Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy

How to map the seabed from the sky

• The Economist

A new type of sonar promises better oceanic cartography.

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Seaweed could unlock entirely new industry in the Bay of Plenty

• Shannon Redstall, Newshub • Fisheries & Aquaculture

A state-of-the-art aquaculture facility at Waikato University is breeding seaweed to help researchers harness its full potential.

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Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa Kickstart Offshore Wind to Hydrogen Project

• Adnan Durakovic, Offshore Wind Biz • Energy Solutions

Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa, ITM Power, and Element Energy have been awarded EUR 5 million in funding to demonstrate and investigate a combined wind turbine and electrolyser system designed for operation in marine environments.

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Banks Called Out For Their Role In Financing Plastic Pollution

• Mike Scott, Forbes • Plastics & Pollution

The pressure to clean up plastic pollution faded in 2020 thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in the use of plastic in PPE and to keep food and other purchases safe.

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Why Plastic Pollution Is a Producer Responsibility

• Alex Truelove, The Revelator • Plastics & Pollution

We won’t be able to stem the tide of plastic waste until manufacturers are held accountable for their products.

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Oyster Farms Lead to Rise in Maryland Aquaculture

• Michael Short, Delmarva Correspondent, Lancaster Farming • Fisheries & Aquaculture

Aquaculture is on the rise in Maryland and much of that consists of growing oysters. Oysters are placed in mesh cages and then put in the water to grow until they reach market size. The Maryland Farm Bureau Winter Webinar Series focused on aquaculture on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

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Muggi tray inventor keen to close the marine plastic pollution loop

• Olivier Vergnault, In Your Area • Plastics & Pollution

Serial inventor David Trotter, the man behind the Muggi trays is keen to use plastic from the sea and close the plastic pollution loop.

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The Don Quixote of Brooklyn, Tilting at Plastic Bags

• Gabriel Cohen, The New York Times • Plastics & Pollution

Captain Ahab hurled his harpoon at the Great White Whale. Don Quixote tilted at windmills with his lance. Taylor Mali, a poet in Brooklyn, has become known for wielding a long and pointy weapon at city treetops.

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Watch: Hannah Testa and Lesa Wilson Create Plastic Pollution Video Series

• Plastic Pollution Coalition • Plastics & Pollution

Passionate environmentalists and Plastic Pollution Coalition members Hannah Testa and Lesa Wilson have released a new video series on the plastic pollution crisis and how each of us can get involved.

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The solution to marine plastic pollution is plural, and plastic offsetting is one of them

• Roxane Lauzet, Modern Diplomacy • Plastics & Pollution

Due to growing concerns around environmental protection, businesses, individuals and governments have been looking for solutions that can be largely implemented to close the tap on plastic pollution.

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How many solar panels do we need to save the climate?

• Nils Zimmermann, Deutsche Welle • Energy Solutions

A zero-carbon-emissions energy system will rely mostly on low-cost solar electricity, experts say.

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Seaweed and solar energy join hands at sea

• European Commission, CORDIS • Energy Solutions • Fisheries & Aquaculture

Two EU-backed Dutch companies have created the first offshore solar and seaweed farm in the North Sea, making solar energy production and seaweed cultivation possible in the same space.

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Catalyst transforms plastic waste to valuable ingredients at low temperature

• Osaka City University • Plastics & Pollution

For the first time, researchers have used a novel catalyst process to recycle a type of plastic found in everything from grocery bags and food packaging to toys and electronics into liquid fuels and wax.

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'Getting to Zero': New commission to explore how to manage threat to carbon intensive jobs

• James S Murray, Business Green • Energy Solutions

Analysis highlights how net zero transition could impact 10 million jobs in carbon intensive industries. 

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Germany meets 2020 climate target due to Covid-19 effect

• Bernd Radowitz, Recharge News • Energy Solutions

Renewables account for almost half of the country’s power output last year grid agency says.

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Repurposed: Adding value to aquaculture via recycling

• Bonnie Waycott, Global Aquaculture Alliance • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution

Efforts in Chile, Europe illustrate new opportunities for environmental stewards and entrepreneurs.

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How the EU Plastic Waste Ban Could Turn the U.S. into a Next-Generation Recycling Destination

• Tina Casey, Triple Pundit • Plastics & Pollution

Next-generation plastic recycling technologies could breathe new life into the U.S. petrochemical industry, and not a moment too soon.

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DORE’s first investment since IPO involves eight Swedish hydropower plants

• Content Team, Renewable Energy World • Energy Solutions

Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust plc (DORE) has exchanged contracts to acquire its first investment, a portfolio of eight operational hydropower plants in central and southern Sweden.

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Bali's beaches buried in tide of plastic rubbish during monsoon season

• Graham Readfearn, The Guardian • Plastics & Pollution

Tourist drawcards Kuta and Legian beaches are being overwhelmed by up to 60 tonnes of plastic rubbish every day.

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River floods are boosting the global spread of plastic, study finds

• Daisy Dunne, The Independent • Shipping & Ports

River floods are boosting the spread of plastic around the world, a study has found, raising potentially severe health risks for people and wildlife.

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