Lesson Fifty-Three: Seaweed
Algae has been used for thousands of years to solve problems. The next one it’s tackling, is climate change.
Over the last two lessons we talked about composting and peat moss - and both of those play a role in sequestering carbon and keeping it out of our atmosphere.
Today we’re going to take a look at a species that does all the carbon capturing work IN THE WATER. Yep, we’re talking about seaweed.
You probably didn’t know, but researchers believe that seaweed is actually 50x more effective at sequestering carbon compared to a natural forest. That’s a pretty big deal as we try and find ways to avoid global temperatures reaching critical levels over the next century.
There’s a lot to cover, but we’ll break it down into these four questions:
Why is seaweed so important?
How does seaweed capture carbon?
Are there any challenges with using seaweed for this?
What work is being done globally?
WHY IS SEAWEED SO IMPORTANT?
Seaweed versatility has been documented since the aboriginal people’s of Australia 45,000 years ago. Over time it has played roles (see below). In short, seaweed packs way above its weight class when it comes to natural resources 💪🏽.
HOW DOES SEAWEED CAPTURE CARBON?
Seaweed, like land plants, rely on photosynthesis to grow - meaning they absorb and rely on carbon dioxide (CO2). This is also known as carbon sequestration because the carbon stays in the seaweed.
Seaweed also grows fast - like, ridiculously fast. Most seaweed species grow 5-7 inches a day while others can grow up to 2 feet a day! This means it can suck up CO2 at incredible rates.
Here is where it gets good - coastal marine systems can absorb carbon at rates up to 50 times greater than forests on land!
Also, research has shown that adding seaweed to livestock feed can reduce methane emissions as much as 70%!
ARE THERE ANY BARRIERS?
In order for carbon sequestration to work with seaweed, once grown, it either needs to be harvested or sunken to the bottom of the ocean.
If not, seaweed may decompose and if it’s near the surface, the carbon goes back into the atmosphere.
The research is there but the actual technology for doing this properly is still being developed.
WHAT WORK IS BEING DONE GLOBALLY?
The good news is that seaweed is being recognized as the carbon-capturing queen that it is. 👑
There are a lot of innovative organizations worldwide working on solutions ranging from seaweed farms to seaweed carbon credits.
Here are some organizations that are making some waves in this page:
Definitely an interesting space to monitor and continue learning about! I found that this resource from Harvard University was very informative to get additional information.
