By Bernie Bell
Beach covered in scudding, flying foam………..
We met someone who was bemoaning that there is pollution “even here”. So, Mike put on his scientist hat, and explained that what we were watching, is the result of the breakdown of seaweed and algae, to produce organic compounds which can produce a natural detergent.
When this is whipped up by the wind, the result looks very like what you see in your washing machine – same difference.
We were then wondering if the ancient peoples of Orkney, and elsewhere, had realised this, and used this kind of foam as a cleansing agent, when they got the chance? They noticed things, and worked out how to make use of what they noticed. They did that a lot.
So why not using a natural detergent? Something the modern world is just catching onto.
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/its-clean-but-is-it-green-313642.html
The Old Man Of Skaill?