13: Harvesting Giant Kelp for local community & to draw carbon back into the seas with Ian O'Hollaren

Did you know that seaweed has many uses? Before, it was mainly harvested and gathered for basic uses such as food, fertilizers and animal food. Today it is used in a variety of applications; namely cosmetics, biofuel, and food supplements!  Today's episode, we're going to learn everything about seaweeds with Ian O'Hollaren, the founder of Seaquoia, a wild California kelp and seaweed company. Ian is going to share his knowledge with us on harvesting wild Californian kelps and how to draw carbon back into the sea.  He and his team are working on a seaweed supplement and other culinary deliveries to bring public awareness and help them understand its value and uses. Ian is also involved in the preservation and protection of rain ecosystems, including a campaign that aims to prevent cruise ships from entering the Monterey Bay sanctuary.   If you're a fan of seaweed then you'll surely enjoy today's conversation! The community of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary CMBS needs your help with "Environmental Impact of Cruise Ships in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary, California" to prevent cruise ship from dumping, polluting, causing noise pollution and harming the sanctuary. Join Community of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary today, sign the petition here! In this Episode, We Discuss: How harvesting seaweed help sanctuaries How Ian and his team are maintaining the daily limit of seaweed harvesting Wild seaweed harvesting vs. seaweed farming Culinary distribution and re-introducing species and their medicinal benefits through kelp Why losing 90% of the kelp forest could be detrimental to our atmosphere, our climate? Different seaweed species that Ian works with    Get to know Ian: Ian O'Hollaren is the owner and harvester of Seaquoia, a wild California kelp and seaweed company that offers an array of seaweed products ranging from dried seaweed to seaweed salads, soup stocks, and dried seaweed snacks. It partners with environmental agencies, non-profits, and adopt-a-beach programs to give back to the environment and educate the public on the importance of protecting the ocean and coastlines. With kelp and seaweed becoming more mainstream, Seaquoia encourages everyone to become more familiar with this superfood from the sea.   Connect with Ian: Instagram LinkedIn   Mentioned in this Episode: Seaquoia   --- Did you enjoy today's episode? Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified immediately when a new episode comes out! If you enjoyed the Mercast, please click here to leave a review and share this episode with a friend! I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time. Subscribe to The Mercast ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Castbox