Last Sunday, while soaking in the wonderfully therapeutic salt water off Seal Beach, California, catching the frothy breaking waves and riding them in without a board, I got to wondering what such an exhilarating experience would actually be worth if it had been designed by some commercial enterprise. What would I be willing to pay for such a sensation if it could be replicated at an amusement park? Is there a dollar value that could be attached to it –say, like the $95 per day that Disneyland charges visitors to wait in line?
Now by that, I’m not talking about the fees that many shorefront communities (particularly on the East Coast) now charge for the use of their beaches. While on one hand I fully understand their need to recoup the costs of maintaining their beaches and paying lifeguards, on the other I would like to see everyone able to avail themselves of the delights of the seashore, without having to worry about whether they can afford to do so or not.
I believe our ability to enjoy a day at the beach (just like in the MasterCard commercial) is priceless – and I wish we would all start thinking about it as such. Then perhaps more people would get involved in coordinated efforts to protect the integrity of our oceans and our shorelines, of which the work of Ocean Aid is just one example.
In the coming months, Ocean Aid will be assembling entrepreneurs with proactive ideas not only designed to limit stresses on our oceans but to clean them up and preserve their viability as habitats for countless varieties of unique plants and animals – and as endless sources not only of recreation but regeneration for our bodies and our souls. Stay tuned.