--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are three types of biomimicry - one…" description: "\"There are three types of biomimicry - one is copying form and shape, another is copying a process, like photosynthesis in a leaf, and the third is mimi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg" --- # There are three types of biomimicry - one is copying form… ![“There are three types of biomimicry - one is copying form and shape, another is copying a process, like photosynthesis in a leaf, and the third is mimicking at an ecosystem's level, like building a nature-inspired city,” quote by Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg) > “There are three types of biomimicry - one is copying form and shape, another is copying a process, like photosynthesis in a leaf, and the third is mimicking at an ecosystem's level, like building a nature-inspired city,” [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Biomimicry can be applied at three scales: copying form, copying processes, and copying whole ecosystems. **In simple terms:** Three levels of nature-inspired design. Key Takeaway Apply the appropriate scale for sustainable solutions. Themes sustainability design innovation Mood inspired optimistic Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - urban planning - product design - energy systems - agriculture Key Concepts Ecosystem thinking bio-inspired engineering Questions to Reflect On - Which scale best fits your project? - How to balance complexity and feasibility? A Different Perspective Scaling up may face technical and economic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Ecosystems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) [Photosynthesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photosynthesis/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [Part of what you try and do when you're writing is to just transcend politics and the moment in a way and talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-joy/part-of-what-you-try-and-do-when-you-re-writing-is-to-just-transcend/) [Lisa Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-joy/) > [The more our world functions like the natural world, the more likely we are to endure on this home that is ours, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/the-more-our-world-functions-like-the-natural-world-the-more-likely/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Everyone is trying to jump on the biomimic bandwagon. 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And he looks deeply, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/jay-harman-is-the-quintessential-biomimic-a-principled-inventor-who/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Biomimicry is … the conscious emulation of life’s genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/biomimicry-is-the-conscious-emulation-of-life-s-genius/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Biomimicry is basically taking a design challenge and then finding an ecosystem that's already solved that challenge, and literally trying to emulate what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/biomimicry-is-basically-taking-a-design-challenge-and-then-finding-an/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [At this point in our global ecological crisis, the survival of humanity will require a fundamental shift in our attitude toward nature: from finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/at-this-point-in-our-global-ecological-crisis-the-survival-of/) [Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/) ## More by Janine Benyus > [A solitary American monk named Thomas Berry writes that in our relationship to nature, we have been autistic for centuries. 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We are still beholden to ecological laws, the same as any other life-form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/in-reality-we-haven-t-escaped-the-gravity-of-life-at-all-we-are-still/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Organisms don't think of CO2 as a poison. 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We throw things in a landfill just because they're glued together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/glue-actually-contaminates-recyclables-we-throw-things-in-a-landfill/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) [Explore all 44 Janine Benyus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) ## More Biomimicry quotes > [The more our world functions like the natural world, the more likely we are to endure on this home that is ours, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/the-more-our-world-functions-like-the-natural-world-the-more-likely/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Everyone is trying to jump on the biomimic bandwagon. But a cork floor is not biomimicry. Neither is using bacteria to clean water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/everyone-is-trying-to-jump-on-the-biomimic-bandwagon-but-a-cork-floor/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature. In a society accustomed to dominating or 'improving' nature, this respectful imitation is a radically new approach, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/biomimicry-is-innovation-inspired-by-nature-in-a-society-accustomed/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [For businesses, biomimicry is about bringing a new discipline - biology - to the design table. It's not to write an environmental impact statement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/for-businesses-biomimicry-is-about-bringing-a-new-discipline-biology/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Jay Harman is the quintessential biomimic, a principled inventor who sees solutions everywhere he looks in the natural world. And he looks deeply, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/jay-harman-is-the-quintessential-biomimic-a-principled-inventor-who/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [At this point in our global ecological crisis, the survival of humanity will require a fundamental shift in our attitude toward nature: from finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/at-this-point-in-our-global-ecological-crisis-the-survival-of/) [Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/) > [Biomimicry is … the conscious emulation of life’s genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/biomimicry-is-the-conscious-emulation-of-life-s-genius/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Biomimicry is basically taking a design challenge and then finding an ecosystem that's already solved that challenge, and literally trying to emulate what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/biomimicry-is-basically-taking-a-design-challenge-and-then-finding-an/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) Browse all 9 Biomimicry quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are three types of biomimicry - one is copying form and shape, another is copying a process, like photosynthesis in a leaf, and the third is mimicking at an ecosystem's level, like building a nature-inspired city,", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janine Benyus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one-is-copying-form-and-shape/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biomimicry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one-is-copying-form-and-shape/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/janine-benyus-15049_biomimicry_there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one_1123016.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are three types of biomimicry - one is copying form and shape, another is copying a process, like…” — Janine Benyus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Janine Benyus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are three types of biomimicry...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one-is-copying-form-and-shape/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/there-are-three-types-of-biomimicry-one-is-copying-form-and-shape/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```