Running Tide is attempting to remove carbon from the atmosphere by cultivating microalgae forests of kelp – a kind of seaweed that’s highly effective at drawing in carbon. These micro forests float on the ocean, absorb CO2, and eventually sink to the ocean floor where it’s either buried by the force of gravity, or consumed by marine life.
It’s an almost impossibly simple, comparatively cheap, yet incredibly ambitious solution to perhaps the greatest problem of our time. It’s proving popular too. As major companies commit en masse to offsetting their carbon emissions, the likes of Shopify and Stripe are now buying “carbon removal credits” from Running Tide.
The company’s novel way of undoing environmental damage represents an important variation in carbon removal too. While tree-planting and similar initiatives seem great, one well documented downside is that so much human intervention could actually affect biodiversity in the long run.
All in all, the company’s model appears sound, its intentions are great, and it’s growing in popularity. It seems quite likely that Running Tide is on the verge of big things.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
