The Power of Seaweed: How Can Kelp Capture Carbon?

• This video explains how fast-growing kelp combats climate change by capturing and storing large amounts of carbon, but that ocean acidification, pollution, and warmer waters are making it harder for kelp to grow. 
• It also highlights that seaweed farms can produce kelp for biofuels, plant-based plastics, animal feed, and biomaterials.
  

Positives

• This video offers an innovative and hopeful solution to the complex issue of climate change.
• The video uses interesting visuals that will keep students engaged.

Additional Prerequisites

• The article misquotes the video saying, "...even just a 0% replacement of seaweed in wheat production or meat production in foods would have a major impact." It should say, "a 10% replacement."
• Students should be familiar with the concept of carbon sinks and carbon capture.

Differentiation

• Engineering students could research a kelp product from the video and present their findings to the class.
• Biology classes could use this lesson plan and experiment to learn more about how plants absorb carbon in water.
• Other resources on this topic include this video on biofuels, this video and lesson plan on ocean acidification, and this interactive lesson about climate change and the ocean.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.