Monday, October 15, 2012 11 AM Eastern Time On VoiceAmerica Business
Listen on Monday. The Luminary: An Hour of Inspiration with Global Activist, Fundraiser and Author Lynne Twist of The Soul of Money Institute
 Lynne Twist changes the world with her presence. A founding staff member of The Hunger Project, Twist began her fundraising inspired by Buckminster Fuller to end world hunger. Her path has taken her to some of the most resource-rich and resource-poor places on the planet where she has shaped global initiatives that bring hope and sustainability through the practice of a philosophy grounded in the principle of sufficiency. Over three decades, Lynne has worked with Mother Teresa, Deepak Chopra, corporate CEOs, billionaires and indigenous people around the world. Her perspective is profoundly wise, practical, simple and easy for each one of us to understand. She has inspired a movement of people exploring how to transform their relationship with money and the world for a more meaningful and fulfilling life. Twist's work guides the approach of the Nebo Company. Don't miss this powerful and inspiring conversation between luminary Lynne Twist and host Kate Ebner. More Be inspired. Missed the Live Show?
Past Episodes are available on demand and podcast-ready via iTunes or RSS feed.
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Janine Benyus on Biomimicry: Apprenticing Humans to Nature
 In the mid-90's, amidst an ever-growing pile of depressing news about human degradation of the environment, Janine Benyus realized that 99.9% of the species on Earth had already figured out a sustainable and safe way to exist on the planet. It was an epiphany. Janine seized upon this realization as an opportunity for people to move ideas originated in the natural world into the design and engineering sphere. Humans could be apprentices to nature. Janine expanded on these ideas in a book called Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature and the field of biomimicry was born.
After her book was published, industry leaders came calling. Who wouldn't want to develop technologies that used fewer toxins and less energy than the current best models? Since then, Janine has consulted with such corporations as Proctor & Gamble, Nike and Boeing and launched several institutions to explore the possibilities of biomimicry. This summer, Janine was honored by Michelle Obama with the Design Mind Award from the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in a special ceremony at the White House. She will receive teh official award from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum on October 17th. (MAKE THIS A LINK)
Excerpts from Janine's conversation with Kate below:
"If we were to develop one stance towards the rest of the natural world that would allow us to fit in, it would be respect. I like to think of all the other species on earth as our "biological elders" who could teach us how to be earthlings and live here in harmony with the planet. If we could respect other organisms as mentors, then good behavior would not have to be legislated."
"It's not easy to go from where we are in Western industrial culture to go towards biomimicry. Right now, we think things are natural that aren't. We think it's natural to heat up a piece of glass to an extremely high temperature and add high levels of toxins but there are organisms in the ocean that make glass at body temperature and without toxins. We need to learn that there are alternatives to be found in the natural world. It takes listening and becoming a student of the natural world, and that's not a stance we've had towards nature in a very long time- that feeling of humility, of wanting to learn from the world around us."
"Biomimicry is very practical, in that it solves problems. I'm very lucky to be constantly working in a solution space, to be working towards solving problems instead of just noticing them. I'm hopeful for the future because I've seen humans adapt before. We can turn around our thinking in a relatively short time span when we need to and, with respect to our relationship with the planet, I think that time is now."
Hear more of Janine's wise insights into the relationship of humans to nature by clicking here. |
