#reasonstobehopeful — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #reasonstobehopeful, aggregated by home.social.
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Meat-Stinking Giant Flower Has A Delectable Aroma For Pollinators
The Titan Arum, more commonly known as the ‘Corpse Flower’ is famous for its repulsive meat smell. Designed to repel humans, in contrast pollinators find the putrid aromas irresistible in the plant’s native environment. The Corpse Flower Titan Arum lives deep inside of Sumatra’s imperilled rainforests. endangered by palm oil and mining deforestation. Now researchers have gained greater insight into how the plant warms itself up before blooming – known as thermogenesis and have discovered a new compound called ‘putrescine’ which gives the plant its strong aroma. Help these rare stinking beauties to survive when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
The gigantic Titan Arum #plant better known as the ‘Corpse Flower’ stinks like rotting flesh. They live deep in #Sumatra’s #rainforest. Endangered by #palmoil #deforestation, learn how to protect them! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴👎🛢️⛔ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9bK
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCorpse #Flowers are unusual 🌸 as they emit heat before flowering. Scientists have found the smelly compound causing their aroma: ‘Putrescine’. They’re #endangered by #palmoil #deforestation. Take action! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥❌ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9bK
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAlveena Zulfiqar, Beenish J Azhar, Samina N Shakeel, William Thives Santos, Theresa D Barry, Dana Ozimek, Kim DeLong, Ruthie Angelovici, Kathleen M Greenham, Craig A Schenck, G Eric Schaller. Molecular basis for thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum. PNAS Nexus, 2024; DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae492
The Titan Arum, more commonly known as the ‘Corpse Flower’, is famous for its repulsive meat smell. While designed to repel humans, this putrid aroma irresistibly attracts pollinators in its native environment—the imperilled rainforests of Sumatra, now under threat from palm oil plantations and mining activities. Researchers have recently uncovered how the plant generates heat before blooming, a process known as thermogenesis, and have identified a new compound called ‘putrescine’, which contributes to its potent stench.
A study led by G. Eric Schaller, Professor of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College, explored the genetic and biological mechanisms behind the Titan Arum’s remarkable heating and scent production. The research relied on tissue samples from ‘Morphy’, Dartmouth’s 21-year-old Corpse Flower, to analyse RNA sequences. This allowed scientists to pinpoint which genes are active during the phases of heating and scent release.
The Titan Arum is not a single flower but a cluster of tiny flowers hidden within a massive central stalk, known as the spadix, which can reach up to 12 feet in height. It blooms rarely—typically once every 5 to 7 years—and only for a brief period. “The blooms are rare and also short-lived, so we only get a small window to study these phenomena,” Schaller explains.
During blooming, the spadix heats up, raising its temperature by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the surrounding air. This thermogenic phase coincides with the emission of its signature scent, a mixture of sulphur-based compounds designed to attract flies and carrion beetles, which play a vital role in the plant’s pollination.
The RNA analysis revealed that genes associated with alternative oxidases—plant equivalents of animal uncoupling proteins—are highly active during the heating phase, especially in the spadix’s appendix. Additionally, genes involved in sulphur transport and metabolism were expressed, driving the production of the odour. Among these compounds, researchers identified putrescine, an organic chemical not previously recognised as part of the Corpse Flower’s scent profile.
This research sheds light on the evolutionary adaptations of the Titan Arum while highlighting the urgent need to conserve its natural habitat. Protecting the rainforests of Sumatra from deforestation caused by palm oil cultivation and mining is critical for the survival of this extraordinary species. By choosing to #BoycottPalmOil and supporting campaigns such as #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop, individuals can help safeguard the delicate ecosystems these rare flowers depend on, ensuring they continue to thrive for generations to come.
Meat-Stinking Giant Flower Has A Delectable Aroma For PollinatorsAlveena Zulfiqar, Beenish J Azhar, Samina N Shakeel, William Thives Santos, Theresa D Barry, Dana Ozimek, Kim DeLong, Ruthie Angelovici, Kathleen M Greenham, Craig A Schenck, G Eric Schaller. Molecular basis for thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum. PNAS Nexus, 2024; DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae492
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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read moreTake Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
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Join 3,174 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#biodiversity #Botany #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CorpseFlower #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #flowers #Indonesia #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #plant #plants #pollinator #rainforest #ReasonsToBeHopeful #Sumatra #TitanArum
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Around 25% of Africa’s Land is Damaged: This is How We Fix It!
Almost 25% of all land in Africa has been damaged. Land degradation is worrying issue across the continent of Africa. This is being driven by climate change and deforestation for extractive industries like rare mineral mining and monocultures like palm oil and cocoa. Other big drivers includes invasive species and environmental pollutants and toxins. Mlungele Nsikani is a land restoration specialist and environmental scientist. He explains how ecological restoration and agroecology is a great way to reverse land degradation so that people, plants and animals can thrive. Another powerful way to make an impact is through boycotting industries destroying the world like gold mining, palm oil and the meat industry. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
25% of #land in #Africa is damaged by #climatechange #mining and #palmoil #deforestation. Yet strong policies for #agroecology would restore land for people, plants and animals to thrive #BoycottPalmOil #ClimateActionNow #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-90N
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterWritten by Mlungele M. Nsikani, Senior scientist, South African National Biodiversity Institute. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
What’s driving land degradation on the continent?
Africa is one of the most degraded continents in the world. About 23% of the surface of Africa, or over 700 million hectares of land, is already degraded. Another three million hectares is being further degraded annually.
Degraded land is land that has lost some of its natural productivity through processes caused by humans. It’s estimated that up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded.
The “big five” drivers of land degradation globally and in Africa are:
- biological invasions, where plant species have spread outside their indigenous area and disrupted the services provided by ecosystems
- climate change driven events, such as intense droughts and severe fires
- extractive activities, such as mining and over-harvesting
- habitat transformation or fragmentation, including deforestation and poor agricultural practices
- pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, and eutrophication – where algae and other plants take over plant life.
Factors that have made the situation worse in Africa include: development demands; a high dependency on natural resources at the household level (such as the use of firewood for cooking); agricultural practices (including clearing indigenous plants to grow cash crops); weak governance; insecure land tenure; pervasive poverty; and population growth.
What is ecological restoration?
Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Removing invasive plants and reintroducing indigenous species is one way to reverse damage. Ecological restoration is about helping to create conditions in which plants, animals and microorganisms can carry out the work of recovery themselves.
Assisting recovery can be as complex as altering landforms (intentionally changing aspects of the landscape), planting vegetation, changing the hydrology (water flow), and reintroducing wildlife. It can also be as simple as removing an invasive species or reintroducing a lost plant species to the land.
For example more than 8,750 plant species have found their way to South Africa. Over 785 species have made the country their permanent home on a significant scale and have had negative impacts. These include at least 14 Australian Acacia tree species which are invasive across South Africa. These cover about 554,000 hectares of the country.
They use up water resources and reduce grazing land. They also change soil microbial community structure, diversity and function. Invasive Acacia trees have established extensive woodlands that compete against native species, leaving little room for native plants and trees to grow. This costs more than R4 billion annually (about US$214 million) – the combined cost of clearing invasive species and the value of reduced ecosystem services in invaded areas.
The fynbos biome, which covers large parts of South Africa’s Western Cape province, has been the most affected. Since 1995, the publicly funded Working for Water programme has cleared invasive species, leaving ecosystems to recover naturally. The Greater Cape Town Water Fund has also funded the removal of thousands of thirsty invasive trees in mountain areas in a bid to save water and restore indigenous fynbos. This is known as passive restoration.
Planting native vegetation (often done through seed) – active restoration – has also helped the land recover. However, it has been applied at a smaller scale than passive restoration because it is more expensive. Planting native vegetation after clearing invasive species is often a more effective way to help native species recover in the restoration site, particularly if the native soil seedbanks have been depleted by the long duration of invasion.
How can people help?
Anyone can contribute to the restoration of ecosystems. The first thing is to advocate for and actively engage in the conservation of intact ecosystems. As the old adage goes, prevention is better than cure.
Ecological restoration is a great tool to tackle land degradation. But it’s not a quick fix. It’s still necessary to protect and conserve natural ecosystems.
Secondly, everyone should get involved in ecological restoration efforts, no matter how small. We can help remove invasive species or plant native species where we live. We can donate or be part of organisations that are involved in ecological restoration.
Above all, we should continue to spread the ecological restoration message and show that we are #GenerationRestoration!
The need for ecological restoration on the continent is great. Only functioning landscapes can provide affordable food, water and energy. These are the cornerstones of economic development. Ecological restoration can protect and enhance environmental assets and natural resources, provide employment, and help national development, security and social stability.
Written by Mlungele M. Nsikani, Senior scientist, South African National Biodiversity Institute. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Read more about conservation and reasons to be hopeful
Protecting India’s Tigers Saves One Million Tonnes of CO2
#India’s fifty year long Project #Tiger has been a successful conservation project. A new research study finds that protecting tigers and their rainforest home has additional benefits to #carbonemissions, saving 1 million tonnes…
Dung Beetles Are Rainforests’ Diligent Regrowth Soldiers
The dung beetle may eat and nest in poop, but their role in nature is anything but humble. These hardshelled scarabs live on every continent except Antarctica, recycling feces and suppressing parasites that…
Protect Nature to Avoid Future Pandemics
Research from University of Queensland and published in The Lancet: Planetary Health finds that the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to the decline of ecosystems and biodiversity, creating a cycle that could lead to…
Researchers argue food can be made without destroying rainforests, using alternative energy sources like microbes, yeast and CO2, saving animals and emissions
Indigenous Farming: Science, Not Superstition
What does it mean when you encounter snakes slithering along paths or find a bird nest with eggs? For Indigenous peoples in Malaysia, these are tell-tale signs passed down by their ancestors discouraging…
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,521 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Africa #agroecology #agroforestry #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #ClimateActionNow #climatechange #conservation #deforestation #environment #GenerationRestoration #land #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #ReasonsToBeHopeful
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Dung Beetles Are Rainforests’ Diligent Regrowth Soldiers
Unsung heroes of the Amazon jungle, the dung beetle may eat and nest in poop, but their role in nature is anything but humble. These hard-shelled scarabs live on every continent of the world except Antarctica, recycling feces and suppressing parasites that could otherwise harm people and animals. Dung beetles also spread both seeds and nutrients into the soil, helping to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Help them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #BoycottGold and #Boycott4Wildlife
Written by Filipe França, Researcher, Tropical Ecology, Federal University of Pará and Joice Ferreira, Researcher in Ecology, Federal University of Pará. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Dung #beetles 🪲🦗🐛 are unsung heroes of ecosystems. If both drought and fire kill off dung beetles, then the Amazon #rainforest is in serious trouble. Help them to survive by going #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔☠️🤮⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-4IZ
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterConversely, dung beetles suffer when an ecological system is struggling. In tropical forests, for example, stress caused by environmental disturbances causes dung beetles to gain body fat and work less. Species diversity declines.
That’s why, as Amazon researchers, we use the marvelous, hard-working dung beetle to measure the ecological health of the world’s largest rainforest. Since 2010, we have collected and studied over 14,000 dung beetles from 98 different species in the vast and still wild interior of Brazil’s Santarém region, a remote corner of the Amazon forest – part of a long-term project with the Sustainable Amazon Network.
Most recently, we studied dung beetles to assess the Amazon’s recovery from the intense drought and forest fires of 2015 and 2016, extreme climatic events brought on by the most severe El Niño on record.
Stressed beetles take less crap
Some forests in our 10,586-square-mile research area were burned in the El Niño fires, which scorched 4,000 square miles of the Amazon. These climate-triggered fires are not to be confused with last year’s Amazon fire crisis, which was deforestation-related. Other Amazonian forests in our study experienced extreme drought but not fire.
We knew going into this project that Amazonian fauna are particularly sensitive to fire – unlike animals in Australia, which have a long history of fire adaptation. But our study, which was published in the scientific journal Biotropica in February 2020, reveals that both forest fires and drought are far more damaging than previously thought.
Dung beetles are captured in traps baited with – what else? – human and pig poop. There we count and physically examine them. To assess their activity level, we trick dung beetles into dispersing seeds by building a small arena filled with a mix of dung and artificial seeds on the forest floor.
Researchers measuring beetles’ dung-removal and seed-dispersal services. Marizilda Cuppre/ RAS Network, Author providedComparing our catches before and after the El Niño forest fires, we learned that almost 70% of dung beetles had disappeared. We believe that’s because most dung beetles nest in shallow soil depths of between zero to 6 inches, so fire heat is likely to kill them.
The El Niño droughts likewise decimated the Amazonian dung beetle populations. Their populations dropped by about 60% in forests affected only by drought, not fire.
Author Filipe França with an Amazonian dung beetle. Marizilda Cuppre/RAS Network, Author providedTogether, extreme drought and forest fires in the Amazon had severely diminished the beetles’ ability to remove dung and spread seeds, which declined by 67% and 22%, respectively, in comparison to data recorded in 2010 – before El Niño. This reduced haul is probably the result of population loss.
Both the reduction in the number of dung beetles captured and their diminished waste disposal functions persisted even two years after El Niño. While dung beetle populations recover quickly in fire-dependent ecosystems, insect recovery from fire disturbance in tropical forests can take many years.
Tropical beetles: If both drought and fire kill off dung beetles, the Amazon forests are in serious trouble
In damaged forests, most regrowth depends on seed dispersal by animals. Dung beetles disperse the seeds that promote revegetation and spread nutrients in the soil, helping seedlings survive.
They aren’t the only animals that play this critical ecological function. Tapirs, monkeys, ants, bee beetles and even wasps also spread the seeds that aid vegetation regrowth.
But many studies show that dung beetle responses to environmental stress are similar to those suffered by other seed-spreading animals necessary to tropical forest health. And climate change is likewise causing the collapse of these insect populations, killing off ants, bees, butterflies and wasps.
Without these important tropical animals, forests damaged by fire and drought will recover much more slowly. That means they may barely begin their regrowth before the next disaster. And with climate change projected to bring the tropics more intense and frequent droughts, along with hotter and dry global temperatures, such disasters will likely come ever more quickly.
From our field sites deep in the Amazon, we are rooting for all the little creeping and crawling creatures that keep the world running – with, admittedly, some particular affection and concern for the humble dung beetle.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#AmazonRainforest #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #beetles #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #dungBeetle #extinction #fire #ForgottenAnimals #insects #PalmOil #pollination #pollinator #rainforest #ReasonsToBeHopeful #SeedDispersers #vegan
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Dung Beetles Are Rainforests’ Diligent Regrowth Soldiers
Unsung heroes of the Amazon jungle, the dung beetle may eat and nest in poop, but their role in nature is anything but humble. These hard-shelled scarabs live on every continent of the world except Antarctica, recycling feces and suppressing parasites that could otherwise harm people and animals. Dung beetles also spread both seeds and nutrients into the soil, helping to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Help them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #BoycottGold and #Boycott4Wildlife
Written by Filipe França, Researcher, Tropical Ecology, Federal University of Pará and Joice Ferreira, Researcher in Ecology, Federal University of Pará. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Dung #beetles 🪲🦗🐛 are unsung heroes of ecosystems. If both drought and fire kill off dung beetles, then the Amazon #rainforest is in serious trouble. Help them to survive by going #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔☠️🤮⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-4IZ
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterConversely, dung beetles suffer when an ecological system is struggling. In tropical forests, for example, stress caused by environmental disturbances causes dung beetles to gain body fat and work less. Species diversity declines.
That’s why, as Amazon researchers, we use the marvelous, hard-working dung beetle to measure the ecological health of the world’s largest rainforest. Since 2010, we have collected and studied over 14,000 dung beetles from 98 different species in the vast and still wild interior of Brazil’s Santarém region, a remote corner of the Amazon forest – part of a long-term project with the Sustainable Amazon Network.
Most recently, we studied dung beetles to assess the Amazon’s recovery from the intense drought and forest fires of 2015 and 2016, extreme climatic events brought on by the most severe El Niño on record.
Stressed beetles take less crap
Some forests in our 10,586-square-mile research area were burned in the El Niño fires, which scorched 4,000 square miles of the Amazon. These climate-triggered fires are not to be confused with last year’s Amazon fire crisis, which was deforestation-related. Other Amazonian forests in our study experienced extreme drought but not fire.
We knew going into this project that Amazonian fauna are particularly sensitive to fire – unlike animals in Australia, which have a long history of fire adaptation. But our study, which was published in the scientific journal Biotropica in February 2020, reveals that both forest fires and drought are far more damaging than previously thought.
Dung beetles are captured in traps baited with – what else? – human and pig poop. There we count and physically examine them. To assess their activity level, we trick dung beetles into dispersing seeds by building a small arena filled with a mix of dung and artificial seeds on the forest floor.
Researchers measuring beetles’ dung-removal and seed-dispersal services. Marizilda Cuppre/ RAS Network, Author providedComparing our catches before and after the El Niño forest fires, we learned that almost 70% of dung beetles had disappeared. We believe that’s because most dung beetles nest in shallow soil depths of between zero to 6 inches, so fire heat is likely to kill them.
The El Niño droughts likewise decimated the Amazonian dung beetle populations. Their populations dropped by about 60% in forests affected only by drought, not fire.
Author Filipe França with an Amazonian dung beetle. Marizilda Cuppre/RAS Network, Author providedTogether, extreme drought and forest fires in the Amazon had severely diminished the beetles’ ability to remove dung and spread seeds, which declined by 67% and 22%, respectively, in comparison to data recorded in 2010 – before El Niño. This reduced haul is probably the result of population loss.
Both the reduction in the number of dung beetles captured and their diminished waste disposal functions persisted even two years after El Niño. While dung beetle populations recover quickly in fire-dependent ecosystems, insect recovery from fire disturbance in tropical forests can take many years.
Tropical beetles: If both drought and fire kill off dung beetles, the Amazon forests are in serious trouble
In damaged forests, most regrowth depends on seed dispersal by animals. Dung beetles disperse the seeds that promote revegetation and spread nutrients in the soil, helping seedlings survive.
They aren’t the only animals that play this critical ecological function. Tapirs, monkeys, ants, bee beetles and even wasps also spread the seeds that aid vegetation regrowth.
But many studies show that dung beetle responses to environmental stress are similar to those suffered by other seed-spreading animals necessary to tropical forest health. And climate change is likewise causing the collapse of these insect populations, killing off ants, bees, butterflies and wasps.
Without these important tropical animals, forests damaged by fire and drought will recover much more slowly. That means they may barely begin their regrowth before the next disaster. And with climate change projected to bring the tropics more intense and frequent droughts, along with hotter and dry global temperatures, such disasters will likely come ever more quickly.
From our field sites deep in the Amazon, we are rooting for all the little creeping and crawling creatures that keep the world running – with, admittedly, some particular affection and concern for the humble dung beetle.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#AmazonRainforest #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #beetles #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #dungBeetle #extinction #fire #ForgottenAnimals #insects #PalmOil #pollination #pollinator #rainforest #ReasonsToBeHopeful #SeedDispersers #vegan
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Food Without Agriculture
In an article published in Nature Sustainability, researchers write that food production can be more sustainable by focusing less on traditional agriculture and more on alternative methods, like chemical and biological processes.
The article highlights a specific example where dietary fats can be produced with significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to current methods used in palm oil production in Brazil or Indonesia. While acknowledging challenges like potential impacts on agricultural economies and the need for consumer acceptance, the abstract suggests that these new methods could greatly reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land, and water use in the next decade.
Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2
#Research paper in @Nature Sustainability: Dietary #fats can be produced in a lab with significantly lower #CO2 emissions/#climate impact compared to current #palmoil production in #Brazil and #Indonesia #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/01/21/food-without-agriculture/
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter#Research in @Nature finds switching to lab-produced #palmoil has enormous potential to reduce #GHG emissions, #deforestation, water use. Reducing the climate impact of #agriculture over the decades #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/01/21/food-without-agriculture/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterDavis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2
Abstract
Efforts to make food systems more sustainable have emphasized reducing adverse environmental impacts of agriculture. In contrast, chemical and biological processes that could produce food without agriculture have received comparatively little attention or resources. Although there is a possibility that someday a wide array of attractive foods could be produced chemosynthetically, here we show that dietary fats could be synthesized with <0.8 g CO2-eq kcal−1, which is much less than the >1.5 g CO2-eq kcal−1 now emitted to produce palm oil in Brazil or Indonesia. Although scaling up such synthesis could disrupt agricultural economies and depend on consumer acceptance, the enormous potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as well as in land and water use represent a realistic possibility for mitigating the environmental footprint of agriculture over the coming decade. Read original
Plain English Summary of Results
Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates can be made without traditional agriculture by using different carbon sources and a variety of chemical and biological methods. This article compares how much energy each process uses, with some details still uncertain. The processes vary in their continuous or batched nature. The article also discusses the challenge chemical methods face in distinguishing between molecular forms, unlike bioenzymatic methods which are more precise but limited to conditions suitable for life. The focus is on fats because they are simpler to make, have been produced at scale in the past, are a basic calorie source in many foods, and the production of oil crops like soy and palm has a huge environmental impact.
Synthesizing fats from natural gas or air-captured carbon using renewable energy could greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional agriculture. Finally, the potential environmental benefits of synthetic fats are highlighted, showing that replacing a portion of soy and palm oil with synthetic alternatives could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use, particularly in countries where these crops are intensively farmed.
Plain English Summary of Discussion Notes
Producing macronutrients without traditional agriculture can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use, especially for dietary fats. Even using coal-based electricity for production can be more climate-friendly than some current agricultural methods. Beyond environmental benefits, such as reduced water use and pollution, synthetic foods can improve food security and lessen the need for labor-intensive farming jobs. This opens up possibilities for reforestation and biodiversity improvements.
However, there are challenges. The estimates are based on data that might not capture all relevant factors, and more detailed analysis is needed. The cost of synthetic foods could be higher than agricultural products, and social acceptance is a major hurdle, given the public’s skepticism about synthetic foods and potential unforeseen environmental impacts. The shift to synthetic foods could also impact the global labor force, especially smallholder farmers in the global South, as agriculture employs a significant portion of the world’s workforce.
Synthetic food production could lead to a smaller environmental footprint for agriculture, requiring much less water and can be produced anywhere with the right resources. This could make food systems more resilient but might also create new dependencies. Sustainable synthetic food production would ideally use renewable energy and atmospheric carbon.
Finally, the move towards synthesized foods prompts a reevaluation of humanity’s relationship with nature. The domestication of plants and the Haber-Bosch process for nitrogen fixation were pivotal in human history. Now, with the majority of habitable land and water used for agriculture, synthetic food offers a path to reduce the environmental burdens of agriculture and align food security with ecosystem restoration.
Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2
ENDS
Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry
The Indigenous Malaysian concept of ‘Badi’: respecting the land and wildlife
The Indigenous Semai #indigenous people of #Malaysia can teach us a lot about how to protect people, planet and biodiversity. The Indigenous concept of #badi is not superstition or taboo, it’s about respecting…
Deforestation Devastates Tesso Nilo National Park’s Endangered Creatures
Act now to save Tesso Nilo Park. This vital Indonesian park has lost 78% of its primary forest, threatening the habitat of Sumatran tigers and elephants
Deforestation Shifts Tree Species in Brazilian Forests
Deforestation in Brazilian forests causes shift towards fast-growing, small-seeded trees, threatening biodiversity, carbon storage. Take action!
Deforestation and Mining Threaten Rare Species at Lake Poso
Deforestation, mining, and palm oil expansion are pushing rare endemic species at Indonesia’s Lake Poso to the brink. Urgent action needed, boycott palm oil!
Palm Oil Workers Exposed to Hazardous Pesticides
Palm oil workers in Colombia, Ghana, and Indonesia are regularly exposed to hazardous EU-banned pesticides like Paraquat for palm oil. Take action!
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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Agriculture #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #Climate #climateChange #CO2 #deforestation #fats #food #GHG #Indonesia #industrialAgriculture #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #ReasonsToBeHopeful #research
-
Indigenous Farming: Science, Not Superstition
What does it mean when you encounter snakes slithering along paths or find a bird nest with eggs? For Indigenous peoples in Malaysia, these are tell-tale signs passed down by their ancestors discouraging them from using the land. Instead, they must protect the area from unscrupulous developments.
The #Indigenous people’s respect for the land and their traditional #agriculture and #farming methods can teach us all to adapt to extreme weather and #climatechange. Take action and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🩸🚜☠️🧐⛔️ @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/12/03/indigenous-farming-knowledge-is-science-not-superstition/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterWritten by By Dr Su-Hie Ting, Dr Gabriel Tonga Noweg, and Dr Yvonne Michelle Campbell, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak in Kuching for 360Info.org and republished under the Creative Commons Licence.
The Indigenous people’s respect for the land and their traditional agricultural practices can teach us to adapt to extreme weather conditions.
In 2021, Malaysia lost 123,000 hectares of natural forest. This is equivalent to 87 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The destruction ruined thousands of food, energy and livelihood sources for Indigenous communities.
Researchers say agriculture is a significant contributor to anthropogenic global warming and reducing agricultural emissions — largely methane and nitrous oxide — could play a significant role in climate change mitigation. American economist William R Cline believes global warming reduces yields because crops speed through their development, producing less grain as higher temperatures interfere with the ability of plants to retain moisture.
In large-scale farming, using bulldozers and other mechanised farming equipment compacts the soil, reducing the soil’s water storage capacity and increasing surface runoff during heavy rain. According to the German environmental organisation BUND, soil structure and humus levels in the soil are vital for flood protection.
The Indigenous peoples in Malaysia have great respect for the land. The Bidayuh’s folktales or dondan teach the people that the land they inhabit does not belong to them, but to the spirits of the land.
Their folk wisdom on agricultural practices is based on that respect for the land. They don’t act as masters or owners of the land. To them, the land is a shared treasure, passed down from generation to generation.
The Bidayuhs will perform a ‘ngawah’ ritual on a selected piece of land a few months before carrying out any paddy planting activities. A traditional priest performs the Gawai ceremonies and presents offerings to spirits.
When they notice a particular creeping plant, the Indigenous people will not disturb or use that area. This isn’t mere superstition. There is science behind it.
Companion planting is when two plants are grown close together for the benefit of one or both plants. The presence of certain plant species can indicate that the land is not suitable for crops, like paddy. Some plants compete for nutrients or space if they are planted too close together. Other plants like sunflower seeds contain a toxin that prevents potatoes from growing fully, and since insects such as tomato hornworm and certain types of fungus thrive on corn and tomatoes, planting them together can contribute to a massive fungus attack.
Indigenous farming knowledge is science, not superstitionThe Indigenous communities in Sarawak have adopted environmentally responsive farming practices to adapt to extreme climate changes
A big issue is declining water resources due to unpredictable rainfall patterns. In the past, the farmers in Sarawak knew that there would be the northeast monsoon season at the end of the year until February and there would be dry weather from March to October. Floods, if any, would occur during the monsoon season.
However, in recent years rainfall has become unpredictable. Serious flooding in urban areas has been more prevalent in the middle of the year. This is because consecutive rainfall for two to four hours may cause flash floods. Indigenous farmers have ways to adjust their farming activities in anticipation of floods but they don’t have extensive irrigation systems to handle drought. Dry weather can cause crop failure, decrease crop yield and disrupt access to drinking water for livestock.
The land needs water to flourish. Soil cover is important to prevent or reduce erosion and flooding. It also acts as a sponge to soak up excess water and stabilise temperature. Soil moisture affects the weather, affecting both temperature and precipitation. As the temperature rises, the evaporation rate of soil moisture increases. The increased soil moisture evaporation helps cool the ground.
The Indigenous people know that the forest acts as a sponge
It retains water during rainy days, and gradually releases the water during dry periods. The traditional response is to improve the condition of the forest in their catchment area by planting more trees such as timber trees, bamboo, rattan and wild fruit trees.
Indigenous communities use plant resources for furniture and construction, consumption and medicinal purposes although different communities use plants in different ways. The Bidayuhs use Tongkat Alior ‘longjack’, as a remedy for hypertension while the Malays use it to enhance male sexual performance.
Planting more trees helps increase soil cover. In the long run, it will improve the capacity of the forest and water catchment areas to retain more water. This will ensure a more sustainable source of drinking water for the villages and maintain a stable temperature for the environment.
One of the main means of livelihood for the Indigenous people is wet paddy farming in lowland areas near rivers. The lower floodplain has fertile soil but is subject to flood damage during extreme weather conditions. Villagers use streams to irrigate their fields by making weirs or small dams to divert water to the paddy fields. However, this has become difficult as floods are becoming more frequent and unpredictable.
Paddy farmers have two traditional responses to flooding based on traditional knowledge. They farm on the slightly higher ground less likely to be affected by major and prolonged flooding. But since they avoid the lowland, they are left with a smaller area to plant paddy. In addition, paddy planted on higher ground does not grow well due to poorer irrigation and less fertile soil.
Farmers also adjust to changing climatic conditions by predicting the likelihood of a wet or dry year. By observing weather trends in the few months before planting season (normally between April and August), they decide whether to plant on the floodplain or higher ground.
This Indigenous knowledge for forecasting weather relies on signs from the environment. At the start of the dry season, usually after March, if there is a mist or fog early in the morning, it means it will be a dry year.
Birds can predict weather too. To the indigenous, if the ‘Burung Kangkok’ (hawk-cuckoo) chirps loudly and noisily when the fruit trees are about to blossom, it means it will be a good fruiting year. Researchers have discovered birds can detect rising and falling barometric pressure and can predict bad or cold weather when they detect a low-pressure centre or a cold front approaching.
Indigenous agricultural practices are different and interesting as a sustainable way of living because they are based on paying respect to the land. The main issue they have to contend with is the lack of water, and they have to develop farming strategies to effectively work with the land – rather than conquering or damaging the land.
Traditional agricultural practices can teach us to adapt to extreme weather conditions. However, Indigenous mitigation measures are difficult to implement because their traditional practices are at odds with large-scale farming.
Large-scale farming will increase to cater to the global population. Feeding a population of 9.1 billion in 2050 would require raising overall food production by some 70 percent between 2005 and 2050. Large-scale farming causes a reduction of the water storage capacity of the soil and, among other factors, will lead to rising temperatures. Large-scale farming contributes to climate change. Yet it is a necessity to feed the global population.
Professor Dr Su-Hie Ting is a lecturer at the Faculty of Language and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Her research interests include ethnic groups and their language and culture.Professor Dr Gabriel Tonga Noweg has a background in natural resource management, forestry, environmental conservation, biodiversity management and ethnobotany. He is currently a Principal Fellow at the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, UNIMAS. His current research interests include ethnobotany (medicinal plants), ecology of conservation areas, conservation of community-owned forests, ecotourism and biodiversity assessment. He is a registered consultant with Natural Resource and Environment Board (NREB) in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Dr Yvonne Michelle Campbell from the Faculty of Language and Communication, UNIMAS researches ethnolinguistics and Indigenous worldviews and has published journal papers on folk wisdom and cultural practices of the Bidayuh in Sarawak.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
Written by By Dr Su-Hie Ting, Dr Gabriel Tonga Noweg, and Dr Yvonne Michelle Campbell, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak in Kuching for 360Info.org and republished under the Creative Commons Licence.
ENDS
Read more about indigenous rights and indigenous medicine and ways of seeing on Palm Oil Detectives
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Read moreThe Indigenous Malaysian concept of ‘Badi’: respecting the land and wildlife
The Indigenous Semai #indigenous people of #Malaysia can teach us a lot about how to protect people, planet and biodiversity. The Indigenous concept of #badi is not superstition or taboo, it’s about respecting…
Read moreIndigenous Empowerment to Reverse Amazonia’s Mineral Demand
Illegal mining for minerals like gold is driving Amazonia deforestation. Empowering Indigenous peoples to care for biodiversity-rich areas is the key!
Read moreNew Research: Indigenous Communities Reduce Amazon Deforestation by 83%”
Although #deforestation rates in the Brazilian #Amazon have halved, this globally critical biome is still losing more than 5,000km² every year. That’s an area three times larger than Greater London. By combining satellite…
Read moreIndonesia’s misinformation army ready for war in 2023
In 2023, Indonesia’s government is set to ratchet up greenwashing and propaganda on social media, fuelled by a well-resourced misinformation machine. But the biggest propagator of disinformation seems not to be political renegades,…
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,178 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support #Agriculture #agroforestry #Boycott4Indigenous #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #farming #humanRights #indigenous #IndigenousActivism #indigenousKnowledge #indigenousMedicine #indigenousRights #landRights #PalmOil #ReasonsToBeHopeful -
Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide
Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAgriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer
The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.
Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.
The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.
Growing interest in microalgae
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.
One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.
Agri-food applications and climate action
Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.
Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.
- Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
- It doesn’t require fertile land.
- It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
- It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.
Microalgae is climate resilient
This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.
Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.
Green algae by Wichit on Getty ImagesGlobal crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.
Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.
Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.
Microalgae could also support crop production
by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.
Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change
Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.
These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.
In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.
Agri-food applications of microalgae can help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Dr Jules SiedenburgThe five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.
In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiDid you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#Agriculture #algae #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottSoy #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #consumerism #diet #health #humanhealth #PalmOil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #soyDeforestation #vegan #veganism
-
Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide
Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAgriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer
The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.
Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.
The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.
Growing interest in microalgae
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.
One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.
Agri-food applications and climate action
Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.
Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.
- Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
- It doesn’t require fertile land.
- It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
- It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.
Microalgae is climate resilient
This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.
Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.
Green algae by Wichit on Getty ImagesGlobal crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.
Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.
Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.
Microalgae could also support crop production
by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.
Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change
Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.
These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.
In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.
Agri-food applications of microalgae can help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Dr Jules SiedenburgThe five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.
In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiDid you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#Agriculture #algae #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottSoy #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #consumerism #diet #health #humanhealth #PalmOil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #soyDeforestation #vegan #veganism
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Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide
Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAgriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer
The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.
Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.
The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.
Growing interest in microalgae
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.
One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.
Agri-food applications and climate action
Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.
Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.
- Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
- It doesn’t require fertile land.
- It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
- It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.
Microalgae is climate resilient
This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.
Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.
Green algae by Wichit on Getty ImagesGlobal crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.
Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.
Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.
Microalgae could also support crop production
by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.
Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change
Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.
These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.
In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.
Agri-food applications of microalgae can help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Dr Jules SiedenburgThe five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.
In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiDid you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#Agriculture #algae #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottSoy #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #consumerism #diet #health #humanhealth #PalmOil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #soyDeforestation #vegan #veganism
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Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide
Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAgriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer
The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.
Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.
The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.
Growing interest in microalgae
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.
One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.
Agri-food applications and climate action
Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.
Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.
- Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
- It doesn’t require fertile land.
- It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
- It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.
Microalgae is climate resilient
This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.
Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.
Green algae by Wichit on Getty ImagesGlobal crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.
Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.
Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.
Microalgae could also support crop production
by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.
Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change
Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.
These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.
In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.
Agri-food applications of microalgae can help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Dr Jules SiedenburgThe five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.
In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiDid you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#Agriculture #algae #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottSoy #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #consumerism #diet #health #humanhealth #PalmOil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #soyDeforestation #vegan #veganism
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Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide
Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAgriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer
The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.
Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.
The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.
Growing interest in microalgae
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock
Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.
One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.
Agri-food applications and climate action
Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.
Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.
- Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
- It doesn’t require fertile land.
- It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
- It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.
Microalgae is climate resilient
This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.
Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.
Green algae by Wichit on Getty ImagesGlobal crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.
Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.
Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.
Microalgae could also support crop production
by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.
Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.
Mitigating and adapting to climate change
Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.
These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.
In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.
Agri-food applications of microalgae can help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Dr Jules SiedenburgThe five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.
In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiDid you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#Agriculture #algae #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottSoy #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climatechange #consumerism #diet #health #humanhealth #PalmOil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #soyDeforestation #vegan #veganism
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Do humans really need other species?
Professor of Biology Tom Langden at Clarkson University answers kid’s questions about climate change and biodiversity. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterQuestion: Can humans live without any other species of plants or animals? – Arunima S., age 14, Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Answer: People definitely cannot survive without other species.
As an ecologist – a scientist who studies the interactions of plants, microorganisms, fungi and animals, including humans – I know there are at least three reasons we need other organisms.
Do humans need other species? Yes! millions of organisms are needed to keep ecosystems in balance and ensure everyone can survive. Most importantly, #research shows other species make us happy! #vegan for the animals #Boycott4Wildlife
1. Humans are happier around other species
Research shows that people are healthier and more content when they are around other species of plants and animals. They need to experience the sights, sounds, smells, feel and taste of other organisms for mental and physical health. This drive is called “biophilia,” meaning love of living things.
For example, seeing and hearing birds creates positive feelings. Two recent studies in Canada and Germany found that the more species of birds in a neighborhood, the happier people are. This may be due to experiencing the birds themselves, or due to a healthy environment, as indicated by the presence of birds
[Pictured] Painting of a Vogelkop Superb Bird of Paradise in Papua New Guinea by Szabolcs Kókay
In a different Canadian experiment, researchers played birdsong from hidden speakers along hiking trails. People reported that they felt more restored and were more satisfied about the hike when they heard a diversity of birds species than when they heard few or none.
Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities instead of the countryside. So urban planners and landscape architects are exploring ways to include more green spaces and green infrastructure in cities.
Research shows that when a city has diverse wildlife, ample open green space and vegetation along streets and on buildings, people are more active, less stressed, healthier and happier. These conditions provide opportunities for people to experience and interact with other organisms, as well as benefit from the other things that plants, animals and microbes do to make the environment healthy and pleasant.
Curious by Mustafa Ozturk on Getty Imageswoman on a wildlife viewing trek by Blue Orange Studios on Getty ImagesMagnificent Bird of Paradise by Getty Images videoScientists now know that it takes thousands of species to support human life. Yet we are only just beginning to understand the important roles different species play in ecosystems, including urban ones. We still need to learn much more about why and how other species are necessary for human survival. And if people are to successfully travel for long periods in space or establish space colonies, we will have to understand what species we need to take along with us to survive and prosper.
2. Humans need other species to produce food
First, without other species people would have nothing to eat.
Humans and all organisms require food for energy and the materials to build their bodies and reproduce. Only some microorganisms and plants have a way to use energy from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make the basic molecules that provide that food. This process is called photosynthesis.
Without these organisms, humans wouldn’t have food to eat. Almost everything we eat is either a plant or other photosynthetic organism.
Algae salad by Lunamarina for Getty ImagesChemists have discovered ways to use various sources of energy to make molecules that could be used for food. Molecules produced this way are called “synthetic.” However, these processes are so difficult and expensive that it is currently impossible to feed people with these synthetic foods.
Production of synthetic food using genetically modified bacteria or cultured cell lines is growing in importance. In the future, the human diet may become a little less dependent on consuming plants and animals. Still, living organisms will remain a core component of these foods.
Adopting vegan diet ensures that wild animals have the best chance for survival. It also means you are not contributing to an unbearably cruel global industry.It takes countless different organisms – big, small and microscopic – to create healthy soil and breathable air. To break down and recycle waste. To purify water and prevent erosion. To break down toxic chemicals into harmless forms, and convert other chemicals into sources of nourishment that other organisms need to grow and thrive.
And many of our food plants – over 1,200 species – depend on pollinators to produce the fruit or seed that humans and other animals eat. Pollination, the process that allows plants to reproduce, happens when animals carry pollen from one plant to another. Bees are the main pollinators, but many other insects, birds, bats and other animals also transport pollen between plants.
Birds and other animals fertilize plants by transporting pollen between them – enabling them to produce fruits and seeds that humans eat. krisanapong detraphiphat/Moment via Getty ImagesAnimals of all sizes, from tiny ants to enormous elephants, also move seeds, spreading plants that make for healthy and productive ecosystems. Diverse species, from tiny microbes to huge vultures and sharks, break down dead organisms into chemicals that can be used to grow more food.
The number of species that contribute to creating each bite of the average meal is mind-boggling.
3. Human bodies need other species to stay healthy
Many functions of the human body itself rely on a complex and highly diverse ecosystem of microbial species that live on the skin and in the respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems. These bacteria, fungi and other microbes are called a “microbiome.”
Each person has a unique personal microbiome to protect against infection, digest and extract nutrients in food and synthesize vitamins.
For example, the gut microbiome is important for breaking down food into usable energy and nutrients, and converting other indigestible or toxic substances into forms that can be excreted.
This microbiome changes over people’s lifetimes based on what they eat, what’s around them, where they live and how healthy they are. In fact, human bodies are made up of more bacterial cells than human cells.
Diet and drugs strongly affect the 300 to 500 bacteria species that are the core of a healthy gut ecosystem.
The microbiome also plays an important role in preventing infection. Many diseases are associated with microbial communities that are dominated by just a few species. Some physicians transplant poop from healthy to ill people to establish a healthy community of microbes and hopefully cure the disease.
Help wild animals by adopting a vegan diet and being a part of the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Here are some other ways you can help by using your wallet as a weapon and joining the #Boycott4Wildlife
Why join the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
Did you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiDid you enjoy visiting this website?
Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalIntelligence #animalRights #animals #Boycott4wildlife #Boycott4WildlifeTweet #BoycottPalmOil #conservation #plantBasedDiet #psychology #ReasonsToBeHopeful #research #vegan #veganism
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Palm oil substitutes can offer beleaguered rainforests a fighting chance
Palm oil is a versatile substance used in a wide range of products from foods to cosmetics. The trouble with it is that the cultivation of oil palm trees has caused massive enviromental harm, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together account for 85% of palm oil production in the world.
But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.
#Algae #biotech 🌱🥬 is a healthy replacement for the #ecocide of #palmoil and offers hope that rainforests, rare #plants and #animals could be saved from #extinction. Take action when you shop #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/11/09/palm-oil-substitutes-can-offer-beleaguered-rainforests-a-fighting-chance/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterArticle written by Daniel T. Cross and originally published in Sustainability Times under a Creative Commons licence.
But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.
The researchers have extracted edible oils from a common strain of microalgae that have similar properties to palm oil but contain fewer saturated fatty acids. That feature will have health benefits as saturated fats raise levels of LDL cholesterol in our blood, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease.
Better yet: these microalgae can be cultivated at scale, obviating the need for further deforestation to plant yet more oil palms.
Better yet: these microalgae can be cultivated at scale, obviating the need for further deforestation to plant yet more oil palms.
[Pictured] Spirulina algae by Madeleine Steinback on Getty Images
At the same time, the researchers have developed a relatively simple technique to replace the microalgae culture medium with fermented soybean residues while improving microalgae biomass yields. After two weeks the cultured microalgae is washed and dried before being treated with methanol to break down the bonds between the oils and the algae protein. That enables the oils to be extracted through an environmentally friendly processing technology also devised by the scientists.
For a standard 100-gram bar of chocolate, for instance, 160 grams of microalgae would suffice in providing the oil, the scientists say.
“Uncovering this as a potential human food source is an opportunity to lessen the impact the food supply chain has on our planet,” stresses William Chen, director of NTU’s Food Science and Technology Program and head of the research team, who published their findings in a study.
“Our solution is a three-pronged approach to solving three pressing issues. We are capitalising on the concept of establishing a circular economy, finding uses for would-be waste products and re-injecting them into the food chain, Chen explains.
“In this case, we rely on one of nature’s key processes, fermentation, to convert that organic matter into nutrient-rich solutions, which could be used to cultivate algae, which not only reduces our reliance on palm oil, but keeps carbon out of the atmosphere,” the scientist adds.
The reseachers are working on fine-tuning their methods to improve the yield and quality of oils extracted from microalgae and are expecting their inventions to become commercially viable in a couple of years.
Such initiatives aimed at replacing palm oil with greener substitutes cannot come soon enough as deforestation in Sumatra, Borneo and elsewhere in Indonesia and Malaysia have reached massive proportions with huge environmental costs. Critically endangered endemic species such as orangutans and Sumatran rhinos have been pushed by habitat loss to the very edge of extinction.
“If the current destruction of the rainforest continues, then I have absolutely no hope that any orangutans will remain in the wild,” warns Alan Knight, chief executive of the conservationist group International Animal Rescue. “I would probably say 10 years if we cannot stop the destruction. I think the Sumatran [orangutan] will go before then if they don’t sort out the situation they are in.”
Although orangutan populations in the interiors of remaining forests have remained stable, they have been declining to varying degrees in patches of forest interspersed by oil palm plantations, which are a primary source of revenue for Malaysia.
At the same time, Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, is stepping up its plans to ship millions of tons of crude palm oil and its derivatives after a self-imposed three-week ban on exports in May to tackle domestic shortages. As the global market continues being flooded by palm oil, rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia remain at grave risk of being fragmented further.
In order to give these remaining forests and rare, endangered forest-dwelling species of plants and animals a fighting chance at survival, we’ll need to find eco-friendly substitutes to palm oil as soon as possible.
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Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-FiPalm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#algae #animals #biotech #biotechnology #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #disruptiveTechnology #ecocide #extinction #humanHealth #humanRights #newTechnology #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #plants #ReasonsToBeHopeful #reasontohope #superfood
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Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals – but that’s not the only reason westerners should eat more of it
Now
This article was written by Rochelle Embling, a PhD researcher in psychology at Swansea University, and Laura Wilkinson, a senior lecturer in psychology at Swansea University. It is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Edible seaweeds and algae – or sea vegetables – are a group of aquatic plants that are found in the ocean. Kelp, dulse, wakame and sea grapes are all types of seaweeds that are used in seaweed-based dishes.
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter#Algae has a tasty ‘umami’ flavour and a superb nutrient profile, especially for #vegans. It doesn’t cause #deforestation either! Replacing #palmoil with #algae makes sense for rainforests #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #Together4Forests
Though eating seaweed is mostly common in Asian countries, today seaweeds are widely growing in popularity as an ingredient in a range of food and beverages. This notably includes sushi, where nori seaweed is used as an edible wrap for vegetable, fish, and rice-based fillings.
Our research suggests that people in the UK, like consumers in other western countries, are less familiar with seaweed as an ingredient. This is important because food neophobia (wanting to avoid novel foods) may prevent consumers from trying new products.
And for seaweeds in particular, first impressions may be less appealing when associated with the plant washed up on our beaches. For example, many participants in our research imagined seaweed to be “smelly”, “salty”, and “slimy” when asked.
Despite it being considered an Asian staple, people have been eating seaweed in Europe as well for centuries
Many European countries have a history of consuming seaweeds. This includes laverbread, a savoury puree made from laver seaweed, which is eaten alongside other seafood as part of Welsh cuisine. A sweet alternative is carrageen pudding, a jelly-like dessert made from carrageen seaweed (otherwise known as Irish moss).
Spirulina algae by Madeleine Steinback on Getty Images
However, this traditional consumption of seaweed remains somewhat niche today. And with the exception of sushi, seaweed consumption is relatively low in most western countries.
In a recent study, we explored how consumers rate seaweeds and potential food products (that could be supplemented with seaweed) when thinking about eating them. We found that people expected seaweed food products (such as seaweed burgers) to be more appealing than seaweed as a general food source.
Notably, as participants already expected seaweed products to be healthy and sustainable, these attributes were less important to their acceptance of seaweed. Taste and familiarity were the two factors that had the greatest influence on participants’ willingness to try and buy seaweed-based foods.
Seaweed: a superb way to get nutrients as a vegan
Seaweeds are a highly versatile and nutritious food source that can benefit our diet. Seaweeds are often rich in fibre and high in vitamins and minerals. This includes iodine and vitamin B12, which can be lacking in vegetarian and vegan diets.
Submerged algae and seaweed Lucas B Bracht on Getty Images
Has a super tasty ‘umami’ flavour, despite its reputation for being a stinky plant of the sea
And seaweeds can be added to a range of products for their taste as well as how they can be used to thicken soups or stabilise the texture of ice cream. As seaweeds have a umami flavour, many chefs also favour seaweeds as a way to enhance the depth of flavour in their dishes.
A climate-friendly and forest-friendly food
Thinking about what we eat has become an important environment-related talking point. As more of us try to eat less meat and dairy, we have seen a rise in the consumption of plant-based products (including burger patties, nuggets, and sausages), plant-based milk (soya, almond, rice, and oat milk), and other dairy alternatives (such as dairy-free yoghurt and cheese).Kelp recipes.
In the current market, plant-based “meat” is typically made from soya, with other plant-based proteins including peas, mushrooms, and wheat.
High in protein, low in salt
Importantly, seaweeds and algae could be worthy additions to this list. Though the protein content of seaweed differs between species (particularly as it goes through the production process), protein can account for up to 25% of the dry weight for green seaweeds, and 47% for red seaweeds.
This means that seaweeds could be used to supplement the nutritional content of protein alternatives. In particular, seaweeds are often low in sodium. As the salt content of plant-based meat products can be higher than similar products, seaweeds could be used as an alternative seasoning to salt, helping to improve the healthiness of these items while enhancing taste
Seaweeds also have the potential for sustainable farming along the UK coastline. When compared to other plant-based alternatives, this means they stand out for their ability to grow without freshwater or fertilisers and do not compete for land space.
Seaweed needs ‘taste profiling’ on the packaging (like wines do) for consumers to appreciate it more
Our research also suggests that including more taste-focused language on packaging (delicious, warm, rich) and providing recipe ideas to consumers (serve seaweed as a side dish) may be an important marketing strategy if future seaweed products are to find new audiences.
We need to make seaweed cheaper so everyone can enjoy it
There are some additional barriers that we need to consider. For example, like other plant-based alternative foods, seaweed can be more expensive, and high street availability is limited compared to online. Also, as the nutrients in seaweeds are affected by the waters they grow in, eating too much or consuming seaweeds from unregulated sources can affect food safety.
Overall, however, there are plenty of reasons why seaweed is a great food for the future.
Here are more Reasons to be Hopeful
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Amazing Animal Adaptations Amazing Animal AdaptationsProtecting Peru’s Grasslands Vital for Spectacled Bears
Amazing Animal AdaptationsJavan Rhinos Not Safe from Poachers
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Join the #Boycott4WildlifePalm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Say thanks on Ko-Fi#algae #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #consumerRights #consumerism #deforestation #diet #food #health #healthProducts #humanHealth #nutrition #PalmOil #palmOilAndHealth #palmoil #plantBasedDiet #ReasonsToBeHopeful #vegan #veganism #vegans