Earthy Design!

http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=1760

This great example of biomimicry that I found is one I actually want to get in my house. This pear tree light stand holds the pears by rare-earth magnets. They each contain 10 LED lights and charge while placed on the branches, but when "picked" they still emit light for over an hour. I like this just because the idea of taking a light with you goes back to early hanging torches, but you don't have to work as much about setting your house on fire.

http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/recycle-bins.jpg

This is a picture of RFID-equipped recycling bins, the kind that are going to be brought into 25,000+ Cleveland homes within the next year. What makes these bins so special is that they have micro-ships that can tell the trash collectors how often they actually use the recycling bin. If it hasn't been used in weeks, the trash collectors can then search the trash bins, and if they contain more than 10 percent recyclable materials you could get fined! Sup!

While this is an expensive and time consuming project, especially if adopted by the whole country, it's nice to be able to hold people accountable. I think that it could set off debates over whether it's legal to fine someone for not recycling, but I believe it's our duty as humans to protect our planet, and I know we all have the five seconds it take to separate trash from recyclables.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/05/airplane-heal-t/

This plane is using biomimicry in its self-healing skin. We as humans get scabs when we are cut, so they decided to do the same thing with planes. Researchers have been forming composite materials that leak resin when cut which then act to for a "scab" around the hole and restore it back to 80 or 90 percent of its original strength. This invention is great for the environment for it will promote the use of fiber-reinforced polymers over aluminum, which will in turn make airplanes lighter, more fuel efficient, and less polluting. If successfully designed, this could change a lot ideas about airplane-building and could lead to even wilder, but possible, inventions.