New Delhi: A professor from Delhi University has been conducting a bold experiment — cultivating seaweeds in the coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Chilika Lake to combat climate change. Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo has designed bamboo wheels, each 24 feet in diameter, to which indigenous red seaweeds are tied using plastic ropes. These wheels are then submerged in the water for 45 days. The biomass automatically multiplies and is harvested for sun-drying and further value addition.
According to Professor Sahoo, seaweeds absorb 20 tonnes to 48 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare annually. In comparison, temperate zones sequester up to 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare each year and for tropical forests, it is 20 tonnes.
He said,
This is the first-of-its-kind experiment to combat climate change by cultivating seaweeds.
In addition to addressing climate change, seaweeds are used in health, food, cosmetic products and biofuel production, potentially creating jobs, Professor Sahoo noted.
Seaweeds also enrich marine biodiversity, especially prawns and fish, the DU professor said, adding that no fertilizers, fresh water, or land are required for this process.
Also Read: Climate Change May Reduce Average Life Expectancy By Half A Year: Study
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
