In the recent years, the waters of the Caribbean and the Baltic Seas have had countless algal blooms, outbreaks of seaweeds and microalgae, which multiply rapidly and spread for miles on the surface of the water. This phenomenon is of significant environmental concern as it impacts other marine life by causing oxygen deficiency resulting in marine suffocation. Furthermore, it can also reduce water quality and block out light. This is a relevant and significant problem in the Baltic Sea, which is caused by the too many nutrients entering the sea by the rivers of the surrounding countries.

Ms Granström, a Finnish biochemist, found a solution which might help decrease the severity of this problem. She created a company called Origin by Ocean which collects microalgae in Finland and also imports seaweed from the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. By harvesting and using these microalgae she makes cosmetics, animal feed, detergents and is even using them to develop a material similar to plastic.