To understand the negative impacts in consumption of water from water bottles, you must first understand the "life cycle" system.
Water is naturally obtained, then sent to factories to where they get bottled, sold in the mart, and used whenever and wherever. But, where do these bottles go for disposal? They are claimed to be recycled but are actually hoarded in India where mountains of down-cycled bottles become of no use. Has that stopped you drinking water bottles yet?
Bottled water is not guaranteed to be recycled, most students here in Gainesville are seen to be throwing it in trash cans and some will throw it everywhere else. The solution for water bottle consumption is to stop buying them. We must invest in public water infrastructure, prevent pollution and make more drinking fountains available. Refillable water bottles should be used. Do not reuse plastic water bottles because it can be harmful. If bottles are left out under the sun, the plastic may melt and contaminate the water.
Why is it that the consumer prefers a product that is "less sustainable, less tasty, and highly expensive?" As the video explains, the media has changed our perception of water. People think, "tap water is gross!" In most places tap water is generally better for you than the bottle.
"These organisms have figured out a way to do these amazing thing they do, while taking care of the place that is going to take care of the place of their offspring." -Janine Benyus
12 sustainable design ideas from nature
People believe that they are using biomimicry such as using bacteria to clean water. Benyus states that this is actually called bio assisting. Biomimicry is learning a natural idea and applying it.
How does life make 'things'?
How does life make the most of 'thing's?
How does life make 'things' diappear into systems?
1. Self assembly
2. CO2 as a feedstock
3. Solar transformations
4. Power of shape
5. Quencing thirst
6. Metals without mining
7. Green chemistry
8. Time degradation
9. Resilience and healing
10. Sensing and responding
11. Growing fertility
12. Life creates conditons conclucive to life design
Let us use the resources of nature and not create something that will render our environment unsustainable.
Biomimicry is used in many of today's construction. In building glazing for example, characteristics of a lotus are used to design windows that 'self-cleans.' Other ideas would include passive cooling in buildings which are much similar to the termite mounds that inspired it. The use of biomimicry is interesting because it is available to anyone, one would have to discover it's nature and invent ways to utilize the concept.
Existing Biomimicry that Changed the World:
Velcro
Uses the idea of tiny hooks on the end of a burr's spines to create a fastener system. Invented by Swiss engineer George de Mestral when he discovered the burrs stuck on his dog's hair.
Passive Cooling
In Zimbabwe, tower-building termites constantly open and close vents from their mounds to manage convection currents of air. Cooler air is drawn in from open lower section while hot air escapes. Sounds familiar?
Gecko Tape
Adhesive tape was discovered through the feet of gecko lizards. These lizards have millions of tiny, flexible hairs that provide a powerful adhesive effect. To mimic this, tape is covered with nanoscopic hairs with similar adhesiveness.
Whalepower Wind Turbine
Humpback whales' flippers make them surprisingly agile in the water. The flipper-inspired turbine blades provide applications from wind turbines, hydroelectric turbines, irrigation pumps, and ventilation fans.
Lotus Effect Hydrophobia
The surface water of lotus' leaves are bumpy causing water to bead and pick up contaminates and roll off. This study inspired applications such as water resistance.
Self-Healing Plastics
A human's body is able to heal on its own from scrapes and cuts. This study suggested a ligh polymer composite theat produces material that are self-healing.
The Golden Streamlining Principle
The idea of air and fluid movement technologes based on the Fibonacci sequence, logarithmic spiral and the Golden Ratio, applies to fans, mixers, and impellers.
Friction-Reducing Sharkskin
The ability of shark's skin to reduce drag inspired researchers to develop coating for ship hulls, submarines, aircraft fuselage, and swimwear for humans.
Diatomaceous Nanotech
Tiny, single-celled algae known as diatoms expressed it's reliability to manufacture working valves of various shapes and sizes that can be used in nano-devices to deliver drugs to specific targes in the body.
Glo-fish
Glow-in-the-dark aquarium fish produce fluorescent protein that will prove a necessity in an ecological role, but unfortunately it just serves the purpose of simply being 'cool.'
Insect-Inspired Autonomous Robots
Study of insect's ability to cover varied terrain, clim surfaces, and provide stability, their eyes offer greater resolution and panoramic range, and the ability to quickly adapt to changing environments become a generator for robot applications.
Butterfly-Inspired Displays
Helps with smart phones and saves battery due to the displaying static image producing near-zero power. It's the reflected light principle and how human beings perceive light from a butterfly's wings.
