Why all the fuss about Seaweed?
Healing the Oceans
Seaweeds are some of the most ancient organisms on earth.
They are the great engineers of the marine environment. They absorb carbon and emit oxygen. They fix chemicals which wash off the land, to give us cleaner, healthier water.
By combining seaweed with filter feeders like mussels and scallops, we can create a powerful tool for cleaning our oceans. Kelp can also dissipate the power of waves so help to protect our coastline and rocky reefs from storms
It provides food and safe spaces for fish and shellfish to spawn. So is a great way to help depleted fish populations recover and improve marine biodiversity.
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Health and Wellbeing
Seaweed is a superfood.
Its high in protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals while being very low in fat.
Its a source of Omega-3 oils and Iodine, which most of us lack. Iodine is associated with Thyroid function, which controls metabolism - Its hard to lose weight if you don’t have enough iodine.
Societies in which seaweed is a big part of the diet have lower rates of cancer, osteoporosis, asthma and heart conditions.
Kelp and Climate Change.
Seaweed locks away Carbon Fast!
During photosynthesis, seaweed absorbs CO2 from the water and converts it into organic carbon, releasing oxygen as a by-product. It lays down that carbon in its tissues as it grows.
Kelp is known for its rapid growth rate - up to 30 centimetres per day under optimal conditions. So it can sequester carbon far faster than a tree. It also grows in communities far denser than forests on land. So can absorb up to 20 times more carbon than an equivalent area of trees.
Future Farming
Kelp has been used to improve soil health for over 1000 years. Fermented seaweed bio-stimulants nurture the microbes in soil. Soil rich in microbes makes more nutrients available to the plants, has improved structure and can retain more water.
Healthy soils means healthy plants. Healthy plants don’t require fertiliser or pesticides, which is good news for pollinators and for farmers, who can dramatically reduce their costs.
Seaweed is a sustainable source of calories and protein which could replace imported soya in animal feed. (Soya is heavily associated with deforestation). Certain seaweeds have been shown to dramatically reduce methane “emissions” from cattle, and others can improve livestock immunity, so reduce the need to use antibiotics.
Raw Material for Green Industry
Seaweed is a versatile and rapidly renewable raw material that can be made into sustainable biodegradable plastics and fibres for use in emerging green industries.
Seaweed has natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Extracts are used extensively in pharmaceuticals. Seaweed extracts were even used to treat COVID-19.