Can growing ocean algae reduce global warming?
Most scientists agree several actions can halt the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere: 1) stop adding chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs) to the atmosphere to halt ozone layer depletion and global warming; 2) restrict methane and carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to global warming; 3) stop destroying forests and coral reefs because their stored carbon is released into the atmosphere; 4) limit human and livestock populations that stress the carrying capacity of the natural environment; and 5) plant forests to remove carbon from the atmosphere to be stored in trees and to release oxygen. A novel idea is raising ocean productivity to remove massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Some scientists proposed enriching the ocean with iron particles. This would stimulate algae blooms and photosynthetic plant growth which fixes carbon in organic forms, leading to eventual storage as minerals in coral reefs.13 In a dramatic
