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Ecological Farming of Spirulina

Ecological Spirulina Farming Produces a Healthy and Clean Food

Although there are differences in farming land crops and algae, similar ecological practices are followed. In this remote and sunny part of California, far from cities, highways and airports, the air is clean. Mineral rich water, is purified, tested for quality and safety before use for growing Spirulina.

Long Paddlewheels Mix the Water for Optimum Growth
Each is 5000 square meters, over an acre in size and larger than a football field. Clean fresh water and nutrients are added daily to feed the algae, mixed by 50 foot paddlewheels in each pond. No pesticides or herbicides are ever used.

Using Highest Quality Nutrients

Pure Natural Mineral Nutrients Feed Growing Spirulina Clean, pure sources of mineral nutrients are used. Premium quality elemental spirulina food like nitrogen, potassium, iron and essential trace minerals nourish Earthrise spirulina.

HARVESTING, DRYING, TABLETING AND BOTTLING

Continuous Fresh Harvest

Harvesting every day, 24 hours a day
During the growing season, April through October, ponds are harvested every day. In the peak summer sun, harvesting occurs 24 hours a day, around the clock, to keep up with the explosive growth rate. Spirulina grows so fast it produces more than 100 pounds or protein per acre per day!

Minutes from Ponds to Powder
Spirulina takes a quick trip through a harvest and drying system, never touched by human hands. The first part of the process cleans and separates the Spirulina from debris. The next part separates the microscopic algae from the water. The nutrient rich water is recycled back to the ponds. The final filter thickens spirulina from green yogurt to green dough. Once free from the water, Spirulina is still 80% water inside the cells and needs to be dehydrated immediately to maintain wholesomeness.

Quick Drying Preserves Nutrients

No preservatives or stabilizers
Spirulina is sprayed into a chamber of hot air to flash evaporate the water, without cooking. Evaporative cooling prevents spirulina from overheating. Dry powder is collected, blended for uniformity, sampled and vacuum packed. This quick process preserves enzymes, vitamins, phytochemicals and goodness.

Naturally Preserved for Long Shelf Life and Full Potency
Our Spirulina is preserved only by keeping it perfectly dry and tightly vacuum-sealed. No preservatives, stabilizers or irradiation is used. Fresh dried spirulina can be stored for five years or more in special oxygen barrier containers, retaining full potency.

Tableted and Bottled Finished Products
Fresh spirulina powder is often 'cold' compressed into tablets, without heat. Only very low levels of nutritional binders are used to form tablets.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES

Conventional Foods Have Hidden Environmental Costs

We are all aware how some conventional agriculture destroys natural resources. However, many production costs are externalized, meaning we pay in other ways. Hidden costs include depletion of rainforests, fresh water, fertile topsoil, pollution from pesticides, herbicides and climate change.

All this means food production is far more costly than the price you pay at the checkout counter. Adding up all these external costs, some have calculated the true price of a fast food burger to be more than $100!

Conserving Fertile Land and Soil
At Earthrise Spirulina is grown on soil that is a salt clay, unsuitable for most conventional crops. No soil erosion takes place. Since Spirulina is 60% to 70% protein, higher than any other food, it's rapid growth means it yields 20 times more protein per acre than soybeans, 40 times more than corn, and over 200 times more than beef. Spirulina does not require fertile land. One kilo of corn protein causes 22 kilos of topsoil loss. One kilo of beef protein causes 145 kilos of topsoil loss. Growing spirulina causes no soil erosion.

More Efficient Water Use

Spirulina uses less water per kilo of protein than other foods. Water is recycled back to the ponds after harvesting. The ponds are sealed, so very little water seeps through the ground. Conventional drops lose water through seepage, evaporation and transevaporation. In spirulina farming water loss is mainly through evaporation. Spirulina protein uses 25% the water of soy, 17% of corn and only 2% the water required for beef protein. At Earthrise, only 6 gallons of water are needed for a 10 gram serving of spirulina, greatly less than 15 gallons for a serving of bread, 65 for milk, 136 for eggs, 408 for chicken, and 1,303 gallons for a burger.

More Efficient Energy Use
Spirulina requires less energy input per kilo than soy, corn or beef, including solar and generated energy. Its energy efficiency (food energy output per kg / energy input per kg) is 5 times higher than soy, 2 times higher than corn, and over 100 times higher than grain fed beef. As cheap energy resources disappear, costs of energy dependent foods are dramatically rising.

Spirulina Eats Carbon Dioxide; Big Oxygen Producer
Forests help absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Trees can absorb 1 to 4 tons of CO2 per hectare per year. Spirulina is even more efficient. In the California desert, spirulina fixes 6.3 tons of carbon per hectare per year. It produces 16.8 tons of oxygen during the same period of time.

Greening Our Planet
Spirulina and perhaps other algae can deliver a superfood efficiently, without destroying valuable resources. As Spirulina production expands using non-fertile land and brackish water, we can stop cutting or disturbing natural forests to grow new food. Cropland can return to wilderness. When more people eat lower on the food chain, we can halt pressures to destroy wilderness, and help regreen our planet.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.