Like mice and flies, it is considered to be a "model" organism because it is easy to grow, has a short life cycle and makes lots of seeds.

BBC: GM plant battles salt

There are many areas of overlap between biomimicry and "cradle-to-cradle" particularly in the way that ecosystems present a great model of closed loop systems in which any waste from one organism becomes the nutrient for something else.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS