Last night Jean-Michel Cousteau spoke at the University of Buffalo as part their Distinguished Speakers Series.
The program says:
"Jean-Michel Cousteau
Ocean Explorer & Environmentalist
Explorer, environmentalist, educator, film producer- for more than four decades Jean-Michel Cousteau has used his vast experiences to communicate to people of all nations and generations his love and concern for our water planet. The son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel spent much of his life with his family, exploring the oceans aboard Calypso and Alcyone. Honoring his heritage. Jean-Michel founded Ocean Futures Society in 1999 to carry on his pioneering work. The Ocean Futures Society serves as a voice for the ocean by communication in all media the critical bond between people and the sea and the importance if wise environmental policy.
Jean-Michel has produced over 75 films, received the Emmy, the Peabody Award, the 7 d'Or, and the Cable Ace Award. He is Executive Producer of "Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures," a six part television series that aired in 2006 on PBS and internationally.
His diplomacy on behalf of water and ocean issues includes his success in convincing President George W. Bush to name the Northwest Hawaiian Islands a National Monument, making it the largest marine sanctuary area in the world-larger than 46 of America's states. His collaboration with Green Cross International and the Natural Resources Defense Council on issues of global security, protection of sensitive marine areas, protection of oil spills, and prevention of the use of damaging sonar systems have been long-standing achievements."
Magilla Schaus:
It was refreshing to hear somebody who has been in the forefront of protecting the water and sealife of the planet we live on. We heard about how the Carribean Sea is now the warmest it has ever been and how extensive and large reefs are dying due to global warming. Another subject Couseau spoke about was how we as the residents of earth are all interconnected to the water on this planet. He said we can do something to protect and preserve our planet. We heard wonderful stories of his about giant groupers spawning off Key West and how the small fry that are conceived in the open ocean off Key West, survive a journey to the mangrove coastal area of Florida. There they live for six years before they are big enough to travel back to the ocean. These coastal marine sancturaries contain breeeding fish and other marine life that are necessary to the health and future of this planet. These mangrove coastal areas could have saved many lives during the tsunami in the Pacific.
The many interconnections in sealife must be preserved and places like the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, the Amazon bio sphere, and whales of this globe. We as surfers understand the priceless value of natural areas and why they should be preserved. Yes there is a need for more research to be conducted by scientists and water explorers to save and discover our planet. We advance when we use science to apply knowledge towards managing our water on this planet. We probably know more about the planet Mars than the oceans of this planet. Just this week several new species of sealife were discovered in Indonesia. More species of fish and water life are constantly being discovered in the Amazon. In my opinion if you are a surfer and like science and the ocean go to college and get into ocean research and use your love of the waves to save the ocean and the lakes.
The price of admission to hear story from Cousteau was worth every penny. Jean-Michel inspires all of us to see the bigger picture that most of the world does not understand but should because nobody and no country can survive if the planet and the oceans do not survive naturally. Cousteau said we should listen to the knowledge and understanding of those older cultures of the sea and the wise men who are out there living on the oceans. He said I eat fish and support the little guy fisherman who struggle to survive. He said they hardly make any money for their efforts. Cousteau recommended that carnivorios fish not be caught and that herbivore fish be caught instead. Also he said it makes no sense to catch fish where they spawn because it contributes towards fish populations being diminished or wiped out. There are significant fish spawning areas in the oceans, lakes, and rivers of this world.
We saw amazing video of one the Hawaiian sacred Northwest islands, current dive footage from the Amazon and close up dives with humpback whales that Jean Michel said was some kind of communication that he cannot describe.
Some of these islands in the Northwest Hawaiian National Monument are sacred to the polynesian culture.
His speaking engagement lasted over two hours and concluded by Cousteau repeating his message about our natural interconnection. Questions followed his speaking. He took a few interesting questions from the audience.
My overall impression about Jean-Michel Cousteau message is that it is absolutely true that everybody can make changes in saving the place that sustains us as humans and surfers. We must preserve the oceans and the life within it and manage the ocean and water of this planet like it was our business.
Check out the posted web site on this page about Ryan and drilling wells for people without water. Cousteau specifically pointed this boy's good deeds out as an example of what concerned people can do to make this a better planet. This place we live on is called earth but it is covered mostly in water. All life comes from the water. There is hope. Viva Cousteau!
http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=RYAN_HRELJAC