'Seaweed & Dairying: Curbing methane (CH4) and fostering rural development’

Abstract

Dairy Farming in the 21st Century is in crisis (Scholten 2023). Climate pessimists fear the Tipping-Point was passed in 2017, and doubt taxpayers will tolerate investing 10% of global energy for centuries of carbon capture & sequestration (CCS). Optimists say there are many paths to climate equilibrium. One path, a cowpath, is curbing methane (CH4) cow burps ~80% by mixing feed with 0.3%-0.5% red seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis. Livestock's greenhouse gas (GHG) discharges are comparable to transport’s, about 15% of anthropogenic emissions (FAO 2006; Herrero et al 2011). Each cow emits ~100kg methane annually (CLEAR-UC Davis 2019). Fortunately, seaweed innovations entail less capital expenditure and infrastructure than pumping methane underground.
Methane mitigation via seaweed suggests social benefits: indigenous cultural participation by people in the Antipodes and Pacific Northwest, and rural job creation for on-farm seaweed production. Dairy cooperatives with women's participation in the Americas, Africa, Britain and India merit investment in such innovative climate mitigation (Darigold Cooperative Feb 24, 2020; Scholten 2010, 2023). Meanwhile, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Jack Ma back Australian venture Rumin8. Seaweed additive Bovaer is under study in India. Promisingly, Straus organic creamery targets Net Zero in 2024, after California (CDFA 2022) certification to grow seaweed in land-based saltwater vats in San Diego and Hawaii for its Blue Ocean Barns (BOB) additive Brominata. The speaker plans visiting BOB on Kona to discuss Brominata, of which ice cream company Ben & Jerry's declares itself an 'early adopter' as a pillar of its sustainability program. (27Feb24)