Log In Sign Up

Search for any green Service

Find green products from around the world in one place

Window cleaning

Singapore Safety Glass

Tag: Carbon dioxide

Coffee Biochar Concrete Carbon Sequestration

Posted on by dishanth
Coffee Biochar Concrete Carbon Sequestration

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks worldwide; on average, 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year. As a result, approximately 18 million tonnes of coffee grounds are produced annually. Coffee grounds can be used for a variety of purposes. It can be used to fertilize your garden or added to compost. Coffee grounds can neutralize odors, can be used to exfoliate your skin, tenderize meats, and many other uses.

Despite all of these amazing uses for coffee grounds, the reality is that most of the coffee grounds produced actually end up in landfills; about 75% in fact. Rotting coffee grounds generate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas contributing to warming. Rotting coffee grounds also emit carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and ammonia. While there have been programs from coffee shops that will donate their coffee grounds to customers to use in their gardens (Starbucks has been part of the Grounds for Your Garden program since 1995), but most coffee shops are not implementing these initiatives.

Researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in Australia have found a way to use coffee grounds on a larger scale and to eliminate the risk of them ending up in landfills. And that is to use coffee biochar concrete in the construction industry.

The researchers have developed concrete that is almost 30 percent stronger than traditional concrete by mixing in coffee-derived biochar. The coffee biochar was created using a low-energy process called pyrolysis. The organic waste is heated to 350 degrees Celsius without oxygen to avoid the risk of generating carbon dioxide. Under pyrolysis, organic molecules vibrate and break down into smaller components, creating biochar. This is a similar process that is used to roast unused beans to enhance their taste, except without the use of oxygen.

In coffee biochar concrete, about 15 percent of the sand they would use to make concrete is replaced with the coffee biochar, thus creating new concrete. The coffee biochar is finer than sand, and its porous qualities help to bind to organic material. Reducing the total use of sand in concrete will minimize the construction industry’s environmental footprint. It is said that over 50 billion metric tons of natural sand are used annually in construction. Sand mining significantly stresses ecosystems, including riverbeds and riverbanks, coffee biochar concrete can relieve some of that pressure on the environment.

The cement industry is the third largest source of industrial air pollution, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. Moreover, cement currently accounts for around 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Turning coffee- biochar into concrete will reduce the construction industry’s reliance on continuous mining of natural resources, making the industry more sustainable.

When introduced into concrete mixtures, the coffee biochar concrete was found to act as a microscopic carbon repository within the concrete matrix. The alkaline conditions within hardened concrete enable biochar to mineralize and firmly bind carbon dioxide into its structure over time. Concrete containing even a small percentage of spent coffee biochar was shown to sequester meaningful quantities of CO2 from the curing process and surrounding environment.

Utilizing waste coffee grounds to synthesize biochar for carbon sequestration could offer a sustainable way to offset concrete’s sizable carbon footprint while giving new purpose to spent grounds. With further research, coffee biochar concrete could provide a feasible carbon capture pathway for the construction industry.

The researchers estimate that if all the waste grounds produced in Australia annually could be converted into coffee biochar, it would amount to roughly 22,500 tonnes. Compare that to the 28 million tonnes of sand that are required to produce over 72 million tonnes of cement concrete in Australia. Just think: Australia has over 13 thousand coffee shops, whereas the United States has over 38 thousand coffee shops. If this project expands outside of Australia, coffee biochar concrete could significantly impact the environment and waste.

The research on coffee biochar concrete is still in the early stages; there is still a lot of testing to be done, but it shows that there are innovative and unique ways to reduce and repurpose organic landfill waste. Once the researchers can account for things like durability, the researchers will collaborate with local councils on future infrastructure projects, including the construction of walkways and pavements. Just think, we are one step closer to adding sustainability into the construction industry and one step closer to walking on coffee biochar concrete!

 

 

 

 

Source   Happy Eco News

ECONYL Sustainable Nylon Alternative

Posted on by dishanth
ECONYL Sustainable Nylon Alternative

Nylon is the stretchy material found in underwear, hosiery, activewear, swimwear, and even umbrellas. It was the first fabric to be made in a laboratory. Nylon is made out of crude oil and is very energy-intensive to produce. Producing nylon creates nitrous oxide, which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Large amounts of water are needed to cool the fibres along with lubricants, which can become a source of contamination. Moreover, nylon is not biodegradable. If it makes its way into the oceans, it will degrade to thin fibres and small particles that wildlife can digest.

Many designers and fashion brands want to use a sustainable nylon alternative in their garments, but it is difficult to find them. One new sustainable nylon alternative is called ECONYL, a trademark of the Italian plastics company Aquafil. Sustainable nylon alternative ECONYL is made up of nylon waste, including fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring, and industrial plastic. The nylon waste is recovered and converted into new yarn. This regenerated nylon can be recycled, recreated, and remoulded repeatedly. ECONYL is chemically identical to nylon 6, which means it has the same characteristics as traditional nylon and can be used in the same ways.

The ECONYL Regenerative System happens in four steps.

  1. They rescue waste like fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial plastic from all over the world. The waste is sorted and cleaned to recover all of the nylon possible.
  1. Through radical regeneration and purification, the recovered nylon is recycled back to its original purity, allowing the quality of ECONYL to reflect that of fossil-based nylon.
  1. The recycled nylon is processed into new yarns and polymers for fashion and industrial brands.
  1. These brands can use ECONYL to create new products. Once the products containing ECONYL are no longer useful to customers, they can return and be regenerated again.

According to the ECONYL website, for every 10,000 tons of ECONYL raw material produced, they can save 70,000 barrels of cruise oils and over 65,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Switching to sustainable nylon alternative ECONYL also reduces the global warming impact of nylon by up to 90% compared with the material from oil.

Using abandoned fishing nets to make ECONYL helps to clean up the oceans and helps reduce the risk of marine animals getting entangled by abandoned nets. ECNOYL has teamed up with many take-back organizations to collect the materials used in creating their regenerative nylon. They have two carpet facilities in the US where they collect nylon 6. They also work with the Healthy Seas Foundation to collect recovered fishing nets.

ECONYL has teamed up with over 100 brands (many are swimwear and activewear brands) to include this sustainable nylon alternative in their products. Gucci, for example, launched its own recycling program to convert textile scraps into new ECONYL yarn. Gucci has also used ECONYL to create sustainable nylon alternative handbags. In 2023, Stella McCartney launched its first-ever close-the-loop garment, a parka made from ECONYL that is designed to be returned and regenerated into new yarn at its end-of-life. Adidas has been known to incorporate ECONYL into some of their swimwear designs.

We are also seeing ECONYL used in interior brands like Pottery Barn to make rugs and car brands like BMW and Mercedez-Benz to produce their car floor mats. BMW also uses ECONYL in various interior trims, such as seat covers, door panels, and dashboard components.

As more brands begin to use ECONYL in their designs, we may eventually see a phase-out of traditional, fossil-fuel nylon. This sustainable switch will help the design and fashion industries become greener, our oceans cleaner, and help to create bigger importance on recycling and regenerating used materials.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

Harnessing Carbon Mineralization: A Powerful Tool to Combat Climate Change

Posted on by dishanth
Harnessing Carbon Mineralization: A Powerful Tool to Combat Climate Change

Carbon mineralization, the process that converts carbon dioxide into solid carbonate minerals, holds immense potential to combat climate change. While it occurs naturally, humans can accelerate this process through various methods.

By refining techniques such as biochar utilization, enhanced weathering, and ocean fertilization, we can unlock the power of carbon mineralization to effectively reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

There are many ways in which we can accelerate the amount of carbon we sequester using the process. Biochar, a form of charcoal derived from biomass, offers a sustainable solution to enhance carbon mineralization. When integrated into the soil, biochar amends its composition, enhancing its capacity to sequester carbon. The porous structure of biochar acts as a long-term reservoir, promoting carbon retention while fostering beneficial microbial activity in the soil. This method bolsters soil fertility and carbon storage, contributing to climate change mitigation and sustainable agriculture.

Enhanced weathering harnesses the natural process of rock breakdown to expedite carbon mineralization. Techniques involve accelerating rock weathering by introducing acidic or basic substances or fragmenting rocks into smaller particles. Carbon dioxide reacts with the minerals, forming stable carbonate compounds that can endure for centuries. By leveraging enhanced weathering, we can significantly augment carbon sequestration rates, offering a tangible solution to counteract rising carbon dioxide levels.

Ocean fertilization presents a compelling avenue to store carbon on a large scale. By introducing essential nutrients, such as iron or phosphorus, to the ocean, the growth of algae is enhanced. These algae act as carbon sinks, absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. Subsequently, when the algae die and sink to the ocean floor, they carry the sequestered carbon along, where it can remain locked away for centuries or even longer. Ocean fertilization holds promise in its ability to mitigate climate change while fostering marine ecosystems.

Carbon mineralization represents a powerful tool in the fight against climate change, offering several noteworthy advantages over other methods:

  1. Substantial Carbon Removal: By accelerating carbon mineralization, we can remove billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. This significant reduction in greenhouse gas concentrations would directly curb global warming and its associated impacts.
  2. Leveraging Natural Processes: Carbon mineralization harnesses and enhances naturally occurring processes. By utilizing and accelerating these processes, we minimize the need for technologically complex and energy-intensive solutions, leading to a more sustainable approach to climate change mitigation.
  3. Restoration of Carbon Balance: Historically, human activities such as deforestation and fossil fuel combustion have disrupted the carbon balance by releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon mineralization offers an opportunity to restore this balance by actively sequestering carbon and reversing the damage caused by human-induced carbon emissions.

While carbon mineralization shows tremendous promise, these are early days. Implementing carbon mineralization techniques on a large scale requires substantial investment and infrastructure development. The costs associated with establishing and maintaining these methods may present challenges, necessitating collaborative efforts from governments, private sectors, and research institutions.

It is crucial to carefully assess the potential environmental impacts of carbon mineralization techniques. For instance, ocean fertilization may disrupt marine ecosystems if not executed responsibly. Thorough environmental impact assessments and regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure the sustainable deployment of carbon mineralization methods.

Carbon mineralization offers an innovative and promising approach to mitigating climate change by actively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through methods like biochar utilization, enhanced weathering, and ocean fertilization, we have the potential to achieve substantial carbon sequestration, restore the carbon balance, and forge a more livable planet.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

 

Green IT for a Greener Future

Posted on by dishanth
Green IT for a Greener Future
Exploring a Green IT strategy isn’t solely about cost and carbon reduction – it’s a pledge to stakeholders

Tell us about Doji?

Doji offers innovative Green IT solutions that empower businesses and individuals to cut emissions and costs through a circular approach. Our unique marketplace, with operations in the U.K. and Brazil, connects enterprises and individuals, enabling them to secure certified refurbished devices and explore options like selling, trading, donating, or recycling existing tech, all with an eco-friendly process while tracking emissions.

We advocate for verified refurbished devices, helping users lower expenses and emissions while advancing Net Zero goals. This showcases our commitment to sustainable consumption and positions Doji as a leader in driving an environmentally conscious future.

How Serious is the Electronic-Waste Challenge?

E-waste, dubbed a ‘tsunami’ by the UN, is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream. In 2021, it hit 57.4 million tonnes, exceeding the Great Wall of China’s weight. Alarmingly, user devices, including smartphones and tablets, emit 1.5 to 2.0 times more carbon than data centers (1). These emissions are projected to increase by 12.8% annually (2), with around 75% arising from manufacturing, transportation, and disposal. Doji tackles this by enabling longer tech device lifecycles.

How Does Doji Aid Organizations in Lowering IT Carbon Footprint and Gaining Benefits?

A rapid and effective way to slash IT Carbon emissions is through a Green IT strategy for tech procurement, where Doji excels.

Doji offers top-quality certified refurbished business devices, negating the need for new ones that generate 70-80% more CO2, primarily in manufacturing. Refurbished IT offsets ‘CO2 costs’ during production over extended use, reducing waste and enhancing environmental balance.

Companies can also recycle old tech through Doji—selling, trading in, recycling, or donating through Doji’s charity partners. Doji also provides carbon accounting, offset projects, and tools for sustainable workplace consumption through its partners.

Overall, the Green IT strategy enhances company reputation, furnishes budget-friendly top-notch hardware, and frequently yields significant savings while also driving positive environmental and social impact.

Besides sustainability, quality, and cost, what should IT decision-makers consider when exploring refurbished IT, especially with Doji

IT leaders should focus on certified data deletion, strong customer service, transparent practices, and supplier commitment to sustainability when opting for refurbished IT. At Doji, sustainability is our driving force for business success, championing a profound shift toward a more environmentally conscious future.

And finally, what does Doji mean, and why did you choose it?

Originating from Japanese candlestick charting, my co-founders and I, who met while studying at the University of Oxford, chose ‘Doji as it symbolizes price equilibrium between buyers and sellers, reflecting our commitment to fairness for all parties, including the environment.

How Does Doji Aid Organizations in Lowering IT Carbon Footprint and Gaining Benefits?

A rapid and effective way to slash IT Carbon emissions is through a Green IT strategy for tech procurement, where Doji excels.

Doji offers top-quality certified refurbished business devices, negating the need for new ones that generate 70-80% more CO2, primarily in manufacturing. Refurbished IT offsets ‘CO2 costs’ during production over extended use, reducing waste and enhancing environmental balance.

Companies can also recycle old tech through Doji—selling, trading in, recycling, or donating through Doji’s charity partners. Doji also provides carbon accounting, offset projects, and tools for sustainable workplace consumption through its partners.

Overall, the Green IT strategy enhances company reputation, furnishes budget-friendly top-notch hardware, and frequently yields significant savings while also driving positive environmental and social impact.

Besides sustainability, quality, and cost, what should IT decision-makers consider when exploring refurbished IT, especially with Doji

IT leaders should focus on certified data deletion, strong customer service, transparent practices, and supplier’s commitment to sustainability when opting for refurbished IT. At Doji, sustainability is our driving force for business success, championing a profound shift toward a more environmentally conscious future.

And finally, what does Doji mean, and why did you choose it?

Originating from Japanese candlestick charting, my co-founders and I, who met while studying at the University of Oxford, chose ‘Doji as it symbolizes price equilibrium between buyers and sellers, reflecting our commitment to fairness for all parties, including the environment.

 

 

 

 

Source  Sustainability

The ShAPE Aluminum Recycling Method Could Change The Industry Forever

Posted on by dishanth
The ShAPE Aluminum Recycling Method Could Change The Industry Forever

Our Lives are Built with Aluminum

Aluminum is one of the most widely used industrial materials available today. It exists in our cars, our boats and ships, and in the buildings we live in.

In the EV industry, the importance of aluminum cannot be overstated, given that it is required to create the casing of the batteries that power the vehicle. The benefits of aluminum come down to its strength and its weight.

However, mining the raw materials that go into aluminum harms our environment. Bauxite is a mineral used in the creation of aluminum, and the mines that pull the ore out of the ground are responsible for acres of deforestation, water pollution via the Bayer process, air pollution due to the temperatures required to forge it, and other environmental impacts.

The aluminum manufacturing industry has been taking steps to reduce its reliance on new aluminum, though current technology still requires a sizeable amount of new aluminum to recycle scrap aluminum.

However, a new technology has been created that could eliminate that need entirely. This is how the ShAPE aluminum recycling process could change how we procure aluminum.

What is it, and How Does it Work?

The Shape aluminum recycling (Shear Assisted Processing Extrusion) process is an innovative new method of recycling aluminum created by the United States Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington.

This process was created primarily for the automotive industry so as to reduce the reliance on freshly created aluminum and cut the environmental impacts of creating EVs. The process was also created in collaboration with Magna, a leading mobile technology company.

This process could reduce 50% of the embodied energy and 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions output by reducing the amount of aluminum required by mining. The ShAPE aluminum recycling process is unique because it doesn’t require any pre-heating step to remove impurities in the scrap aluminum.

It works by rotating the aluminum on a die in the ShAPE aluminum recycling machine while being pushed through a small opening. Combining rotation and deformation ensures that the metal elements are distributed evenly, eliminating the need for a pre-heating process.

In testing to ensure that the aluminum produced by ShAPE aluminum recycling is as strong as they think, they used electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction to create an image of the placement and microstructure of the metal particle within the finished product.

They did this test using aluminum 6063, also known as architectural aluminum. They found that this aluminum product was uniformly strong and lacked manufacturing defects that would otherwise cause the aluminum to fail in its application.

They also found no impurities in the metal, which is important due to the fact that the metal they used was entirely recycled, and raw scrap metal is full of impurities.

While incredibly promising, EV technology currently relies on industries and industrial methods that are incredibly damaging to the environment. The EV industry is working hard to eliminate this contradiction of being eco-friendly yet requiring damage to the environment to be created.

With the ShAPE aluminum recycling method, there could be significant changes to multiple industries, not only the automotive industry. A lead researcher on the project, Scott Whalen, said, “We are now working on including post-consumer waste streams, which could create a whole new market for secondary aluminum scrap.”

While current methods are being used, the environmental damage cannot be understated. However, in the future, using this new method, things could change forever for the better.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

Creating Biochar to Sequester Carbon and Fertilize Plants

Posted on by dishanth
Creating Biochar to Sequester Carbon and Fertilize Plants

The slash-and-burn agriculture technique grows food whereby forested land is clear-cut, and any vegetation is burned. The resulting layer of ash from the burnt vegetation provides a newly cleared land with a nutrient-rich layer that helps fertilize crops. Traditionally, the area was left fallow and reverted to a secondary forest of bush. Cultivation would then shift to a new plot.

Unfortunately, as we’ve shifted towards a fast-past world, these techniques are deemed harmful to the environment as modern slash-and-burn techniques are a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions, especially when used to initiate permanent deforestation. Moreover, many of these plots do not get replanted.

On a smaller scale, farmers are turning to create biochar to sequester carbon emissions and aid in growing their crops. Biochar is similar to slash-and-burn techniques, except it is created artificially through a process called pyrolysis. It is made when biomass, such as fallen tree branches and crop residue, is heated at 200-400°C with little or no oxygen.

Various types of biomass have been used on a commercial scale to produce biochar. This includes agricultural and forestry by-products (such as straw or tree bark), industrial by-products (such as paper sludge and pulp), animal wastes (such as chicken litter) and sewage sludge. Converting biomass to biochar offers an excellent method for reducing waste and using these by-products.

This process decomposes the organic waste into a solid residue of carbon. Farmers can apply it to the field where around 50 percent of the carbon is stored in stable forms as a soil additive to improve drainage, aeration, plant health, crop yield, and water and nutrient retention. Biochar helps process things that settle on it, such as soil’s water and nutrients that the plants can access when needed. Biochar can also absorb heavy metals, reducing the plants’ risk of accessing them.

There are a number of ways that small farmers can use biochar to sequester carbon:

  • Incorporate it into their soil: Biochar to sequester carbon can be added as a soil amendment. This can be done by broadcasting it on the soil’s surface or by mixing it into the soil.
  • Use it as a fertilizer: Biochar can be used as a fertilizer by mixing it with compost or other organic materials. This can help to improve the nutrient content of the soil and increase crop yields.
  • Use it to produce energy: Biochar can be used to produce energy by burning it in a stove or furnace. This can provide farmers with a renewable source of energy.

This process reduces emissions from organic waste that is burned or left to decompose, producing greenhouse gases. Studies have shown that only about 10 to 20 percent of the residue carbon is recycled into the soil when crop residue is left to decompose on its own.

Biochar increases soil fertility more than simple plant matter and reduces nutrients from leaching from the crop root zone, meaning they would have to use less chemical fertilizers to grow their crops. Using biochar to sequester carbon will also benefit farmers who cannot afford to buy fertilizers or invest in organic cultivation techniques that take a long time to establish. It also helps establish independence among smaller farmers as they would not have to depend on chemical fertilizer companies.

Creating biochar to sequester carbon is a sustainable way to fertilize plants and actively remove carbon from the atmosphere. According to the IPCC, biochar is one of the safest, most durable ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere. It helps create nutrient levels in the soil that are more stable and resistant to environmental degradation. This allows farmers to save money and resources, reducing their environmental impact.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News 

SAY Carbon is creating the coolest sustainable boat brand

Posted on by dishanth
SAY Carbon is creating the coolest sustainable boat brand

BizClik Media and Sustainability Magazine CEO Glen White had first-hand experience aboard a luxurious, environmentally-friendly yacht made by SAY Carbon Yachts.

The business, founded in Germany, produces cutting-edge, technologically advanced yachts, which are built using carbon fibre. Featuring three luxurious yachts – the SAY 29 (E), SAY 42 and SAY 52 – the business prioritises comfort, luxury and sustainability. While enjoying a trip to Ibiza, Spain, White got up close and personal with the SAY 42.

SAY 42: Ultra-low-emission engines combined with maximum comfort

Boasting low emissions and high performance, the SAY 42 demonstrates that stylish, luxurious and sustainable boating is possible – even for those who want to enjoy the seas with their family and friends

The SAY 42 is equipped with two certified ultra-low-emission V8 engines (860 hp) that consume up to 50% less fuel compared to conventional motor yachts, all while maintaining the same renowned performance.

The SAY 42 is ideal for those who appreciate extravagance. Each yacht is characterised by a modern design, featuring striking and unique lines and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a digital cockpit, Seakeeper 2 stabilisers, pop-up showers, a retractable table and an owner’s cabin with a fully-equipped bathroom.

To ensure the yachts meet the highest possible sustainability standards while continuing to ooze luxury, CEO Karl Wagner, maintains control over every aspect of the manufacturing process. Every SAY Carbon Yacht is meticulously crafted to bring the customer’s vision to life, designed to be user-friendly while promoting maximum comfort.

 

SAY Yachts leading carbon fibre adoption

While working with his previous business, Carbo Tech, Wagner became a leading producer of carbon-fibre-reinforced components for the automotive industry. Its customer base included prominent names from Formula 1, including Aston Martin, McLaren and Porsche.

The numerous advantages of carbon fibre have led to its widespread popularity in various industries, including aviation, construction and motorsports. As pioneers in the pursuit of lightweight design, Wagner and his team demonstrate their expertise in manufacturing innovative motor yachts by utilising the properties of carbon fibre.

“Our expertise in lightweight constructions enables us to achieve a unique combination of acceleration, design and agility while lowering fuel consumption and extending range,” Wagner comments.

Consequently, SAY Yachts has emerged as an international, established manufacturer of luxury motor boats, offering only the highest quality available.

 

 

 

 

Source  Sustainability

Indigenous Seaweed Farming: Kwiakah First Nation

Posted on by dishanth
Indigenous Seaweed Farming: Kwiakah First Nation

Indigenous Seaweed Farming

There are several reasons why the Kwiakah are taking this approach. First, they want to ensure that kelp forests are available for future generations. Second, they want to protect the marine environment. Third, they want to create a sustainable economic future for their community.

The Kwiakah’s approach to indigenous seaweed farming is based on their traditional knowledge and values. The band has a long history of living off the land and sea. They know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are committed to creating a sustainable future for their community.

Kelp cultivation has a number of environmental benefits. Kelp forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps to mitigate climate change. Kelp also provides a habitat for a variety of marine life. In addition, kelp can be used to produce various products, including food, fertilizer, and biofuel.

Kelp forests are facing a number of challenges, including climate change, pollution, and overfishing. Climate change is causing the ocean to become warmer and more acidic, which is making it difficult for kelp to grow. Pollution from runoff from farms and cities is also harming kelp forests. Overfishing is another major threat to kelp forests.

But despite these challenges, growing and harvesting kelp is worth the struggle for the economic benefits it provides.

 

Jobs and Economic Opportunities

The Kwiakah are using their unique approach to indigenous seaweed farming to create a sustainable future for their community. The band is repurposing an old fish farm into a kelp farm. The farm will be used to grow kelp for food, fertilizer, and biofuel. The Kwiakah are also working to educate the public about the importance of kelp forests and the need to conserve them.

Kelp cultivation creates jobs and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. Indigenous seaweed farming is a relatively new industry, but it is growing rapidly. As the demand for kelp products increases, more people will be needed to grow, harvest, and process kelp. This could provide much-needed jobs for Indigenous communities, many of which have high unemployment rates.

On Eastern Long Island in New York, Shinnecock First Nation kelp farmers began planting kelp in December of 2021. They started small, with a manageable 20 spools of kelp and a year later, they had harvested 100 pounds. Most of the first batch was dried and sold as a natural fertilizer. They then donated excess spores to be used to help start other kelp farms. They have now expanded their operations from 20 spools of kelp to 200.

Since beginning operations, Shinnecock First Nation members have noticed that the water appears clearer, and wildlife are now returning. The group plans on hiring additional farmers from the nation bringing economic prosperity and stability to people that have been marginalized for too long.

 

Additional Thoughts

In addition to the environmental benefits of kelp cultivation, the Kwiakah’s approach also has the potential to create jobs and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. Indigenous seaweed farming is a relatively new industry, but it is growing rapidly. As the demand for kelp products increases, more people will be needed to grow, harvest, and process kelp. This could provide much-needed jobs for Indigenous communities, many of which have high unemployment rates.

The Kwiakah’s approach to indigenous seaweed farming is an example of how Indigenous communities can use their traditional knowledge and values to create a sustainable future. By taking a slow, intentional approach and focusing on conservation, the Kwiakah ensure that kelp forests will be available for future generations. This is an important lesson for other Indigenous communities who are considering entering the kelp cultivation industry.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

Carbon Dioxide Livestock Feed

Posted on by dishanth
Carbon Dioxide Livestock Feed

Researchers may have discovered a protein substitute for livestock feed that is significantly less environmentally damaging than corn and soybean production. The researchers have explored the concept of synthetic nutrition, which means essential nutrients can be produced artificially, efficiently and with a small footprint. They have turned greenhouse gas emissions into an ingredient that could be used for carbon dioxide livestock feed.

The researchers captured carbon dioxide and combined it with renewable hydrogen to make methanol powered by wind and solar energy. With the material created, they applied a series of enzymes into an eight-step process which, after several combinations, created an amino acid called L-alanine. This amino acid makes protein and is an energy source for muscles and the central nervous system. It also strengthens the immune system and helps the body use sugars.

This isn’t the first time researchers have been able to transform carbon dioxide into food products. Researchers have found a way to convert carbon dioxide into starch that typically comes from corn which requires a lot of land, water and fertilizer to grow. The process they used was 8.5 times more efficient than photosynthesis, which the corn plant uses to convert CO2 and sunlight into carbs. Moreover, their process took only four hours compared to the 120 days required for corn to grow and generate starch.

These new processes of using carbon dioxide to minimize the use of corn and starch will bypass the problem of repurposing a climate-damaging waste stream. Although there are other ways to synthesize L-alanine protein, they require emission-intensive processes that require petroleum products. Using existing carbon dioxide will reduce the need for emissions and harmful products. It also decouples production from the land because less land will be needed to produce the same amount of L-alanine. It will also use significantly less energy as the energy required will be taken from renewable sources.

The demand for animal protein continues, so the need for carbon dioxide livestock feed will also rise. Researchers are developing solutions that utilize harmful and excess emissions that can be transformed into food for these animals. These new solutions will allow us to move away from excess land and water use and monocultures and help us create more biologically diverse environments.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

According To New Study, Dust Absorbed By Phytoplankton Benefits Them

Posted on by dishanth
According To New Study, Dust Absorbed By Phytoplankton Benefits Them

Carbon prevention or carbon capture?

A significant amount of the conversation surrounding climate change concerns the release of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. While this is important, the priority is most concerned with reducing or eliminating fossil fuel emissions.

While achieving this goal is paramount in creating a clean, eco-friendly world, the topic of carbon sequestration has been under the radar until recently. When most think of carbon sequestration, they imagine carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology or think of trees.

Both are valuable and productive carbon sequesters; however, they are not the only areas or mechanisms useful for reducing carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Our world’s oceans are single-handedly the largest carbon sinks we have, and many marine organisms participate in this important process.

Phytoplankton makes up an important role in carbon deposition onto the ocean floor. In recent years, they have been thriving due to mass amounts of dust being created and deposited.

Carbon sinks and carbon eaters.

In the ocean, there are multitudes of different organisms sequestering carbon. Seagrass is one of the largest carbon sequesters and provides large habitats for other fish and marine animals to thrive in.

However, despite the outsize role that some marine organisms play in carbon sequestration, phytoplankton also makes up a key role.

Phytoplankton generally pulls up their nutrients from the ocean and use those nutrients to turn carbon dioxide into organic matter, which then gets deposited back onto the ocean floor.

Due to climate change-induced wildfires and natural disasters, phytoplankton have been thriving in recent years. According to a new study published in Science Magazine and led by Toby Westberry out of Oregon State University, there is a direct correlation between the amount of dust being brought into the ocean and the numbers and health of phytoplankton in the area.

They used satellite imaging to observe the differences in the coloration of the water before and after a major dust storm or wildfire occurred. They noticed that the water in the affected areas began to turn green, indicating larger numbers of phytoplankton.

The researchers also found that depending on the altitude of the marine environment, there is an observed difference in the health and numbers of phytoplankton. In lower altitude areas, there were fewer phytoplankton despite being healthy, and in higher altitude areas, there were more phytoplankton as well as being more healthy.

It all adds up.

Phytoplankton, while important, doesn’t make up as much of an impact on climate sequestration as one might hope. This is because dust-related phytoplankton growth only makes up 4.5% of the global yearly carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean. Though, in some areas, the amount of carbon absorbed can reach highs of 40% of the total amount.

Nonetheless, It is important to be aware of the multitudes of different ways carbon sequestration can occur. These systems are large and complex and take up many different forms. To address the issue of storing carbon and removing it from our atmosphere, we must understand it won’t be a “one-size-fits-all” approach that is successful. It will take multiple different mechanisms working together and complementing each other to save our world. Phytoplankton, it seems, will be playing an important role in this.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News