Modeling climate solutions after what we can learn from nature
There are many lessons to be learned from nature. Trees show us to have no fear when going out on a limb, for there lies the fruit. We can also learn from trees that when the root is deep, there is no reason to fear the wind. Water shows us how to be strong, yet fluid. The ocean shows us that life can persevere even in the most dynamic and unpredictable conditions. Birds teach us about resilience and creativity when building a home and finding the place best suited for us.
Nature also shows us the value of waste, or more accurately, it shows us that everything can have a purpose, even if it is created unintentionally or as a byproduct. Think of the circle of life in a forest. A tree grows from a seed, likely pollinated and dispersed accidentally. The tree takes root and grows based on the availability of resources, like water and sunlight. It can be a host for a variety of other organisms, like birds, small mammals and even other plants. It forms symbiotic relationships with other organisms because the opportunity is there and is mutually beneficial. It relies on fungi to exchange nutrients and absorb water. Once the tree’s life comes to an end, it decomposes back into the very soil from which it came, returning the nutrients it has stored and replenishing the soil for the organisms to follow. Certain fungi (saprotrophs) act as decomposers and play a big role in breaking down wood and other debris to recycle nutrients back into the soil. Everything has its place and its purpose, even byproducts, and when all is said and done, organisms return to the Earth and the cycle begins again.
The cyclical nature of our planet’s natural environment and its aptitude to eliminate waste are excellent models to replicate when crafting nature-based solutions for complex environmental issues, including climate change. As the Earth’s population balloons and the global climate reaches unprecedented extremes, we have to get creative when it comes to sustaining our populace and our planet. This means preserving our natural resources, protecting our natural spaces, and looking at the environment as a role model when creating systems and structures to support our society.
When considering what nature-based solutions could look like in combating climate change, let’s consider the ocean. Our global oceans set our planet apart from other celestial bodies in our solar system, and give the Earth the nickname “The Blue Planet.” The theory of evolution suggests that modern tetrapods like mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians can trace their ancestry back to primitive fishes. These vast, powerful bodies of water have long been revered, serving as staples in tales of folklore and history throughout time. They have also perfected the mantra of “no waste in nature.” When an organism reaches the end of its life in the ocean, it sinks to the ocean floor and creates unique, nutrient-rich ecosystems that may sustain creatures on the seafloor for years.
In addition to being a great teacher about the power of nature and the circle of life, oceans may very well hold the answers to the big question - how can we model climate solutions after nature?
One pressing environmental issue believed to exacerbate the rate and effects of climate change is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Greenhouse gasses are naturally occurring - in fact, without them, the Earth would be too cold to sustain life. However, human activities since the Industrial Revolution have increased the rate of GHG emissions exponentially, throwing off the natural balance and creating the need for improved or expanded carbon sequestration methods and technologies. Some human activities which contribute to the release of GHG emissions include burning fossil fuels for energy production, deforestation, and methane from animal agriculture.
How can we reference the ocean when crafting nature-based solutions to combat the oversaturation of GHG emissions in our atmosphere? By looking at the organisms that naturally sequester carbon, understand how they store or repurpose it, and replicate these systems and processes wherever possible. Restoring coastal wetlands, leveraging photosynthesizing organisms (like seaweed and phytoplankton) in seawater to take up carbon dioxide and store that carbon as biomass, and using oysters for their natural tendencies to sequester carbon are all plausible methods to use nature’s existing systems to fight climate change and promote ancillary environmental benefits as well. For example, restoring coastal wetlands can make them more resilient against harsh weather and erosion. Seaweed creates forage and refuge habitat for commercially important fish and diversity of marine life. Sustaining a healthy oyster population can also improve water quality.
Planet Earth existed and sustained life for billions of years before humans came along. While we have certainly harnessed the environment by using its resources to sustain our species, there is still much that we can learn from nature, particularly how to solve the problems that we have exacerbated (ex. climate change). Nature is all about balance - an equilibrium between give and take. Everything has its place and its purpose. Every plant, animal, insect, fungi, and bacteria has a role in its ecosystem’s services, even in death. When creating solutions for environmental issues, we must replicate natural processes, consider the value in waste and byproducts, and think about the big picture, the whole as the sum of its parts, to be as efficient and impactful as possible.
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