Through a mix of reforestation and regenerative ocean farming, recent studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara found that growing seaweed in 3.8% of federal waters off the California coast could completely neutralize California’s agricultural emissions.

According to the World Bank, farming seaweeds in less than 5% of U.S. waters could absorb 10 million tons of nitrogen and 135 million tons of carbon–all with no freshwater or other inputs.

GreenWave’s regenerative ocean farming model offers tremendous potential to mitigate climate change, feed the planet and build a new economy at sea. According to a World Bank study, farming seaweeds in just .1% of the world’s oceans—about 100 million acres—could create 50 million jobs.

Annually, a mature, 20-acre regenerative ocean farm can produce 130,000 pounds of kelp and 250,000 bivalves, with the capacity to net more than $100,000.

Regenerative ocean farming works to mimic the diversity of ocean reefs by growing a mix of species that act in concert to revive ecosystems. Each crop plays a vital role. For example, a single adult oyster can filter as much as 50 gallons of water a day.

Combined with the environmental benefits of seaweed, we can turn regenerative ocean farms into a climate solution powerhouse and stack benefits by growing seaweed and shellfish together. At the same time, regenerative ocean farms are safe havens for marine life that improve water quality and provide habitats that foster biodiversity and support the health of an array of aquatic species.

Emissions from the world’s nearly 1.5 billion cattle are a major source of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. But it turns out that supplementing livestock feed with a small amount of seaweed can reduce methane output by nearly 60% in cattle and up to 80% in sheep.

Seaweed converted into fertilizer and compost creates a virtuous nutrient loop, whereby carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients are collected by kelp and then brought to land to enrich the soil and increase yields.

One of the most powerful aspects of seaweed is that it can be used in so many different industries, ranging from agriculture to food packaging. Turning non-food grade farmed seaweed into straws, paper, and bioplastic packaging has emerged as a cost-effective, viable alternative to fossil-fueled based plastic packaging.

With nearly 8 million metric tons of plastic thrown into the ocean annually, turning farmed waste into a sustainable alternative has emerged as a powerful benefit of regenerative ocean farming.