Biomimicry, Democracy, and Nature-Inspired Governance

What if we could create a truly inclusive, equitable, multiracial democracy that embodies the level of interdependence, mutual benefit, coevolution, and ongoing regeneration that we see in the natural world? We are at a pivotal moment in the human evolutionary story. The task of rethinking our systems to ensure the survival of our species and those with whom we share this precious planet is not a small one. It requires a radical reimagining of what’s possible and what’s important. Beyond that, it requires action. The US is one week from the most important election of our time. The decisions facing US voters are mirrored by similar tension points in nations around the world. Do we make choices that lead to more interdependence, personal freedoms, respect for the whole of humanity, and a commitment to ensuring biodiversity and the regeneration of living systems? Or do we disconnect, isolate, actively threaten the “other,” and put ourselves and the earth at even deeper risk in this time of social and environmental polycrisis? . Elections are feedback loops, which means they are a chance for us to accelerate movement in the direction we’re already headed, or to apply the brakes and insist upon a rerouting. We’re insisting that now is the time for life-affirming change. As US citizens, hand-in-hand with others around the world, this is the moment to stand in our values – which today, and in the coming week, means to VOTE, and to actively encourage others to vote in ways that create conditions for the wellbeing of all life on this planet. As always, at BSI we are looking to Nature as a mentor. To help us apply nature’s wisdom to the specific challenges presented by the 2024 US Presidential Election, BSI’s Science Advisor Deb Bidwell, a biology professor and Certified Biomimicry Professional, sat down with Stosh Cotler, a social justice leader and activist who is amplifying her political work with biomimicry. Stosh’s current focus is on cultivating a strong and inclusive, multi-racial democracy and uprooting racial and religious nationalism that is rising in the US and around the world. As a Masters degree student in ASU’s Biomimicry Program, and an incoming member of Cohort 7 of the Biomimicry Professional