Exploring What Determines Value For The Ocean

Abstract

Housing 15% of the world's species, regulating climate, and providing half of human oxygen, the ocean is quite literally mankind’s lifeline. Unfortunately, this lifeline is dying. It is predicted that by 2050, over 1 million of the ocean’s species will be lost to plastic, which makes up a greater percent of the ocean than fish. Hong Kong’s flourishing marine trade and abundant use of plastic makes it especially susceptible to this threat. The problem, of course, is not limited to this. Brain biases prevent humans from assessing the dangers of the long term threat, and along with echo chambers they serve to spread these limiting views. To address the issue, this study aims to assess what factors generate value (internalized care) for the ocean and consequently lead to action in a largely young adult population. In the study, 81 participants were presented with a 15 question survey about their experience with the ocean and results were analyzed using qualitative analysis. It was found that the two major value generation factors were proximity to the ocean and experiencing life below water. The findings pose implications in supporting the increase of workplace and school efforts to augment proximity to the ocean as well as of advocacy missions which bring the ocean and its threats to the individual, allowing them to experience the underworld without restriction.