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The Graduate's New Word: Algae

The popular line from The Graduate can usher in the new era now... "One word. Plastics." can now be described as "One word. Algae."
 

Thanks to the rapidly advancing field of Algaculture, the blue-green revolution continues at a hopeful pace.  This is not breaking news, but there are signs that this technology is reaching a practical level faster than expected.  Exxon and General Atomics are investing hundreds of millions of dollars on applied research.  If this doesn't give you hope for the process, than consider the other potential uses of algae as a dietary supplement, water treatment, and other beneficial uses.

Not all algae is created equal though and in many cases, algal blooms have a devastating effect on local ecosystems.  In the Sacramento River, the first 40 miles of river are as pristine as the headwaters at the base of Mt. Shasta.  Once the river dips into agricultural land, the nutrient rich runoff and slower waters are perfect for Algae blooms.  The clarity of the water is drastically reduced and the algae clings to rocks and increases turbidity.  Perhaps this is a contributor to the decline in fish populations, it's not the algae's fault though, they are merely being fed an endless buffet of nitrates and phosphates from fertilizer runoff from one of the greatest Agricultural areas in the United States.

Would it be possible to trap the runoff before it hits the river and allow Algal blooms to be contained in pools and harvested for nutrients and potential biofuel?  Could we improve river water quality by fixing the nitrogen in the Algae before it contaminates the river?  Could farmers utilize this veggie diesel/biofuel to power their tractors, combines, and shakers and reduce their reliance on traditional diesel?  All of this remains to be proven through basic applied research, but from an early stage analysis of the state of the art and the millions of dollars of investment from big oil companies, I believe that the answer is yes.

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Facing funding cuts by local water agencies, conservation garden considering structural changes

Water-saving showcase may become a nonprofit

September 5, 2009

RANCHO SAN DIEGO: The Water Conservation Garden, facing mounting financial difficulties, may become a nonprofit organization instead of being governed by a group of San Diego water agencies.

The concept of changing the governance of the garden was approved by the Otay Water District board this week. The Otay board also approved providing $7,750 to assist the garden in becoming a nonprofit group.

The garden near Cuyamaca College was founded 10 years ago as a showcase to display flowers and other plants that require little watering. The garden offers classes and provides advice from professionals on designing a drought-tolerant lawn.

The garden is now governed by a joint powers authority made up of the Otay Water District, Helix Water District, San Diego County Water Authority, the city of San Diego, the Sweetwater Authority, and Cuyamaca College. The Otay and Helix water districts provided about $2 million each to construct the garden, which opened in 1999, on land donated by Cuyamaca College.

If the garden became a nonprofit, the water agencies would still contribute long-term funding, but a nonprofit would be better able to raise additional money, an Otay staff report said.

If approved by the Water Conservation board, the nonprofit would assume full management of the garden in 2011.—A.K.

Algae Bloom Claims the Life of a Horse, Nearly its Master

Algae Covered Beaches in Saint Michele En Greve, Brittany, France.



Hypoxic (or more commonly known as "Dead") Zones have become a plague along coastlines throughout the world. This phenomena has been well know to threaten the well being of marine ecosystems - indeed there are over 400 Hypoxic Zones throughout the world, often caused by nitrogen and phosphates contained in manure and other synthetic fertilizers. Below The Surface was started in response to the Hypoxic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico that has grown to 8000 square miles, or roughly the size of Massachusetts.

France has recently experienced a rash of deaths attributed to the key catalyst of Hypoxic Zones, Algae. Click Here for the full article.