{"id":1685,"date":"2019-11-11T20:25:27","date_gmt":"2019-11-11T20:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1685"},"modified":"2019-11-11T20:31:06","modified_gmt":"2019-11-11T20:31:06","slug":"nature-knows-adaptation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1685","title":{"rendered":"Nature Knows: Adaptation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There is a tree that is known as the \u201cwalking tree\u201d because many say that moves over time through the forest. The story is that the roots of the tree grow wildly and widely, and the tree\u2019s energy systems use those exploring roots to identify the soils with the nutrients most appropriate for continued tree success. The roots that are engaged with soils that are beneficial grow more strongly, while the roots experiencing soils devoid of helpful nutrients die off. Over time, the tree itself re-centers within the complete root system, slowly moving across the earth, a centimeter or two a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fascinating, (and debated).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"902\" height=\"507\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/p03bdfyt.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1687\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/p03bdfyt.jpg 902w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/p03bdfyt-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/p03bdfyt-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px\" \/><figcaption>&#8220;walking trees&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet this is a glorious storified example of how Nature understands and applies adaptation. Some changes take generations and are tied to evolutionary shifts, such as camels having nostrils that close to protect from blowing sands in the arid desert, and human cultures that have physically evolved to handle exceptionally high altitudes. Other are shorter responses to more immediate situations, such as certain frogs and fish<a href=\"https:\/\/animalogic.ca\/wild\/6-surprising-animals-that-can-change-sex\"> that change sex<\/a> as needed to maintain the population level. Also succulents that store water, adapting to dry conditions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, the human species keeps creating change, yet seems to be the one most resistant to change. Adapting is a challenge for us. Hence the massive push-back on the science that is revealing and predicting the climate peril we are in, and the shifts we will be facing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mythical example of the walking tree led one researcher, Mitchell Resnick, to develop a process to assist in change and in project development, called TREE. The acronym stands for Test Randomly, Evaluate, and Elect, and it is a process ideal for almost any project or business plan or even conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Test Randomly &#8211; we don\u2019t know what is important to a building project, for example, until we exhaustively reach out and gain insights from many perspectives (users, builders, cleaners, community&#8230;).&nbsp;<\/li><li>Evaluate &#8211; we then take the inputs and assess them for what we can learn from then and how the information applies or does not apply to the work at hand.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Elect &#8211; we can then choose what to pursue and why, and we can do this with confidence and a solidified conviction that will help to shepherd the work to completion.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a boss once who said a leader doesn\u2019t need inputs because she should be able to make her own decisions. She made it very clear that gaining the opinions and expertise of others was actually an illustration of weakness. My response &#8211; a leader who is not making use of a wide variety of inputs is not a leader, but a scared person with a title. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8230;a leader who is not making use of a wide variety of inputs is not a leader, but <strong>a scared person with a title<\/strong>. &nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In a time of dramatic and accelerating change we can learn from Nature how to adapt, and how to adapt well. We need to take in vast quantities of information, from perspectives beyond our own. We can process these inputs and relate them to our situation to learn from them, and then apply that learning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>TREE can be used for little decisions, such as my trying to find the right toothpaste tabs so I can avoid plastic toothpaste tubes. I tried one, found it \u2018meh\u2019, did some research, read reviews, asked some friends for their experiences, and have now tried another, which is much better. I may try a few more, because I\u2019ve learned things I didn\u2019t know, such as most toothpaste tabs don\u2019t have fluoride. Is this good or bad? I need to evaluate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And TREE can be used, certainly, for bigger systemic decisions such as job searches, project designs,\u00a0and decisions about what college to attend or where to move to. The key is to reach for broad inputs and then commit to evaluating the info before choosing a direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is very interesting to me that our society, our world, has more access to more insights and perspectives than ever before, yet we often allow social media, and apps such as Pandora and Spotify, to select the things we like, on our behalf. Yes, with input from us, but potentially in an ever-restrictive search pattern. To get the most out of this access, we can each push those systems to broaden the exposure, connections, and possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/spotify-logo-headphones-1024x686.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/spotify-logo-headphones-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/spotify-logo-headphones-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/spotify-logo-headphones-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/spotify-logo-headphones.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Use tools, and don&#8217;t let them limit the inputs!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Because, above all, this is an iterative state of being.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are not tasked with doing an adaptation and then being done with it, but with <strong>continually re-assessing what is working and what is not<\/strong>, as Nature does every day with her systems and solutions. There is no &#8220;done&#8221;. We are engaging in an incredible dance between living in the moment and understanding that this moment will bow to the next moment, for all time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Happy adaptation, on your path 2bgreener,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jodi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is a tree that is known as the \u201cwalking tree\u201d because many say that moves over time through the forest. The story is that [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Nature Knows: Adaptation\nFirst blog in a series focusing on lessons from Nature. Part of our journey in our changing climate is to adapt...and Nature knows a thing or two to help us.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[204,205,172,46,206],"class_list":["post-1685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-adapt","tag-adaptation","tag-learning","tag-nature","tag-stakeholders"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p40KlT-rb","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":709,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=709","url_meta":{"origin":1685,"position":0},"title":"Synergies: Site Savvy","author":"greenerjsa","date":"October 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"In recent blogs I\u2019ve talked about the buildings systems and synergies, including the building enclosure working together with itself and with mechanical HVAC and power systems for optimal effect. I\u2019ve also talked about how the building users are one of the systems that can be integrated into our performance goals,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bio-synergistic design&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"Window selections - It's about MUCH MORE than this.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/NFRC-label-2015.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":844,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=844","url_meta":{"origin":1685,"position":1},"title":"Nature-Informed Business","author":"greenerjsa","date":"March 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I recently gave a presentation at Building Energy 2017 in Boston, called Redundancy, Diversity, Connectivity: optimizing your projects, your business, your life, and I was very pleased at the reception, so much so that I am going to share the basics with you. I plan to delve deeper into this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bio-synergistic design&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_0047","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/IMG_0047-300x225.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1313,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=1313","url_meta":{"origin":1685,"position":2},"title":"Nothing About Me,  Without Me, is For Me","author":"greenerjsa","date":"October 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I googled this statement (title) to find out where it originated, because I find it to be one of the most influential quotes for my thought process that I have even encountered. It comes from efforts toward participatory healthcare. Kudos to that industry for recognizing this absolute truth. And here's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bio-synergistic design&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/squash.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/squash.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/squash.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/squash.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/squash.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/squash.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":778,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=778","url_meta":{"origin":1685,"position":3},"title":"Cyclic &#8211; a Marriage that Works.","author":"greenerjsa","date":"January 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I have been studying recently about bio-synergistic design approaches, including biomimicry, bioutilization and biophilia. One of the things that has struck me, and which I am certain I will explore more in-depth and farther afield over the years, is our lack of awareness of the cyclic propensity of the influences.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bio-synergistic design&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"marriage","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/marriage-300x289.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":560,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=560","url_meta":{"origin":1685,"position":4},"title":"Dandelion Spring","author":"greenerjsa","date":"April 25, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I had a couple of hours yesterday\u00a0outside. The dandelions were not happy with me for that, but the birds seemed content, and the sun was bright and a few plants got tended. None of us spend enough outdoors and there are so many benefits to being outdoors even if your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bio-synergistic design&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":785,"url":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?p=785","url_meta":{"origin":1685,"position":5},"title":"Nature of the Space","author":"greenerjsa","date":"January 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I am currently fascinated by the \"Nature of the Space\". This title captures\u00a0four of the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design as defined by Terrapin Bright Green in their accessible, informative and useful on-line publication. The nature of the space includes prospect, refuge, mystery and risk\/peril: all of the elements that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bio-synergistic design&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bio-synergistic design","link":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/?cat=14"},"img":{"alt_text":"shelter","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/2bgreener.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/shelter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1685"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1690,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1685\/revisions\/1690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2bgreener.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}