Comments on: Researchers Find Coral Reefs to be Worth $172 Billion http://glassbox-design.com/2009/researchers-find-coral-reefs-to-be-worth-172-billion/ the modern reef blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Nicholas Sadaka http://glassbox-design.com/2009/researchers-find-coral-reefs-to-be-worth-172-billion/comment-page-1/#comment-6453 Nicholas Sadaka Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:12:12 +0000 http://glassbox-design.com/?p=5352#comment-6453 I have to completely agree with Jim. I find this dollar value to be disappointing and almost offensive. In my own opinion, putting any dollar value on something that is priceless can never truly be accurate. I don't think people need a dollar amount to appreciate coral reefs, they need enough of an understanding of what a coral reef is to truly understand how priceless it is. The only way to do this with many of our priceless and often endangered regions that hold so much importance to the health of our planet is lots and lots of educating. How about making environmental sciences a course like math or english in schools...one that all kids are required to take throughout their schooling just like a major subject. I mean how much more important can the continuation and health of our planet be? People don't appreciate what they don't know about. Knowledge is the key in my humble opinion. I have to completely agree with Jim. I find this dollar value to be disappointing and almost offensive. In my own opinion, putting any dollar value on something that is priceless can never truly be accurate. I don’t think people need a dollar amount to appreciate coral reefs, they need enough of an understanding of what a coral reef is to truly understand how priceless it is. The only way to do this with many of our priceless and often endangered regions that hold so much importance to the health of our planet is lots and lots of educating. How about making environmental sciences a course like math or english in schools…one that all kids are required to take throughout their schooling just like a major subject. I mean how much more important can the continuation and health of our planet be? People don’t appreciate what they don’t know about. Knowledge is the key in my humble opinion.

]]> By: Jim http://glassbox-design.com/2009/researchers-find-coral-reefs-to-be-worth-172-billion/comment-page-1/#comment-6448 Jim Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:08:14 +0000 http://glassbox-design.com/?p=5352#comment-6448 I'm actually a bit disappointed that a dollar value was assigned to it. And a relatively low one at that. $172 billion? That's nothing compared to the stimulus packages being discussed currently. For some people it might take a staggering dollar value to appreciate coral reefs, but for industries and governments that dollar value can become the decision maker. Look at the Ford Pinto as an example - the insurance company put a dollar value on a human life, and the corporation decided in favor of the insurance payouts rather than a product recall. When that dollar value is so low - less than the gross profits of ExxonMobil last year - I think this valuation can have an opposite effect of what was intended. I’m actually a bit disappointed that a dollar value was assigned to it. And a relatively low one at that. $172 billion? That’s nothing compared to the stimulus packages being discussed currently.

For some people it might take a staggering dollar value to appreciate coral reefs, but for industries and governments that dollar value can become the decision maker. Look at the Ford Pinto as an example – the insurance company put a dollar value on a human life, and the corporation decided in favor of the insurance payouts rather than a product recall. When that dollar value is so low – less than the gross profits of ExxonMobil last year – I think this valuation can have an opposite effect of what was intended.

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