higher water usage and e-waste. For example, aContinueContinue reading “What Nature Can Teach Us About Greener AI”
Biomimicry and Biophilic Design – Stepping into Kindergarten
Below are the text and AI images used to design and explore modern-day Kindergartens. I thoroughly enjoyed challenging myself and learned so much! Children deserve the Best! Thanks to Pernille and Phil, who helped with ideas and the development of this design concept. This is a speculative design concept — an imaginative exploration of whatContinueContinue reading “Biomimicry and Biophilic Design – Stepping into Kindergarten”
A Kindergarten Inspired by Biophilic Design and Biomimicry
Welcome to the Kindergarten of the Future! Mushroom lighting! Botanical Solar Tree! Sound-absorbing Paint! Woodflake Skin & Walls! How can we design a space for young children that encourages curiosity, creativity, play, and learning? What attention should designers pay to maximising ecological well-being? This continues an idea we explored in more depth in Biomimicry andContinueContinue reading “A Kindergarten Inspired by Biophilic Design and Biomimicry”
Awesome, Fascinating and Important – Inspired by Keystone Species
Nature needs our help now more than ever. This winter, make space for STEAM and biomimicry activities and create hope for the future. Our book on Keystone Species is now available – Paperback and Hardcover! Frequently Asked Questions What is biomimicry? Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what weContinueContinue reading “Awesome, Fascinating and Important – Inspired by Keystone Species”
Opportunities for Everyone – Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities
Summer 2024 rained away, more or less. But there is often a plus side to everything. So here is a book project that grew with each rainy day! TheBeezyTeacher and I hope you will enjoy reading about 12 keystone species. The book is filled with activities, some STEAM, but also, of course, some biomimicry activities.ContinueContinue reading “Opportunities for Everyone – Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities”
August in the Nature Classroom
Back to School Month! Or maybe we should call it Prepare for Back to School Month. Across the Northern Hemisphere, the timing of school commencement varies, with some starting in August while others begin in September. Back to School symbolises excitement of learning! A fresh start filled with hopes and dreams. As we start onContinueContinue reading “August in the Nature Classroom”
June in the Nature Classroom
Welcome June with open arms! June is a month filled with interesting events and celebrations. The June solstice typically occurs around June 20th or 21st. This marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (the shortest in the Southern Hemisphere). The thing I miss most about Sweden is the midnight sun. ItContinueContinue reading “June in the Nature Classroom”
The World’s Plastic Pollution Crises in Our Oceans
Earth Day is celebrated globally on April 22nd. In 2024, the theme is Planet vs. Plastic, and the aim is to shift our attitudes and actions concerning plastic usage. Reducing plastic pollution is vital since it is becoming clearer the devasting impact that plastic pollution has on human and animal health and the overall ecologicalContinueContinue reading “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crises in Our Oceans”
Orla’s Golden Blanket: Sea Otters’ Secret to a Bright Blue Future
An otterly lovely gift for every nature lover Go ahead, dive in! It’s pleasurable, really. You’ll explore golden kelp forests and learn about the importance that sea otters play in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. Sea otters are playful and always hungry. They love kelping and playing in the underwater forests. But how can aContinueContinue reading “Orla’s Golden Blanket: Sea Otters’ Secret to a Bright Blue Future”
Trees are Important for Cities! – Inspirational Videos
Trees are important for our cities! By 2025, it is estimated that two out of every three people will be living in cities or other urban centres (UN report). It is also estimated that by 2030 there will be 43 so-called megacities, cities with more than 10 million inhabitants. Today there are 31 megacities. MostContinueContinue reading “Trees are Important for Cities! – Inspirational Videos”
Treescrapers for Kids
Yesterday, I posted a rather long blog post about Treescrapers. Here are some of our ideas. It is winter here, so not much material to collect in the garden. But we used what we found, and after all, it is the learning and ideas that are important. Frequently Asked Questions What is biomimicry? Biomimicry isContinueContinue reading “Treescrapers for Kids”
Invent the Room – Sustainability & Biomimicry
I have spent sunny days in the garden reading the excellent Engineering Education for the Next Generation by Samuel Cord Stier, who is the executive director of The Center for Learning with Nature. This book, together with wild gardening books, Wild Your Garden and Wildlife Gardening, provided the basis for the ideas about bringing sustainabilityContinueContinue reading “Invent the Room – Sustainability & Biomimicry”
Biomimicry for Young Children – Inspired by Endangered Orangutans
On the third day of March We saved three Swinging Orangutans Our think dive this month is inspired by not only orangutans but also dreams about Easter bunnies and chocolate. After we have learnt that the production of palm oil is a major threat to orangutans, we decided to make a chocolate bark using chocolateContinueContinue reading “Biomimicry for Young Children – Inspired by Endangered Orangutans”