How Seaweed Can Help Replace Plastic and Heal Earth | Sea Briganti

Environmental Impact & Problem Statement - Rio Motagua is a significant source of plastic pollution, acting as an artery carrying plastic into the ocean [1] - Plastic pollution is a disconnection issue, with systems focused on extraction and waste [2] - Microplastics and toxins from polluted rivers are now found within human bodies [2] Proposed Solution & Principles - Addressing plastic pollution requires turning off the "plastic tap" and focusing on regeneration [3] - Two core principles are: design for disappearance (every material should have an end of life) and build with abundance (use regenerative materials) [4] - These principles, initially applied to seaweed, are now used by Lolly in developing ocean-born, biodegradable biomaterials [5] Implementation & Collaboration - Lollware collaborates with Guatemalan manufacturing families to transition from fossil-based plastics to seaweed-based resins [6] - The transition process involves collaboration, experimentation, and learning from failures, with local wisdom leading and technology following [7] Outcomes & Vision - The transition results in new blue-green jobs, toxin-free manufacturing, improved margins, and a just regenerative transition in Guatemala [8] - The vision is a circular flow from ocean to materials, to manufacturing communities, to products designed to disappear into nutrient-rich soil [8] - The goal is a new manufacturing operating system for the planet that reconnects the economy with ecology, envisioning plastic-free regions [9]