Will Biomimicry Offer a Way Forward, Post-Sandy?

Salem, South Dakota revitalized its economic development corporation and launched an innovative community-investment model to jumpstart housing development after two derecho storms. Local leaders raised about $1 million through a creative funding mix and purchased land to build complete infrastructure (roads, water, sewer) for a 24-lot subdivision, reducing developer costs and risks. Two years after launching, underground systems are installed, roads are cleared and four of 24 lots have sold.

As flood risk and severity increase, homeowners are lifting their houses to avoid catastrophic damage. Hydraulic lifts raise the structure several feet up in the air, though it’s an expensive process, costing $75 to $200 per square foot. For some eligible families, low-interest disaster loans from FEMA are available to cover 75-100% of the costs. The organization has already raised nearly 22,000 homes nationwide since 1999.

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, knocking out power across the country, solar energy has stepped in to be a sustainable possibility. Such efforts have included lobbying local legislatures to incentivize communities to create their own solar project and training residents to install solar panels on their own. Many of the solar initiatives that have started have been community-led and hyper-local, meaning that what many deem a basic right – access to energy and electricity – are more accessible than ever.

To address increased tidal flooding on its shoreline, Stonington, Connecticut, is sticking to a simple principle: "Where possible, work with nature not against it.” Volunteers plant native plants, helping to restore and expand the former salt marsh, which naturally absorbs water.

Small, cost-effective improvements to home construction were often the difference between houses that suffered small amounts of damage from Florida hurricanes and those that were destroyed. Knowing to ask for extra nails, strong windows, and hurricane clips for their roof, home owners can not only save their homes but save money from decreased insurance and energy costs.

When disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, strike the recovery can be very expensive. Insurance has been found to be key in order to quickly get funds to help relief efforts.

Rotterdam is increasingly threatened by climate change and the rising water levels that accompany it. Yet instead of building barriers, city officials are choosing to work with the water to help it flow through the city, via the nationwide 'Room for the River' project. This innovation, among others, such as the construction of parking lots that double as emergency reservoirs, embodies Rotterdam’s larger commitment to connect “water management with social welfare and neighborhood improvements.”

As climate change causes global sea levels to rise, nations around the world are increasingly concerned about threats to infrastructure and livelihoods. But the Dutch have been keeping the sea at bay for centuries using a variety of methods and technologies. Their designs and plans - such as floating buildings - may provide solutions for other countries looking to evolve and adapt to changing ocean levels.

The Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, is providing rent assistance, including same-day eviction protection, for people impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The Cabins 4 Christ initiative is providing shed-like shelters for people who lost their homes in the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. The structures include a composting toilet, mattresses, plenty of insulation, and supplies like water and a cooking stove.