Author: Grace Liu ’23
Welcome back to Good News Friday and happy last week of classes! We’ve compiled a list of surprising and promising initiatives involving artificial whale poop, wind farming, and rewilding projects.
- Artificial whale poop aids carbon capture: Whale poop is fertilizer for the ocean because it is rich in iron which is vital for plant growth. This allows the growth of phytoplankton, which sequester carbon. Inspired by this mechanism, a research group at the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge is trying to artificially encourage phytoplankton growth using artificial whale poop. The feces imitation consists of a mix of nitrates, phosphates, silicates, and iron stored in rice husks. Using this method, they hope to increase ocean sequestration of carbon up to 50% from its current 30%.
- Results of rewilding: Rewilding is a progressive approach to conservation with the goal of restoring the natural dynamics of ecosystems. The Global Rewilding Alliance and OpenForests have released a map of rewilding projects around the world, covering projects in over 70 countries and spanning 1 million square kilometers. For example, the recovery of the European Bison population is one of the success stories of these rewilding projects.
- Wind farms in Iowa: Hundreds of farms around O’Brien County have built wind turbines in their fields to generate renewable electricity. This trend takes advantage of the strong winds in Iowa and makes the state one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the US. In fact, 57% of the energy produced in the state in the past year came from wind. This arrangement is mutually beneficial for farmers because they can sell the electricity generated in addition to the crops grown on the land.
That’s all for this week! Check back next week for more encouraging environmental news. If you’d like to share some Good News with us, please feel free to get in touch!