Doug Woodring, Ocean Awareness
Doug Woodring has a great appreciation for the ocean. He is all about promoting water/ocean awareness; the beauty of the resource and the sustainable use of it in Hong Kong. Doug is addressing the lack of appreciation and willingness to protect the ocean from being used as a dump or being overfished. He is particularly interested in the use of the Ocean for generating energy from the likes of the Motorwave technology, which can produce Freshwater, Electricity and Hydrogen in the one process/technology in the ocean.
Doug is involved in various organisations in Hong Kong. He devotes a great deal of his time to promoting water/ocean awareness and engaging people to look after our oceans. He organises two annual events swimming events that get people to see the ocean’s beauty and think about it.
Doug was moved to take action following the recreation experience of almost being caught in a net from a trawler when paddling in Hong Kong waters.
His business experience came from working in the Seafood industry namely working with a Japanese seafood company in 1989-90. He is a speaker and presenter at public events, conferences, and has had speaking engagements at Ocean Energy Conferences and groups such as the Royal Geographical Society of Hong Kong.
He also engages the local community and has had to learn to talk the same language of the fishing industry; thinking logically to provide solutions that better fit both sides.
Doug is involved with Motorwind and Motorwave. He was particularly pleased in getting press coverage for setting up the first time that any gym had used human energy to generate power. Motorwind also helped the education of about ten schools with rooftop power generation.
Doug believes that stopping the space race and focusing on new technologies will help regenerate the damage already done to our environment. The World needs a Ministry of Oceans and a Ministry of Environment. Each Ocean does not have a flag like each country. There is a need for a group overseeing the IMO (International Maritime Organization) as they are not focused on the welfare of the oceans.