Life Box and Bio-Mimicry [Again]

An earlier entry (The Life Box – Is It Biomimicry?) posed a question but gave no answer. Since then, I have found an answer. The question was left unanswered because I didn't know if ideas used in the making of the Life Box had been "taken from the genius of the natural world" (in the words of Janine Benyus, who coined the term). In hindsight it seems obvious, but I wanted to double-check with the inventor of Life Box – just to be sure.

Paul Stamets is the inventor of Life Box. He is founder and owner of Fungi Perfecti and author of five books on mushrooms. I had Thanksgiving Dinner at his house. (In the interest of full-disclosure, I must mention that Paul is my brother-in law).

I asked Paul Stamets whether the genius of nature had inspired him in creating Life Box. His business, growing mushrooms at Fungi Perfect, requires paying close attention to the patterns of Nature. Paul pointed out that he had used cardboard as compost for many years. Turning a shipping carton into ready-to-use compost, then, is a pretty obvious match for any self-respecting, self-composting gardener. And we have one example of bio-mimicry.

Then, there is the relationship between trees and mushroom mycelia. That pattern in nature is pretty hard to miss. So putting mushroom mycelia with the tree seeds in the Life Box just mimics one aspect of the ideal conditions that nature provides for tree seeds. That the seeds and mycelia may have traveled thousands of miles together in a freight train filled with Christmas presents is beside the point. And this is another example of bio-mimicry.

Then there is the manner in which the Life Box seeds are made to germinate. You put the Life Box into a very cold place – either outside or in a freezer – for two weeks. This mimics the "wake-up" call that nature gives to seeds to let them know that winter has come and gone. Once again, an example of bio-mimicry.

Three examples of how elements of Life Box were inspired by the genius of nature. How cool is that? There are doubtless other examples, but for my purposes three is sufficient.

Paul showed me a Life Box that is the perfect size for shipping books. The timing is could not have been better because I need a box with just that size. My website sells Kill A Watt power meters. The book-sized Life Box is the perfect size for shipping them in. I also sell online a computer programming book that I wrote; it should fit perfectly as well. (Life Box comes in other sizes, but I didn't see them because dinner was ready and we had to get to the table.)

As soon as we get our supply of book-sized Life Boxes – early in 2010, I expect – we will use them for all orders for Kill A Watt power meters and also all orders for my books. I can't wait!