3 Things you can do for Seaweed

Forager Rachel Lambert talking about seaweeds for the Gwelen project

Seaweed is amazing and there are many reasons to be thankful for its presence; from sinking our CO2, to protecting our shoreline, providing nutrition and producing oxygen. We are actually reliant on seaweed for our every breath. Seaweed is a marine algae, which produces 50-80% of the oxygen we breathe!*

Forager Rachel Lambert harvesting wild seaweed in Cornwall

Bleached white seaweed with wrack tips and rock pool on Arran

It goes without saying that for seaweed to continue to look after us, we need to look after it too. In the ancient practice of foraging, our ancestors would have done this naturally, understanding that foraging is a reciprocal action - we receive from the earth, therefore we give back.

All our actions have an impact, though luckily we can choose what that impact is. Everything we do will eventually end up in the sea where seaweed thrives and grows. Here are 3 ways to take care of seaweeds that take care of us:

1. Use ocean-friendly cleaning products

Cleaning products that use natural ingredients with as little processing as possible will be best for our oceans and seaweeds. Otherwise seaweeds will be working hard to absorb toxins which will inhibit their other important benefits for humans and wildlife.

Be careful not to be taken in by green-washing, some companies that are genuinely ocean-friendly include: Elmkind.co.uk and Neat look pretty cool too.

2. Reduce your plastics

It is estimated that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the sea which greatly impact sea mammals, algae and sea birds. The sea is meant to be nutritionally rich, enhanced by seaweed debris and growth. The more we reduce plastics, the cleaner our seas can be for seaweed and all that lives in it.

Simple steps to reduce your plastics include:

using refillable products (Elmkind and Neat that I mentioned above are two great examples)
buying loose fruit and veg rather than plastic wrapped ones
purchasing natural fabrics (cotton, linen, bamboo) rather than synthetics (nylon, polyester) made from plastics.

For more ideas and to feel part of a bigger community trying to do the same, join a Plastic Free Community near you to take your first step!

3. Buy line-caught rather than trawled fish

'Sustainable' fish is a tricky area, though buying from small fishing boats and line-caught fish is better than fish caught through trawling. Lobster or crab caught from small pots is also a good option.

Trawling is the equivalent of deforestation and can seriously damage the seabed where seaweeds are attached to feed and grow. Common fish and seafood from bottom trawling are: skate, flounder, sole and cod as well as shrimp and prawns. Consider the sustainability of the fish you purchase. For example, if you don't live in Cornwall, The Cornish Fishmonger sells line caught mackerel by post!