Coca-Cola by itself is responsible for 11% of all identifiable plastic pollution. Eleven percent! And they've fought tooth and nail against any legislation that makes them responsible for it.
Did you notice that #oceanplastic research is more prominent in the media than research on #ocean#climatechange? Why is this the case?
This question sparked the first publication of Aike Vonk's PhD project with her advisors Erik van Sebille and Mark Bos - and it was my pleasure to join their team.
Our study shows that research organisations communicate about ocean plastic research with more elaborate framing, compared to ocean climate change research. Press releases on ocean plastic research more often contextualized the research by addressing problems, identifying causes, proposing solutions, and providing moral evaluations.
In addition, we found that narratives were mainly employed to humanize science and portray scientists, rather than to emphasize the social dimensions of ocean issues.
The study appeared today in the Journal of Science Communication. If you are interested in this project or want to know more, you can always contact Aike by e-mail (a.n.vonk@uu.nl).