[GSBN] News from TLS

[Joyce Coppinger]

I just finished TLS#59 in PDF format and it will be posted to the TLS web
site¹s online ordering system soon. If you don¹t want to wait for the print
format (it will take about a month longer than the PDF version), you can
convert to the PDF format for this and future issues. I¹ll send out more
information via email later today.

A cover letter being posted/sent out with this issue encourages people to
consider converting their subscriptions and back issue orders to the PDF
format of TLS through the new online ordering system. It¹s one of the ways
costs for printing, shipping and handling can be reduced to and TLS can be
delivered quicker as a couple of steps in the production process are
eliminated ­ and color photos of projects and illustrations can be shared. I
realize that the online PDF format may not work for or be preferred by
everyone, so I¹m not, repeat not, discontinuing print format issues mailed
to subscribers and those placing back issue orders... but renewal card
mailings for subscriptions and sponsorships are being discontinued. I¹ll
send out more information about this too.

One of the articles in this issue on sustainable living and design is about
biomimicry. Biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to
imitate) is a design discipline that seeks sustainable solutions by
emulating nature¹s time-tested patterns and strategies, e.g., a solar cell
inspired by a leaf.  The core idea is that Nature, imaginative by necessity,
has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with: energy, food
production, climate control, non-toxic chemistry, transportation, packaging,
and a whole lot more.

I received an email today (see below) from The Biomimicry Institute about a
new web portal they have added to the Internet (see below) that contains
information that might be of interest to straw-bale and natural builders
worldwide. I¹ll include this as an Internet resource in the updating to the
TLS resource guide, too, but just thought you might find this interesting in
your work and teaching. I¹m sure some of you are already aware and may be
using this in your work. If you have information to share about how you are
applying this to your projects or work, just let me know and I¹ll include it
in future issue.


Joyce
--------------- 
Joyce Coppinger
Managing Editor/The Last Straw Journal
PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706
402.483.5135, fax 402.483.5161
<thelaststraw at thelaststraw.org>
www.thelaststraw.org


After a great deal of hard work by our amazing portal development team, we
are very excited to announce that Ask Nature
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FW%2Ftm8L0Xn27BObJ%2
FCN7m%2FIFmJFTjmEP>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=FW%2Ftm8L0Xn27BObJ%2
FCN7m%2FIFmJFTjmEP>  , our biomimicry design web portal, has been launched. 
It is the world's first digital library of Nature's solutions, organized by
function, that can serve as an educational and cross-pollinating tool as
well as a collaboration forum among biologists, engineers, designers and
other innovators. Its 'Wiki' design allows people to contribute information
about their work, helping us to expand the database rapidly. Its
availability on-line, for beta testing, was announced by Janine Benyus at
the annual US Green Build Conference November 19-21 in Boston where she was
the closing keynote speaker. 

Associated with the portal is the introduction of, and link to, the
Innovation for Conservation
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=UuHSmyY4H%2Bnxw%2FBw
0Jc%2B0O99LjVyGYqZ>
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=UuHSmyY4H%2Bnxw%2FBw
0Jc%2B0O99LjVyGYqZ>   program.  This is a conservation program managed by
TBI through which companies that have benefitted from biologically inspired
designs can thank their sources of inspiration by contributing to programs
that conserve those organisms or ecosystems. On October 20th in Marin,
California The Biomimicry Institute co-sponsored, with Bioneers, the first
conference on Biomimicry Solutions to Climate Change.  Some of the world's
leading innovators, scientists and companies presented their work in this
field to an audience of investors, scientists, government officials and the
public.  Janine Benyus was the opening keynote speaker and panels followed
with discussions of bio-inspired energy, green building, biofuels and carbon
fixation. 

This year The Biomimicry Institute launched the Two-year Biomimicry
Certificate Program
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=04fQVwK3JW252e7ks%2F
jrD%2FIFmJFTjmEP> 
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=04fQVwK3JW252e7ks%2F
jrD%2FIFmJFTjmEP> .  After receiving an overwhelming number of applications
to the program, a first cohort of 16 students (mostly professionals in the
fields of engineering, architecture, biology and business) began the program
in May.  


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