Season 10 · Episode 125 · 28 Jan 2026
125 - Richard James MacCowan
With Richard James MacCowan
“"Can we use biomimicry or looking at complex systems from nature to actually improve our supply chains that allow businesses to thrive"?”
Reflections
Q1: Place
If we could do a flypast on any part of the world that is significant to you, which place, city or country would it be and why?
West Coast of Scotland
Q2: Life
Give us a glimpse into your life story so far with an emphasis on what you are doing currently?
I started off with working in the property sector and realised I didn't really like that so retrained into design and urbanism which really brought back to this idea of building in nature into cities and into the built environments. And from that journey came into biomimicry and exploring deeper understanding about nature, the structure, substance, materials, energy, looking at systems. So whether it's working with food retailers or packaging companies or doing urban design work we can then look at nature to see how and where it does it differently. We work with many businesses and are working with two projects through the Royal Academy of Engineering. We're working in Madagascar looking at creating 3d energy of pine needles and also working in in Kerala in India where we were looking at woman led initiatives for the fishing community. That's in climate adaptation, mitigation and generating new income streams.
Q3: Reset
Where on earth is your place or reset or re-charge?
A run in the fields along the river in York
Q4: Wonder
What wonder of the natural world excites you the most?
It's everything! It's hard to ask somebody who works in biomimicry to talk about one thing.
Q5: Hopefulness
What is your story of hopefulness (not your own) about a person, business or non-profit who are doing amazing things for the world?
Location
Flyover
West Coast of Scotland
Guest
York (UK)