Guest: Jared Yarnall-Schane
Episode 6: Biomimicry
What better way to think about social impact than through the lens of nature? In this episode we explore the ideas of biomimicry and how it can guide innovation, entrepreneurship, and values. Our guest is Jared Yarnall-Schane, the Entrepreneurship Director at The Biomimicry Institute, which is an organization that provides tools to develop sustainable solutions for a balanced ecosystem by empowering people to learn and apply nature-inspired strategies in design. Jared is also a classmate of Danielle’s from the Center for Social Impact Strategy Class of 2018.
We discuss Jared’s work with entrepreneurs, the impacts of the Biomimicry Institute, and the Three Seeds it is centered around: emulate (imitate what works so well in nature), ethos (how nature operates in a global context), reconnect (go out into nature and gain an understanding of what exists in nature).
This conversation will highlight the benefits of looking to nature for inspiration in innovation. Anyone can practice biomimicry and we hope you will consider how you can use it in your own work and life. If you want to learn more about biomimicry and find out how nature can help you in your work, visit asknature.org, where you will have access to hundreds of resources and ideas.
Jared also shares with us his favorite resources and more for you to check out:
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Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Jared came to sustainability through the world of international development; this book reveals the trap of poverty and he thinks about how we as a society and species need to solve that problem.
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Nature of Fashion Report — The recent report by the Biomimicry Institute about the fashion industry. It focuses on circular design and knowing there are going to be leaks in every system, and asks how can design account for those loops/leaks.
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Fire Side Chat: Start Where You Are: A Conversation on Uprooting Racism and Creating Systemic Change in S.T.E.M.
Thank you for joining us for Venture Forward Together, an interview series with friends and colleagues working in the sustainability and social impact fields.
Onwards and Upwards!
“When resources get hoarded in nature, ecosystems collapse.”
Jared Yarnall-Schane
