A New Wave of Investors Sees Profit in Ocean Conservation

Right now, Notpla buys seaweed from suppliers that sell into medical supply chains, which is currently the most reliable source, but the company hopes soon to use seaweed overgrowth that washes ashore in the Caribbean, a problem caused by runoff from agricultural waste and exacerbated by climate change. If they can set up the infrastructure, local hotels will actually pay Notpla to take it away. Indeed, the raw material is its biggest selling point. And seaweed’s biodegradability keeps plastics out of the ocean. Paslier says that as of this year the company has successfully replaced 40 million single-use plastic products. Most fundamentally, the company rests on the premise that oceans have value worth protecting. “Life started in the ocean,” he says. “We’re really kind of like a massive step behind in terms of understanding, paying attention, and learning what can be done.”