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Marine algae blamed as thousands of dead pipis wash up on the beaches near Goolwa, the Australian dollar drops below 60 US cents for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mutton indicator jumps up more than 100 cents in the space of a week.
This week we bring you a podcast from Agrifutures growAG, the gateway to Australia's agrifood innovation system, as we speak to Graeme Barnett the Managing Director & CEO of Qponics, a company that produces marine microalgae that is used for the co-production of protein-rich food ingredients and high-value oils. Qponics successfully developed a pilot farm in Brisbane, and now has plans to build a complex of six farms, each 100 hectares in size at South Ballina, in NSW, a region deemed the “Goldilocks zone”, for marine microalgae farming in Australia. The Queensland agritech company is currently seeking investment for a $1 million bridging round to help scale sustainable oil and protein production. It's an exciting opportunity for impact investors and those with networks in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or nutraceutical manufacturing and distribution in Australia, Asia, USA or Europe.Our growAG contributor Judy Kennedy caught up with Graeme, to learn more about Qponics, their mission to accelerate the transition to droughtproof agriculture, and how the marine microalgae industry could become a major player in the future of protein production. Visit growAG.com to read the story, and learn more about this opportunity, here. *Episode correction notes Graeme made two references throughout the podcast, he wanted to clarify. He talks about ESG (environmental, social, and governance) at 14.49mins and says “economic” instead of “environmental”. He also notes at 24mins, he says "TGA" instead of "FDA".
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2022/08/01/introducing-chlorophyta-nea-studios-stunning-sconces-and-chandeliers-made-with-marine-algae/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/support
Guess what, the Earth is only so big. Yes, it is big but it still has a finite size. That means there is only so much room for people and the resources necessary to support them. How much? There is a lot of disagreement on that but in principle, there is only so much space so there is definitely a limit. Which means it makes sense to spend time thinking about how we can make the best use of the resources we have until someone figures out how to efficiently terraform Mars. One of the many resources we have that does have limited space is farmland. We've frankly done a great job in the last hundred years of figuring out how to get more and more out of less. Unfortunately, that has in part been through the use of growth hormones, fertilizers, and pesticides. While that has allowed us to get more food out of less land it has also had downstream effects on the environment that have been less than desirable. Yet, we don't want people to starve. So, what do we do? One of the biggest consumers of farmland isn't actually people but cattle. There is a ton of farmland used to grow food for cattle. Combine that with what we use for people and then factor in the fact there is only so much fertile land to be used and it doesn't take a genius to see that eventually, we will run out. For one, there is the fact that there are only so many nutrients in the soil and if we don't give farmland a break, it will eventually run out of them. That's part of how the USA rose in power so quickly, it had farmland that was virtually untapped, allowing people there to grow more crops that were larger and more nutrient-dense than what was possible in Europe where people had already been farming for centuries. Many cultures have understood this, which is why they developed the concept of crop rotation. Different crops use different nutrients so switching crops lets the soil build up the ones not currently being used. It's also why the Mosaic Law directed the ancient Hebrews to periodically allow their fields to lie fallow. It gave time for plants and bugs to decay, animals to poop, and bugs to till the soil and rejuvenate it. Now though, it is very hard to turn back to that system of farming, maybe impossible. Again, what do we do? One possible solution lies in another problem that we've created. Ironically, one that has been exacerbated by industrial farming – algae. While fertilizers have contributed to algae blooms in the coastal areas of our oceans which have in turn darkened those oceans and could lead to disruptions of our ecosystems on that end (a subject we've gone more in depth on elsewhere), that very algae has a lot of nutrients. Nutrients that could be of use if we harvested more of them and used them to feed both people and cattle. Why not just people? Let's be honest, Travolta was right in Pulp Fiction, “bacon is good”. And where would Sammy J be without his royale with cheese? People aren't going to stop eating meat en masse no matter how much some might want that to happen. So it makes sense to find a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way to feed the cattle and so feed the people. Why not make use of this abundant resource and in so doing help solve another problem that we've inadvertently created? For the record, this doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to pursue reforms to industrial farming. Those are sorely needed. Yet, it is this kind of outside-the-box thinking that will allow people to live in a way that is both sustainable and comfortable. TARTLE strives to promote and stimulate that kind of creative problem solving by encouraging people to share and donate their data with research organizations. That will help them pursue solutions to our most pressing problems with the best data available – yours. What's your data worth? www.tartle.co
HerbRally | Herbalism | Plant Medicine | Botany | Wildcrafting
Today we’ll hear about the life and work of Isabella Aiona Abbott who became a leading expert on Pacific marine algae and the was the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive a PhD in science. Her scientific contributions included the discovery of over 200 algae species, and her life’s passion spilled over into the kitchen. Having learned about edible Hawaiian seaweeds from her mother, Isabella enjoyed creating recipes using kelp and algae. Seaweed Cake A recipe originally designed to use Nereocystis kelp that is common in central California and northward. In Hawaiʻi, either Eucheuma species from Kāneʻohe Bay or ogo may be used. Cream well 1 ½ cups salad oil, 2 cups sugar; add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 2 cups grated carrots, 2 cups grated Eucheuma or 2 cups coursely chopped ogo, 1 cup crushed, drained pineapple, or 1 cup fresh grated coconut. Sift together 2 ½ cups sifted flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix all together. Add 1 cup walnuts if desired. Bake in oblong pan or loaf pan at 350 degrees 45-50 minutes. Serve plain or with buttercream frosting. A moist cake which keeps very well. Video: Dr. Abbott discussing ethnobotany of Limu La'au Hawai'i: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants by Isabella Aiona Abbott Stay up to date with HerbRally by joining our text message community! To opt in simply text JOIN to (541) 256-2895. You'll receive 1 to 7 texts per week with herbal community news and updates, inspiration, and education. Excited to announce our new services at HerbRally. We are officially launching our own CREATIVE SHOP! For now, that's brand photography, videography, design and more! If you're an herbal company, blog, or any kind of business that's looking to upgrade your brand, feel free to reach out to Amanda at hello@herbrally.com for more information. Or read more at herbrally.com/services.
We've a story about bull kelp and earthquake uplift for Seaweek, and we meet some volunteer kakapo helpers.
New research shows that bull kelp along a tectonically uplifted stretch of coast south of Dunedin has a surprisingly different genetic signature to the kelp on either side.
New research shows that bull kelp along a tectonically uplifted stretch of coast south of Dunedin has a surprisingly different genetic signature to the kelp on either side.
We've a story about bull kelp and earthquake uplift for Seaweek, and we meet some volunteer kakapo helpers.
Algamar promotes and spreads the wonderful nutritional properties of the native marine algae from Galicia, Spain, on the Atlantic coast.
A baby colossal squid, studying under-ice algae in Antarctica, New Zealand sea lions, and a better fishing trawl net.
A baby colossal squid, studying under-ice algae in Antarctica, New Zealand sea lions, and a better fishing trawl net.
Warming ocean temperatures and increasing sediment as a result of more extreme weather events may have profound effects on the health of our coastal kelp ecosystems
Warming ocean temperatures and increasing sediment as a result of more extreme weather events may have profound effects on the health of our coastal kelp ecosystems
Look to the shells of marine algae to find the answer to historical global cooling. David Biello reports
BFF cowl, cocoon link On The Needles (01:40) One sock, Monkey pattern. Yarn: supersock select Rose. Needle: KP fixed circs size 0 (2 mm) Cocoon part of BFF cowl from knitty. Testing using dyakcraft needles. Yarn: Becoming Art Helios DK in colourway Marine Algae, 52 merino 48 silk singles. One indie dyer that I admire a lot with diff bases and vibrant colors. Feb 2011 (!!!) heavyweight club shipment. Bought this on etsy, she now has her own website. The Whirligeek (07:51) More stash, ze ro spinning Hobbledehoy nerd-along batt, Ygritte from Game of Thrones. Love the battlings included. Soft as all goes out!! I'm tempted to smell it. Gourmet Stash order from way back in June 1st. Fibery Tribbles episode 11, punis sampler, and Spring Into Summer punis. Review: Dyakcraft Darn Pretty Interchangeable Needles (14:48) Recalculating Route (26:49) Meetup with Sandy and Ina. Kindness of knitters. How we are really different people but brought together by knitting. Souvenir yarn from portable German LYS by Ina: Zitron Trekking XXL colour 550, self striping. 420m or 459 yds. Drachen Wolle by Christiane Schelling 70-30 wool and silk, laceweight, 600 m.
Transcript -- James Lovelock talks about Gaia theory and predictions that tested the theory.
James Lovelock talks about Gaia theory and predictions that tested the theory.
Transcript -- James Lovelock talks about Gaia theory and predictions that tested the theory.
James Lovelock talks about Gaia theory and predictions that tested the theory.