Meet the environmental superhero that could save the planet | Inga Potter | TEDxPortsmouth
What if the key to environmental resilience was swaying gently beneath the ocean surface? In this enlightening TEDx talk, marine biologist and kelp entrepreneur Inga Potter unveils kelp’s remarkable potential to heal our planet. Regenerative, nutrient-rich, and carbon-absorbing, kelp may be nature’s most underestimated climate superhero.
Inga shares how kelp farming supports both ecological restoration and economic revitalization—providing jobs, absorbing carbon, improving ocean health, and fueling new innovations in skincare and bioplastics. As co-founder of Cold Current Kelp and a lifelong ocean advocate, she reveals how science, sustainability, and entrepreneurship can come together to tackle one of our most urgent crises.
With clarity, passion, and science-backed optimism, Inga helps us imagine a future where working waterfronts thrive, communities adapt, and the ocean becomes a source of renewal. If you care about climate, coastlines, or creative solutions, this talk might just make you a kelp believer.
Inga Potter is a marine biologist, educator, and blue economy entrepreneur, co-founder of Cold Current Kelp, a kelp farm and skincare company in Kittery, Maine. The company uses regeneratively farmed kelp to create skincare products and develop extraction technology to explore the chemistry of kelp’s bioactive compounds. Inga is passionate about kelp’s potential to heal the planet and build resiliency in New England’s waterfront communities. She earned her Ph.D. in large fish ecology from the University of New Hampshire in 2010 and has collaborated with scientists globally. Inga’s lifelong love of the ocean began with childhood summers on Nantucket Island, where she now returns with her four children. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 18:01How Quiet Nudges Can Lead to a Life of Purpose and Impact | Pam Rosener | TEDxPlanoNOTE FROM TED: TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfWe're all looking for clear direction to tell us what's next. But what if the biggest signs come through small whispers? Pam Rosener is the President and Founder of Young Men’s Service League. Pam loves mentoring young men to develop their hearts for service. She also delights in seeing moms deepen their relationships with their sons while growing personally through their leadership roles in YMSL. She’s on a mission to bring the YMSL experience to as many communities as possible to provide YMSL’s unique service, learning and leadership opportunities to young men and their moms across the country and around the world. Currently, there are over 100 chapters in 15 states. Since its inception YMSL members have served over 2 million community service hours. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 21:08A Values-Based Education is the Great Equalizer | David A. Armstrong, J.D. | TEDxSTUNOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker's personal approach to and understanding of faith and education. Some viewers may find elements to be objectionable. We've flagged this talk because it falls outside the content guidelines TED gives TEDx organizers. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfA personal journey in higher education and a drive to teach students not what to think, but how to think. David A. Armstrong, J.D., is currently in his seventh year as President of St. Thomas University, and continues driving to make STU the leading Catholic University in the South. President Armstrong’s considerable experience in higher education includes enrollment, fundraising, student life, and athletics. He is a nationally recognized speaker on future trends of higher education law, Title IX, and campus safety. His commitment to the transformative power of education has led to seven continuous years of record enrollment, and multiple new corporate partnerships. For 2025 and beyond, President Armstrong has charged St. Thomas University's faculty, staff, and students to pursue excellence in every aspect of the higher education journey. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx