Young Citizens of a Respected Earth

In spreading the biomimicry meme with the youth of Trinidad, I've come to gain some understanding of just how inspiring they are. In late 2016 I was invited by the Black Deer Foundation to deliver the keynote address at bpTT School’s Environmental Awareness Competition in Mayaro, which represents primary and secondary students across the North and South Eastern school districts. It was exciting to engage the students and teachers in conversations about environmental awareness, and also bring biomimicry to a new (captive!) audience. In this instance, I mainly focused on discussing what the Biomimicry Institute calls Life’s Principles, or design principles embedded within nature, such as adapting to changing conditions, being locally attuned and responsive, being material and resource efficient, among others. 

Press coverage of the environmental awareness competition.  

Met spoken word artist and poet Zakiya Griot Gill, who performed at the event.

A few of the student members of C.O.R.E. and Geography teacher, Sunita Maharaj.

Little did I know that this experience would lead to another rewarding and energising workshop with Trinidad's youth. After this, I was invited to deliver a similar presentation at Northeastern College in Sangre Grande, meeting with older students who form part of the school's environmental club, Citizens of a Respected Earth (C.O.R.E.).  This was a much smaller group (twenty or so), so we had time to interact and discuss biomimicry in more depth, applying it to challenges and working in teams to observe organisms in the school garden.