Plastics and Algae

A talented writer, Gabriel Lights, read my recent article about human existence on a warming planet and prompted me to discuss urban environments like New York.

Cities are inherently part of nature, much like rural areas. Our urban landscapes are a manifestation of nature. Concrete is derived from sand, and asphalt is a product of molecular manipulation.

As for plastics? They originate from petroleum—a byproduct of oil formed over centuries deep within the Earth.

Plastics are essentially altered nature.

Yet, why is there so much outcry against plastics?

Indeed, plastics pollute our oceans. A massive patch of plastic, often referred to as the eighth continent, now floats in the Pacific Ocean, alongside algal blooms near the American coast. These phenomena illustrate the rapid growth of non-human species, fueled by climate change and our flawed material designs.

What About New York?

Fortunately, efforts are underway to address these issues. A young innovator from the Netherlands is actively cleaning ocean plastics using a large device designed for this purpose.

This initiative is part of The Ocean Cleanup project.

Collaborating with material designers, we are developing new plastics sourced from abundant materials like seaweed, bamboo, thistles, miscanthus, fungi, and microbes.

These materials are designed to be durable during their lifecycle and biodegradable afterward, leading to the creation of microbial plastics and fungi-based packaging.

What can we do about this? It’s crucial to educate ourselves on the toxicity of the materials we consume and ensure our soils and oceans can rejuvenate and heal through their natural processes.

How do cities contribute to this effort?

Cities in Europe and Asia are now incorporating innovative solutions, such as roads that purify water and buildings that clean the air, creating green and blue sponge cities to combat flooding and produce drinking water.

In China, a Dutch-designed tower extracts carbon from the atmosphere and transforms it into diamonds—all part of nature.

I find this concept exhilarating!

Clean air in parks and an abundance of diamonds; I envision a future where we purchase these diamonds in various metaverses, eliminating the need for conflict diamonds.

The future looks promising!

The Future

While I often express my thoughts through imaginative storytelling, the projects I mention are grounded in reality. We can replicate these initiatives globally, and the scientific principles I discuss are equally valid.

As a member of a significant EU scientific team, I am involved in groundbreaking research, including Superformula dynamic mathematics (2003) and GIELIS Transformations concerning submanifolds.

So, Gabriel, what can YOU do in your life?

Remember that every action matters, regardless of its scale or form.

We are all part of a grand adventure of evolution. The future is shaped by the collective actions and reactions of every species, along with the intricate flow systems of rivers, volcanoes, and oceans.

The future remains uncertain.

However, we are currently developing a digital twin of our planet to anticipate tsunamis and detect small fires before they escalate into wildfires. This initiative is called Destination Earth, led by the European Space Agency (ESA).

As a true mermaid, I contribute to Mission Ocean.

One volcanic eruption can alter everything in an instant. Rest assured, we are focused on health and the environment through science, creating real-time models for monitoring.

Health and environmental issues are deeply interconnected. While chemotherapy may combat cancer (I faced this battle last year), the remnants can enter our waterways, impacting fish populations, which we then consume—creating a cycle.

Alternatively, we can utilize excess CO2 to cultivate spirulina (a nutrient-rich superfood) in controlled environments, a strategy being explored in the EU.

We are reimagining entire port areas to promote mutual benefits among companies by using each other's waste and emissions.

Life consists of helical cycles.

Currently, we are in a significant transition from industrial to post-industrial production—aiming for local, self-sufficient systems. We can all become prosumers, both consuming and generating energy, such as through solar panels.

By the way, solar panels are made from silicon, which is a natural resource.

We are working to enhance their efficiency to 95% by applying knowledge derived from diatoms. Biomimicry is now the leading approach to innovation.

Breathe Out More

My heritage includes Indonesian roots, and in Asia, we understand the importance of breath as a means to calm our minds and confront our inner challenges.

In the U.S., the focus tends to be on inhaling—wanting more and more! But exhaling is more crucial than ever.

We must confront our fears and shadows.

Connecting with nature can significantly aid this process.

By immersing ourselves in nature, we can discern what is truly logical versus what has merely become normalized yet is detrimental. If we can transform our fears while we sleep, we can run with the wolves and harness our emotions.

Diatoms

Let me share one last image showcasing the diverse forms and growth patterns found in nature.

Diatoms, my absolute favorite microbes, play a vital role in producing 20% of the Earth’s oxygen. They also illustrate the mechanics of genetic switches.

I envision a world where humans avoid misguided actions like unnecessary genetic modifications, and instead, understand the timing of when to activate specific processes. Chemistry revolves around transformation—let’s revitalize our health and medicine through this lens, particularly with the concepts of epigenetics, where environmental factors influence gene expression.

We will get there, my friends. My legacy will be my contributions to ecosystem restoration and sharing this narrative with all of you—my readers.

Spreading awareness is paramount.

There is no need for fear if we evolve into a species that is harmoniously connected to Gaia.

Abundance 4 ALL is a nature and culture science think tank. YouTube Channel — Abundance 4 ALL. Living LAB on Mondays and educational downloads.

Join me on Medium with my referral link — Desiree Driesenaar Read every story from Desiree Driesenaar (and thousands of other writers on Medium). Your membership fee directly supports independent writers.

Thank you, Gaia, for inspiring my Wild Writing. © Désirée Driesenaar, 2023 Director of an ESG Futures Academy