109: Michelle Fehler on Biomimicry.
How Nature Can Inspire our Choices
Michelle’s love for gardening most likely was imprinted during her childhood in Switzerland where she grew up surrounded by green and lush vegetation. She spent most of her childhood in her parents’ garden, connecting on a deep level with nature. In her mid-twenties, she moved to Phoenix for a 6-month adventure. And now, after 19 years, she calls Phoenix her home. Michelle is a trained graphic designer who received her Masters exploring biomimetic and sustainable graphic design. She is full-time faculty at the Design School at ASU. These days, her garden provides her with much needed time for restorative energy while she is working on her second Master’s through the newly established Biomimicry Program at ASU as well as on the Biomimicry Professional certification through Biomimicry 3.8.Listen in and Learn about:
- Her path from Switzerland to Phoenix and how a six month visit became a life long stay
- How a career in graphic design made her feel that she was helping to add to the problems
- When that lightbulb hit that helped her see a new path
- What biomimicry is and how it has been around for a VERY long time
- A few great examples of some biomimicry examples in production today
- How a spider web is now saving lives of birds around the world
- Considering the end result of resource use
- Her awareness of a personal conflict and how she has changed her journey to being vegan
- Some of her challenges adding biomimicry to her gardening
- What she wishes humans would learn about our stay on the planet
- What she named her urban farm and why
As well as:
- Her biggest failure – her story about feral roosters and how she created a new ecosystem in her neighborhood
- Her biggest success – her story on how she was able to add a bit of biomimicry education to her class on storytelling
- What drives her
- And her one piece of advice for Podcast listeners
Books She Recommends:
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
Michelle recommends we read the chapter on agriculture or at the very least start on page 11 and read the first five sentences!
Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food
Documentaries She Recommends:
Open Sesame (81 minutes)
Vegucated (77 minutes)
How to reach Michelle:
Facebook: Sonoran Desert Biomimcry
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