2012 Biomimicry Design Challenge: Water!

Anyone interested in starting a team?  We'd love to help you!

Registration for the 2012 Biomimicry Student Design Challenge is now open!  This year, the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute invites you to tackle one of the world biggest sustainability challenges: WATER.

Join teams of university students from around the world for the only design competition that both trains students in biomimicry and awards substantial cash prizes for the best biomimetic innovations. Participating teams will use biomimicry to design sustainable solutions that improve water access and management–an issue that is quickly becoming one of the most critical global challenges impacting health, security, and sustainability.

Up to $11,000 in cash prizes will be awarded over two rounds of competition, including a $5,000 Grand Prize to help the winning team take their design to the next stage of development.

Assemble your team and register today at biomimicrydesignchallenge.com. 

Locally Attuned and Responsive Stormwater Management?

To "Be Locally Attuned and Responsive" is one of Life's Principles that we strive to emulate when using biomimicry to rethink how we design.  Finding ways manage our resources, such as stormwater, that are attuned to our regional characteristics is one way that we can begin to emulate nature into our work.  

If you are interested in water issues that effect our region, consider attending this event and asking the question "how would nature hold, filter, and divert stormwater?"  Maybe even ask that question on AskNature before you go to find possible solutions!  Asking questions such as this will help us find optimized solutions to "problems" that are locally attuned and responsive to our region while remaining respectful of our natural environment.  

Water Roundtable: "Rain Check: Regional Solutions to Stormwater Management"Thursday, September 13, 12 - 1:30pm.  Metropolitan Planning Council, 140 S Dearborn St, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL.  Co-hosted by Openlands and Metropolitan Planning Council, this roundtable features senior staff from the regional stormwater/wastewater agencies in the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Cleveland metro areas for a frank discussion of managing wet weather. Thanks to ComEd for sponsoring this event.  Learn more and register!

If you go, take notes and pass them on to us!  We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Amy