The Sargassum Podcast

The Sargassum Podcast's Robby Thigpen interviews Darson Benet aka  Drizzle Roadrunna and his mom Ms. Mazy about the fire on Guanaja, their  family there and what they are trying to do to help. If you would like  to donate to help feed the people of Guanaja, please go to our Guanaja  After the Fire Donation page:  https://marinefrontiers.org/guanaja-a... Donation are being collected through Oct 31st.  All donations that come in through this page will go directly to feeding  and helping the victims of the fire. We are one world and one people  and our brothers and sisters need your help.

Lindsay Martin is an Ocean Policy Specialist at the National Science Foundation (NSF) who is passionate about combining research with education. She has quite literally sailed around the world and is working to make research more equitable and accessible.

Amy Siuda is an Associate Professor of Marine Science at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and former Professor and Chief Scientist at Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. She is a marine ecologist and biological oceanographer whose research interests span marine plankton ecology from organismal to population and community levels.

Lindsay and Amy just published a paper on the motile animals found on different types of pelagic Sargassum.

Listen to the episode to hear about:

Episode Transcript

Learn more about Lindsay Martin:

֍ ResearchGate

Learn more about Amy Siuda:

֍ Faculty Page

֍ LinkedIn

֍ ResearchGate

֍ Sargassum Research

֍ Scientific Paper

֍ Sea Education Association

We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected], and connect with us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Can’t get enough? Become one of our patrons Become one of our patrons (https://www.patreon.com/Sargassumpodcast) for as little as $1 a month. Patrons get to submit questions to us prior to the interviews that we will then ask our guests. We are grateful for each supporter and look forward to connecting with you.

Like our music? The song is called Them Ah Pree by Drizzle Roadranna. Follow him on YouTube and Spotify

Ute Marx is Professor of Medical Engineering at Pforzheim University, but she has spent some of her research time in Brisbane Australia. Her teaching focuses on the subjects of technical sales and marketing, as well as natural science subjects such as molecular biophysics and metabonomics. Her research activities focus, among other things, on the question of how metabolic products in body fluids can provide information about the course of diseases and the success of therapies. Her interest in algae research started in 2005 studying the metabolism of H2 producing algae.

John Roles is a research fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland, Australia. Together with Professor Ben Hankamer he researches the economic potential of algae generated products. He has over 35 years of experience in the design and construction of energy projects including power generation and renewable fuels. His PhD was directed at the generation of the TELCA platform for economic and environmental assessment of renewable fuel production.

Listen to the episode to hear about:

Episode Transcript

֍  Professor Ben Hankamer

֍ Sargassum blooms in the Atlantic Ocean- From a burden to an asset

We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected], and connect with us on social media: Facebook, twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Can’t get enough? Become one of our patrons for as little as $1 a month. Patrons get to submit questions to us prior to the interviews that we will then ask our guests. We are grateful for each supporter and look forward to connecting with you.

Like our music? This song is called Them Ah Prey by Drizzle Road Ranna. Follow him on YouTube and Spotify

Professor Kwasi Appeaning Addo is a coastal processes specialist with vast experience in the West Africa coastal region. He is the Director of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS) in the University of Ghana. Recently he has focused his research on developing an integrated approach to sustainable port development, which embraces the three perspectives of engineering, ecosystem services, and governance, as well as sargassum in West Africa. He is a member of the Expert Group of High-Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy, who provide advice to the High-Level Panel of 13 Heads of Governments.

Listen to the episode to hear about:

Episode transcript

֍ University of Ghana, Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences

֍ Proposal To Set Up the Gulf of Guinea Sargassum Network (GGSN)

We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected], and connect with us on social media: Facebook, twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Can’t get enough? Become one of our patrons for as little as $1 a month. Patrons get to submit questions to us prior to the interviews that we will then ask our guests. We are grateful for each supporter and look forward to connecting with you.

Like our music? This song is called Them Ah Prey by Drizzle Road Ranna. Follow him on YouTube and Spotify

Sargassum Podcast Episode 33: A Different Kind of Invasion - Panel on Sargassum horneri in California 

Our panel of guests today are:   

Melissa Hanson  

֍ Learn more about Kelpful here: 

https://www.kelpful.com/  

Dr. Emily Ryznar

֍ You can find more information about Dr. Ryznar's work here: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-ryznar-ph-d-aa47b349/

Lauren Smith

֍ You can find out more about Lauren’s work here: 

https://dornsife-blogs.usc.edu/wrigley/?p=2219

Dr. Lindsay Marks-Orsini  

֍ You can find out more about Dr. Marks-Orsini’s work here:

Sarah Mastroni

֍ To find out more:

֍ Listen to the episode to hear about:  

Introduction (0:00) 

Guest introductions ( )

Transcript 

֍ We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to:  [email protected] 

֍ Connect with us on social media:  

֍ Can’t get enough?  Become one of our patrons: https://www.patreon.com/Sargassumpodcast  

Henrique Ramos is the CEO of SeaExpert, which is a fisheries services and consultancy firm. He developed several aquaculture projects through SeaExpert, as an algae harvesting operation for the cosmetics biotech industry, as well as contributing to the world’s science on animal feed and production, leading to the Azores exporting high quality products abroad. Within SeaExpert, Henrique is also responsible for managing several fisheries observer programmes for the Portuguese fleet operating throughout the world, for monitoring and scientific purposes.  Henrique also works independently as a sustainability consultant for Green Destinations and SustainAzores. As an active member of No More Plastics for the Azores, he raises awareness of the increasing problem of marine debris, particularly plastics’ destructive effects on marine life and ecosystems.

Listen to the episode to hear about:

Transcript

Learn more about Henrique Ramos and SeaExpert:

֍ Website

֍ LinkedIn

֍ YouTube

֍ Facebook

֍ Instagram

We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected], and connect with us on social media: facebook, twitter, Instagram, linkedin.

Can’t get enough? Become one of our patrons for as little as $1 a month. Patrons get to submit questions to us prior to the interviews that we will then ask our guests. We are grateful for each supporter and look forward to connecting with you.

Like our music? The song is called Them Ah Pree by Drizzle Roadranna. Follow him on youtube and Spotify

Le samedi 14 août, un tremblement de terre de magnitude 7,2 a frappé Haïti, suivi lundi par la tempête tropicale Grace. Cette catastrophe a fait de nombreux morts, blessés et sans-abri. Nous avons parlé à Marc Edouin Juste de la situation en Haïti et de la façon dont nous et vous pouvez aider. Nous vous invitons à écouter et à envisager de donner des biens ou de l'argent pour les personnes touchées. Nous avons indiqué ci-dessous comment envoyer des fonds à la Fédération de Marc. Chaque petite chose compte.

Marc-Edouin Juste est un entrepreneur social et le président fondateur de la Fédération Haitienne de la Peche Sportive en Mer. Il habite en port-au-prince.

- La paypal de Federation Haitienne de la Peche Sportive en mer: https://paypal.me/fhpsmhaiti?locale.x=fr_XC

https://paypal.me/pools/c/8C930yXH7m

No: 160-2015-17029970

Banque : Unibank

Nombre : Marc-Edouin Juste

Tel: 509 3658-4910

Email: [email protected]

Adresse: 14 bis,fraternity street,Delmas 33,Port-au-Prince,Haïti.

Pour les transferts vers western union, money gram et cam transfer, veuillez prendre contact avec Marc pour organiser.Tel: 509 3658-4910 Email: [email protected]

Our guest today is James Ellsmoor, who is the Founder and Director of Island Innovation, which connects rural and island locations around the world working on similar development issues. Island Innovation began with a newsletter and a series of virtual events, and has evolved into a community of over 127,000 members. He is also the co-founder of Solar Head of State, which works with governments to push action on renewable energy. The NGO has focused on small island developing states (SIDS) with solar installations on the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Government House in Saint Lucia and the Presidential Palace of the Maldives. SHOS is now working with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Pacific Island Development Forum to install solar on the official residences across these organizations’ combined 24 member states. James has a master’s degree in “Island Studies” from the University of the Highlands and Islands and is a true expert on sustainability on islands.

Listen to the episode to hear about:

- Introduction of our summer intern Eloise (0:50)

- How Franziska got involved with Island Innovation (2:17)

- Introduction of James Ellsmoor (3:40)

- What sargassum means to James (5:14)

- What an island is and what it means to be an islander (7:35)

- Common challenges of island life (8:33)

- How islands drive innovation (9:25)

- Advantages of island life (12:18)

- Political implications of being an island community (16:56)

- Viewing sargassum as an opportunity (23:08)

- What Island Innovation is (25.38)

- Getting involved (26:36)

- Community discussions around sargassum (28:30)

- Island Innovation Summit (30:36)

- Debrief (33:51)

Episode Transcript

Learn more about James Ellsmoor and Island Innovation:

֍ Website

֍ YouTube

֍ LinkedIn

֍ Facebook

֍ Twitter

֍ Instagram

We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected], and connect with us on social media: facebook, twitter, Instagram, linkedin.

Can’t get enough? Become one of our patrons Become one of our patrons (https://www.patreon.com/Sargassumpodcast) for as little as $1 a month. Patrons get to submit questions to us prior to the interviews that we will then ask our guests. We are grateful for each supporter and look forward to connecting with you.

Like our music? The song is called Them Ah Pree by Drizzle Roadranna. Follow him on youtube and Spotify

Dr. Tom Linton is an emeritus professor at Texas A&M. Tom has  studied the impacts of Sargassum on Gulf Coast beaches for decades and  was also involved in the development of the predictive model for  forecasting Sargassum landings. Brandon Hill is a coastal resources  manager for the City of Galveston and has previously worked as director  of the shoreline department of the city of South Padre Island and as  Sargassum Early Advisory System Project Manager at Texas A&M  University.Together they have developed a hay bale-style collection  method to bale Sargassum and use it as natural dune-building support.

- Intros (2:15)

- What is Sargassum to Brandon and Tom? (3:30)

- Captain Robert Webster’s work Part I (4:30)

- Historical accounts of Sargassum in Galveston Newspaper 1842 to 2018 (5:08)

- Project was ready to get rolling and there has not been any Sargassum since 2018! (5:50)

- Doing science under the veil of tourism (6:10)

- Finding out that Sargassum travelled through the Mona channel (8:00)

- Discovery of Sargassum’s cyclical history (13:00)

- Confederate soldiers hiding in Sargassum from the Union troops (14:10)

-  Post-Depression Era ‘New Deal’ Sargassum out to sea (15:08)

- Sargassum has always been a part of Texas (16:40)

- What is the Sargassum Early Advisory System (18:25)

- All about MacGyver Science! No fancy equipment (20:15)

- How they were using the LandSAT  Data (20:42)

- Sargassum grows well in nutrient-rich waters (22:36)

- There is a wide-spread benefit/need for this system (23:05)

- Captain Robert Webster’s work Part II (24:35)

- Bailing Sargassum for dune restoration (26:00)

- In Texas you were not allowed to remove Sargassum from the beach (32:16)

- The idea of baling Sargassum (34:35)

- Towns people were divided on Sargassum (37:10)

- Using fresh or dry Sargassum and why fresh is better (39:10)

- Physical and chemical properties of Sargassum (43:15)

- From hip deep Sargassum in 2018 to none at all after (45:50)

- Can bales be used for anything else than dune restoration ?(47:50)

- Concept of the Sargassum baling system (51:40)

- Working with local organizations such as the City of Galveston and the Park board (52:02)

- Sargassum as a carbon sink & what will the effects be (56:26)

- What can Sargassum as an ecosystem teach us(59:50)

- Interactive beach walks & the bucket brigade! (65:00)

- Sargassum is part of the beach (66:30)

Transcript

֍ Texas A&M-Galveston Researchers Tackling Stinky Seaweed Problem

֍ Innovative Technology Seaweed Prototype

֍ Coastal sand dunes and dune vegetation: Restoration, erosion, and storm protection

֍ Sargassum Early Advisory System

[email protected]

Dr. Legena Henry is an MIT graduate, and a Mechanical Engineer, who is now the Lecturer for Renewable Energy at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, specializing in Renewable Energy and Applied Mechanics. She researches sustainable energy sources in the Caribbean, such as bio-fuel from Sargassum seaweed, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, and wave energy.

Listen to the episode to learn about:

Intro (2:30)

What Does Sargassum mean to Legena? (3:39)

Barbados 100% Fossil Free by 2030! (3:48)

Effect Sargassum has on Tourism in Barbados (4:51)

Thoughts on renewable energy sources (6:10)

Tourism, sargassum removal and placement into landfills and Hydrogen Sulfate gas (9:00) Success in Barbados of creating sargassum biofuel (10:52)

How much water does it really take to make 1 bottle of rum and how much is wasted? (11:56) How you can help save the planet by drinking premium Caribbean rum - Part I (14:45)

Ratio between wastewater and solids to make methane for fuel (16:54)

Historical cane industry in Barbados (18:20)

Why you should drink premium Caribbean rum – Part II (19:36)

Why not cane for fuel? (20:00)

Can we make rum from sargassum though? (20:55)

Scaling up this as a solution (22:45)

The micro digesters being used to create this project and how they are scaled-up (25:50)

100K USD grant received at the UN General Assembly for this amazing work! (26:50)

What is the scale-up going to look like? (27:50)

What happens to the waste from this process? (28:27)

Is this sargassum methane biofuel the best option for Barbados right now? If so, why? (31:25) Renewable energy options for Barbados (32:35)

Benefits of using fresh sargassum materials (34:00)

Closing (35:00)

Wrap-Up (35:45)

Outro (39:56)

Episode transcript

To learn more about Legena Henry and her work:

֍ Legena's website

֍ Legena's LinkedIn page

֍ Legena's Researchgate page

֍ Paper: Experimental Evidence on the Use of Biomethane from Rum Distillery Waste and Sargassum Seaweed as an Alternative Fuel for Transportation in Barbados 

We love to hear from you, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected], and connect with us on social media: facebook, twitter, Instagram, linkedin.

Can’t get enough? Become one of our patrons Become one of our patrons (https://www.patreon.com/Sargassumpodcast) for as little as $1 a month. Patrons get to submit questions to us prior to the interviews that we will then ask our guests. We are grateful for each supporter and look forward to connecting with you.

Like our music? The song is called Them Ah Pree by Drizzle Roadranna. Follow him on youtubeand Spotify