Seaweed can help brands meet their sustainability goals

Brands across all industries are learning the value of seaweed when it comes to being greener

With concerns about climate change growing among the general public, sustainability is quickly becoming a deciding factor for consumers seeking out the best products and services for their needs.

In fact, according to Deloitte, almost a third (32%) of consumers are highly engaged with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle, while 28% of consumers have stopped buying certain products to do environmental or ethical concerns.[1]

As a result, organisations across all industries are seeking smart solutions to improve their sustainability and do their bit for the world around us. For many, the answer lies in seaweed.

Seaweed can reduce cattle emissions by 82%

Agriculture is one area in which seaweed is making waves, with research from the University of California finding that feeding beef cattle seaweed can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 82%.

The study, which added small amounts of seaweed to the diet of 21 beef cattle over a five month period, found that around 80g of seaweed per day caused significant reductions in methane emissions, and that the efficacy of these changes did not diminish over time.[2]

These promising results followed previous work by PhD student Breanna Roque and Professor Ermias Kebreab, which found that seaweed could reduce methane emissions from dairy cows by more than 50%.[3] It marks the start of a significant move by farmers and supermarkets alike, who are increasingly using seaweed in their agricultural practises. Earlier this year, Morrisons announced plans to have net-zero eggs, fruit, veg and meat on its shelves in the next few years, and this included plans to encourage its beef farmer suppliers to feed their cattle seaweed supplements.[4]

The role of seaweed in ecosystem support

It’s not just cattle farming which is seeing the ecological benefits of seaweed. More than 30 countries have committed to increasing their production of renewable resources from biological materials, and converting them into products like food, animal feed and bioenergy in an effort to meet carbon emission targets.[5]

In this post fossil-fuel world we aim for, a huge proportion of textiles, chemicals and plastic alternatives will have to come from biomass, which will likely include marine plants like seaweed.

What’s more, seaweed farming has shown benefits in buffering against ocean acidification, dampening wave action, reducing coastal erosion, and clearing waterways by absorbing excess nutrients from wastewater. Brands like Good Catch in the US have even been using seaweed to create plant-based seafood alternatives such as frozen fish burgers, fish cakes, crab cakes and tuna.[6]

Seaweed, carbon and climate change

One of the most important contributions seaweed makes to the environment is through a process called carbon sequestration. Seaweed functions like other plant life in that it takes in carbon and releases oxygen, but does so on a much greater scale thanks to its high growth rates. Kelp, for example, can grow by as much as 60cm in one day and soaks up as much as 600 million tonnes of carbon every year.[7] Once carbon dioxide is locked within the seaweed, it can be harvested for use or stored underground where it cannot negatively impact the climate.[8]

In order for sustainable seaweed farming to continue, grow, and make an impact on the climate as a whole, the demand for seaweed by brands must be there. Now is the time for organisations to ride the seaweed wave and utilise marine plant life to improve their own sustainability levels.

PureSea™ uses wild-harvested organic Hebridean seaweed to create a plant-based natural flavour of the sea. It provides an easy way for brands to deliver on the extensive health benefits of seaweed, while also preparing for a move towards a more sustainable future.