Tag: biomimicry

creativity

How nature rebuilds after a fire

Christa Avampato
Photo by Caleb Cook on Unsplash

In 2009, my New York City apartment building caught fire. I lost nearly everything I owned, and I almost got trapped in the building. I’ve written a lot about that incident, the terrifying PTSD that followed, and the therapist and friends who helped lead me out of the darkness I’d shoved down my entire life up to that point so I could fully step into the light for the first time. (You can read some of those pieces here and here.)

Watching the coverage of the LA fires and doing whatever I can to help people there wasn’t triggering for me. However, it did leave me with a profound sadness because I know first-hand how painful it is to lose everything and then face the difficulty of rebuilding my life and my mental health. It’s a long and winding road. Fire physically, chemically, and irreversibly alters everything it touches, us included.

When I’m sad, confused, or lost, I often turn to nature. As a biomimicry scientist, it’s become a habit for me to ask, “What would nature do?” Nature has faced fire for hundreds of megaannums; the first evidence of it appears in the fossil record about 420 million years ago, with charcoaled plant remains. (By comparison, the mass extinction of dinosaurs happened about 66 million years ago.) When destroyed by fire, how does nature rebuild? Time, variety, and assistance.

Rebuilding requires time
The dramatic before and after photos of a fire may lead us to believe that the rebuilding begins as soon as the fire is snuffed out. However, without plants to anchor the soil, storms that follow wildfires can cause even more damage through massive flooding and erosion. The post-fire damage can continue for years.

After my fire, my PTSD caused years of difficulty, long after I had a new home and had replaced my belongings. This was also true when I finished active cancer treatment many years later. The effects of life-altering events cannot be immediately known. Healing isn’t linear and it often takes longer than we’d like. The impacts unfold at a pace that we don’t control. Give yourself the space and grace to take it all in, process it, and move forward on whatever timeline you need.

Rebuilding requires variety
After a fire, nature re-establishes itself by re-anchoring the soil. Native plants that have that ability are the first to take root. That includes hardy varieties of grasses, trees, and shrubs that can survive through harsh conditions. Their ability to stabilize the landscape paves the way for an even greater variety of plants to return with time.

When we’re rebuilding, we can feel overwhelmed. We want everything to immediately go back to the way it was, and the fact that we know it can’t be that way can leave us feeling paralyzed. Focusing on one step at a time and prioritizing immediate steps that make other steps possible, can help.

When I moved into my new apartment after my fire, I had 2 plastic CVS bags of belongings and an air mattress I borrowed from a friend. The emptiness of that space gave me so much anxiety. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and asked myself, “What do I need right now?” I needed a toothbrush, a towel, and some soap. So, I went and got those three small things. That was the groundwork I needed on that first day, in that first moment. The rest could wait.

Rebuilding requires assistance
While these native plants begin to grow, invasive species will often try to muscle their way into the space. Rewilders and forestry experts will often give nature a hand by removing invasive species, allowing native plants the time, space, and resources they need to grow and develop.

My PTSD was an invasive species. Anxiety, nightmares, and suicidal thoughts tried to set up shop in my mind and body. Sometimes they succeeded. One time I woke up sitting on the sidewalk crying. I had no idea how I got there, nor how long I’d been there. My PTSD was causing me to have blackouts.

I was afraid to be home, and I was afraid to not be home. Every siren was cause for internal alarm, and New York City has a lot of sirens.

Friends and my therapist offered to help, and though I tried to brush them off, some were persistent. They were my rewilders. They showed up against my objections and began to help me pull the weeds of PTSD from my mind and body. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for any of us, but it was necessary. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. The PTSD would have taken over, preventing my recovery.

When you go through something traumatic, ask for and accept help. When you see someone going through trauma, don’t wait to be asked to help. Show up and lend a hand. None of us get through recovery alone.

Encouragement for Angelenos
Los Angeles, we’re with you. You’re not alone in any of this. This whole nation cares what happens to you, and we’ll continue to care and help you get back on your feet. The ground is already being seeded with love, donations, and generosity. The road to recovery will be long and difficult, and we’ll be there to build it with you. Nature has given us the blueprint.

creativity

Sign up for Togetherhood – my nature newsletter

Christa Avampato
Sign up for Togetherhood – my nature newsletter

In my free weekly LinkedIn newsletter called Togetherhood, I share stories about nature’s wonders. Many of the posts are about my area of expertise— biomimicry. As a product developer, I apply nature’s designs to the human-built world to create a sustainable planet.

Read published posts and sign up to receive future posts here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/

A little more about the newsletter – in case you need more convincing to subscribe 😉

1. Why this, why now

Right now we have a window of opportunity to halt and reverse the impacts of climate change. That window won’t be open forever, and if we are to protect and advance progress we need to act, together, now. I hope my stories about the wonders, wisdom, and beauty of nature will inspire all of us to take action to love, safeguard, and regenerate nature.

2. The kind of community you’ll find in the Togetherhood

This community is rooted in love, joy, respect, and curiosity for all species. We are here to learn together and support each other.

3. When I’ll share new stories

I’ll post once a week on Saturdays. I don’t have any plans to make this a paid newsletter. The content is free. It’s my gift to the world to share my expertise, support nature, and inspire wonder.

4. Join me in the Togetherhood

An old growth forest is one of my favorite environments and metaphors for life. It has wonders above and below ground. Every being in a forest is connected to every other being. It’s a web of life, literally and figuratively. I want the Togetherhood to be an old growth forest of stories. Let’s go have an adventure, together.

Read published posts and sign up to receive future posts here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/

creativity

Sharks were my career coaches

Christa Avampato
Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

I became a biomimicry scientist because of sharks.

I was on my way to work in 2018 listening to an episode of the Ologies podcast with Alie Ward. She was interviewing Dr. Chris Lowe, a leading shark researcher. He explained that sharks have an incredible self-healing adaptation. The ocean is a dangerous place, and sharks often sustain deep wounds. To stave off infection and promote rapid healing of their wounds, they have mucus on their skin that’s rich in a complex carbohydrate called glycan that has a unique composition. When Dr. Lowe talked about this, my product developer mind started spinning. If we could determine what unique component of the shark mucus promotes healing, we could apply that knowledge to healing human wounds. (This research is on-going, and in 2023, researchers determined mucus on the skin of sharks is rich in a complex carbohydrate called glycan that has a unique composition distinct from other fish.)

Years before I listened to this Ologies podcast episode, my boss, Bob G., had introduced me to Janine Benyus and her work in biomimicry — the sustainable application of adaptations in the natural world to the human-designed world. Working with Bob was my first product development job.

Growing up, I was a science and math kid. I abandoned my dream of being a scientist because a college professor my freshman year told me I, “had no mind for physics.” (More on that experience and how I DO have a mind for physics in a future article!) Instead, I majored in economics and history, continuing to love science as a personal passion. This Ologies episode promoted me to look into biomimicry as a bridge between my love for science and my business career in product development.

When I got to work, I Googled to see if there might be a biomimicry class I could take. What I found was that Arizona State University and Janine Benyus had just established a biomimicry graduate program. It was virtual, relatively affordable, and the application window was open. I applied, got accepted, and graduated. After that experience, I went on to get a master’s degree in Sustainability Leadership at University of Cambridge, and I’m working on bringing together all the aspects of my career — writing, storytelling, business, product development, and biomimicry — to build a better world for all beings. Biomimicry changed my life and career, and continues to help me evolve, grow, and thrive.

Looking back, I see now how all those threads made their way into my life through different avenues because I’ve always followed my curiosity, wonder, and joy. We don’t always know how the pieces of our lives and career will fit together. It sometimes takes longer than we’d like because the circumstances of our world need to evolve to catch up with us. Trust the timing of your life. Keep learning. Do the best you can with what you have where you are right now. What you seek is also seeking you. Eventually, you’ll find what’s meant for you and it will be worth all the effort.

creativity

Static electricity is nature’s gift that feeds us

Christa Avampato
Photo by Christoph on Unsplash

Static electricity may not top your list of things you’re grateful for this holiday season. It’s definitely on the nice list because the food we eat and enjoy wouldn’t be possible without it. Here’s a wonder of nature that changed how I see food.

Simply put: Plants grounded in soil have a negative charge. Bees have a positive charge. When a bee lands on a flower, the pollen jumps onto the bee due to the attraction of the opposite charges. (This is the same electricity transfer that happens when we walk across a carpet and then touch something that gives us a little shock.) When the bee flies away with the pollen, the flower now has a neutral charge. When a second bee arrives, that bee skips the neutrally charged flower knowing all the pollen has been taken by the first bee. This means the second bee doesn’t waste their time, energy, and resources on that flower, and moves on. Over time, that flower will build up a positive charge and pollen again. Once that happens, another bee will again be attracted to the flower and the cycle repeats. This is how plants are pollinated and serve as the base of our food system.

Imagine if we could embrace that communication that occurs between bees and flowers. How much time, energy, and resources have we wasted in relationships, jobs, or environments that we knew weren’t right for us? Rather than embracing the wisdom of a bee, we work so hard to try to make it work and it falls apart. Many times, it’s no one’s fault. It just wasn’t a match. It’s better to just move on and find the places where we can experience equal and generous reciprocity — a place where we can offer our gifts and receive the gifts of others.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this wonder of nature, envisioning how this principle could transform my life and our shared world. How might we align talents and gifts, matching needs and resources to create sustainable change? How might we build systems that appreciate, value, and utilize everyone’s contributions so that everyone has what they need? Answering these questions is the work that lies ahead for all of us, and nature is our wise and successful guide.

creativity

Hope is a Renewable Resource

Christa Avampato
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2053590/episodes/16000698

With everything happening in the world now, hope may feel in short supply. I’ve got something that will help. I had the honor of being a guest on the Art Heals All Wounds podcast with host Pam Uzzell. 

During our conversation, I share my journey from growing up on a rural apple farm amidst adversity to becoming a climate advocate. I talk about my passion for reshaping the narratives and storytelling around sustainability and human design, and how my process of healing from cancer in the depths of the pandemic gave me perspective on healing the planet and the collective responsibility we all share for our planet’s future. This echos what the climate scientist, Dr. Michael Mann, calls “channeling dooming into doing.”

I also make the case for kindness (especially in urban settings), the urgency of transitioning to clean energy, and my plans for fostering environmental restoration, rewilding, and community engagement so we grow stronger together. Thank you, Pam, for the opportunity to talk about everything I love.

Listen to our conversation at https://www.buzzsprout.com/2053590/episodes/16000698

creativity

Can ecofiction inspire climate action?

Christa Avampato
Created by Christa Avampato using AI.

While on vacation I wrote my first full piece of ecofiction for a climate fiction writing competition. It’s a short story (5,000 words) that provides a slice of life in New York City in the year 2200, and grew out of the research I did for my University of Cambridge dissertation.

It’s told through the eyes of a journalist walking his dog who by chance meets the 90-year-old former mayor who galvanized the rebuilding of NYC after it was destroyed by floods caused by climate change. Biomimicry figures prominently in it. I tried to incorporate humor, heart, and redemption alongside the heartbreak, loss, and destruction. Ultimately, it’s a story about leadership, community, and vision.

No matter the outcome of the competition, I enjoyed writing it and plan to do more with these characters and in this genre. The predominant channels and messages we’re using for climate storytelling now are not generating the scale and speed of the changes we need. Fiction can play a bigger role is painting the picture of what a world transformed can look like, what it will take to get there, and how we might work together to make it so. The fandoms around fiction can be a unifying force for good, which is exactly what we need, now more than ever.

(I created the images below with AI, inspired by the story I wrote.)

creativity

I’m a guest on the nature podcast, Unearthing Wild Wonders

Christa Avampato
Nature inspired — home, healing, and biomimicry with Christa Avampato

A few months ago, I met Nicky Jenner, a gardener, conservationist, and nature lover who lives in Devon in the southeast of the U.K. Though I’ve only known her a short while, the moment we met I knew she was a kindred spirit. 

She told me she was starting a podcast called Unearthing Wild Wonders about the wisdom and wonder of nature, and how we bring about positive change in our deeply troubled world. I was honored when she asked if I’d be a guest and I immediately accepted. Our episode, Nature inspired — home, healing, and biomimicry with Christa Avampato , is out now. Unearthing Wild Wonders is beautiful, uplifting, and hopeful, and each episode leaves me newly inspired to continue my work to protect the planet. Also, Nicky’s voice immediately puts me at ease. 

In our conversation, Nicky and I talk about how the challenges I’ve faced in my life and with my health ignited my passion and commitment to make a difference for all beings on our precious planet. We talk about biomimicry and how the most unlikely species have inspired phenomenal innovations that we now use in our daily lives. We chat about the many languages we need to speak to bridge the divide between science, conservation, business, and finance.

I talk about my University of Cambridge dissertation that uses storytelling to connect climate entrepreneurs developing nature-based solutions with family offices looking for new investment opportunities that deliver a financial return and have a higher purpose.

I also share stories about my journey to overcome cancer, and how learning to heal my own body helped better prepare me to heal the planet. One of them I’m sharing publicly for the first time — how lying in a hospital bed seriously ill from chemotherapy helped me realize the immensity of the plastic waste problem and made me even more determined to do something about it.

I’m so grateful to Nicky for having me on the podcast. Our conversation happened just days after the passing of my sweet soul dog, Phineas, one of the worst losses of my life. Talking to Nicky helped me begin to heal and honor him. I’m so grateful for that. Let us know what you think of the episode.

I’m excited for the day when I’ll get to Devon, give her a hug, and walk through her garden with her. Nicky has a wonderful website and newsletter at https://www.hawksdawn.co.uk/ that I highly recommend. You can also find her on Instagram @nickyjenner_hawksdown posting gorgeous pictures of nature along with inspiring quotes and stories.

creativity

What we can learn from Eastern Redbud trees

Christa Avampato
Eastern Redbud. Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Christa Avampato.

My Brooklyn neighborhood is in full bloom with flowering trees putting on a colorful show for all of us. One of the trees that always catches my eyes this time of year is the Eastern Redbud. They grow bright pink, purple, and red buds directly from their trunks. Known as cauliflory and found mostly in the tropics in species such as cacao, jackfruit, and papaya, the evolutionary purpose of this adaptation has a few hypotheses.

1.) Foster as many partnerships as possible
With the ability to grow flowers on the trunk, the Eastern Redbud can produce more flowers, allowing for more seed dispersal and pollination opportunities. Additionally, more animals can act as pollinators. For example, small mammals climbing onto the tree trunks wouldn’t normally play a role in pollination when the flowers are on delicate branches that cannot support the weight of these mammals. However, with flowers growing on the main trunk that can support them, they act as pollinators for the redbuds just as much as birds and small insects.

For us, emulating a redbud means considering all of the potential partnerships we have around us. How can we change what we’re doing to help them help us? Even if someone doesn’t normally play a certain role, could they fill that role if we altered the system in a way that allows them to participate?

Eastern Redbud. Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Christa Avampato.

2.) Energy and resource savings
Without the need to grow a network on many delicate branches, flowering directly on the trunk saves the tree energy, water, and food. These resources can be poured into creating more flowers and therefore greater pollination and seed dispersal. The redbud certainly takes advantage of this, and in full bloom appears to explode with flowers.

There is nothing worse in nature than waste. Wasted energy can and often does mean the difference between life and death. Are we using all the resources we have in the most optimal way? Can we change how we operate to make better use of the resources we have to meet our ends goals?

3.) A matter of physics
In the case of trees such as cacao, jackfruit, and papaya, the fruit is too heavy for small delicate branches to bear. The weight of the fruit requires a sturdier structure so they grow directly from the trunk. This also allows the fruit to grow to a larger side, and again, allows for greater seed dispersal.

Sometimes we’re forced to do things a certain way for the sake of practicality and to best meet our end goal. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but practicality is the agent of adaptation, moving us along to do exactly what needs to be done.

Eastern Redbud. Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Christa Avampato.

creativity

What does a sustainable New York City look like?

Christa Avampato
Sustainable New York City. Created by Christa Avampato and Canva Magic Studio AI.

What does a sustainable New York City look like to you? I imagine lush micro gardens, biophilic architecture (a building methods that connects people with nature), rooftop farms, and clean transit, air, and water as pathways that give people, plants, and wildlife the opportunity to live side-by-side-by-side in ways that benefit all.

In biomimicry, we begin our design process by asking how nature would solve a specific problem we have with a question framed as “How would nature (the problem we want to solve)?”. My question above would be framed as “How would nature build a sustainable New York City?” This is a question that has occupied by headspace for years as I traverse through different projects and future visioning sessions.

In the spirit of an image being worth 1,000 words, I created these images with Canva Magic Studio AI to show how nature might build a sustainable New York. Is this a city you’d like to visit? Is this a city where you’d be happy to live? What are the first steps we can take now to make this our New York?

creativity

My leadership practice framework is a forest

Christa Avampato
Illustration by Natural Areas Conservancy. https://naturalareasnyc.org/

In my Masters in Sustainability Leadership program at University of Cambridge / Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), Dr. Louise Drake and Dr. Tanja Collavo wrote a beautiful module on leadership. They feature Elspeth Donovan who encourages us to develop a leadership practice framework that helps us understand how and why we respond, make decisions, and act.

For weeks I’ve thought about what my framework might be. Finally, I’ve found a perfect fit: the layers of a forest — soil, understory, vinelayer, midstory, understory, and atmosphere. As a biomimicry scientist and storyteller, this model fits my passions for building my life inspired by nature’s wisdom and the power of story to shift hearts, minds, and actions. It’s fitting that the word “story” is present in the layers of this incredible ecosystem that fosters life.

Soil — home of the earthly nutrients that give rise to the forest
This is what I read, see, hear, feel, and experience that feeds into my imagination and creativity. This houses my personal history, my core memories from the time I was a child to the present day. In that way the soil and what feeds me is always changing and evolving.

Understory — seedlings and saplings that will be the forest’s future
This is where I constantly cultivate new ideas, interests, and connections. Not all of them will mature but they all teach me something. I’m always learning, growing, evolving, and living my life spherically, in many different directions. Here my imagination and creativity have no limits.

Vinelayer — connects the forest from soil to canopy
These are the throughlines of my life and work: nature, stories, and business. These are my vines that run through my work and feed my creativity, and the use of resources that make my creative work possible to share with the world.

Midstory — made up of diverse shrubs and young trees
This is yesterday’s understory, the ideas and relationships that began there that have emerged as those that I’ll cultivate and nurture to their fullest potential.

Overstory — the top layer of mature tree crowns that connect to form the canopy
This is where the ideas I’ve nurtured have come to fruition and reached their full potential. The books I write. The products I create. The relationships that are core to my community. This is also where I fully connect to the wider world, and where the exchange of ideas and perspectives happens.

Atmosphere — with the nutrients from the soil, the atmosphere’s sunlight, air, and rain allow a forest to be sustainable and create an ecosystem where other beings can also thrive
For me, this is the love, care, concern, and support I receive from my community and the wider world. Just as the sunlight, air, and rain pour down through the forest and back into the soil to create a full loop, love nurtures my spirit, refills my cup, and allows me to continue my work. Just like a forest, my work also involves nurturing the lives and work of others.