A decade ago I felt lost, confused, and anxious. I had just learned about climate change and was shocked the state of our planet wasn’t introduced to me sooner. Once my privilege bubble popped and I realized I was actively contributing to the problem, I immediately began changing my habits. But the more I learned, the more wicked the global quandary became. I marched for climate action, was trained by Al Gore and his team through the Climate Reality Leadership Corps, and joined a full-service public relations firm focused on sustainability. Still, I found myself paralyzed and distraught to find my place in the agency of change.
We know what’s at stake. It’s an active decision to pursue innovations and strategies that honor life for the long-haul versus choosing quickies that lead to our next extinction. And if fact-based efforts and “last chance” climate emergency conferences have hardly moved the needle (COP26 summit agreements resulted in 0.1 degree C from future climate breakdown) then maybe fear, or the very real fear of losing what we love, will.
The Design for Decomposition is a bold initiative to realign the underlying principles of both the fashion and waste management industries with the laws of physics and biology to create cascading benefits for climate, biodiversity, and social equity. Such an ambitious aim requires partners who are courageous and have vision.
The Microfiber Innovation Challenge is a competition awarding $650,000 for solutions to plastic microfiber pollution. How can biomimicry inform the upstream innovations required for the textile industry to turn off the plastic tap and work in harmony with nature?
We don’t have to be living in outer space to feel inspired by the potential for biomimicry strategies here on Earth. The overview effect will humble and inspire anyone willing to take a moment to look out the window to reflect on the majesty of our planet and the world we want for ourselves and future generations. Whether you’re on the International Space Station or on a bridge surrounded by disappearing wetlands and sprawling refineries, that overview moment is an opportunity to “ask nature” how to design a better future!
To prepare for the future we need diverse teams that can look at AI from many different points of view. Everyone should get involved in shaping the future of AI—don’t leave AI to the “experts”! We need to bring our passion for the environment and compassion for all of life into the development of AI, before it’s too late. As exciting as AI is, it is important to look at the potential of AI through a skeptical lens. We must never forget that every breakthrough technology often has a dark side.
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