Cousteau hopes oil spill boosts awareness

US:The Gulf of Mexico calamity could be a catalyst for greater understanding of the marine environment, says Philippe Cousteau, grandson of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau and member of a family devoted to the sea.

“What is the legacy of this oil spill? I hope this reminds us of the true cost of our addiction to fossil fuels,” Cousteau said in an interview with AFP.

“I hope this adds to the dialogue and gets us to realize we need to get off fossil fuels, that there are alternatives. I hope it reminds us of the need to reconsider how we exploit our oceans.”

Cousteau, who heads an environmental group called EarthEcho International and is chief ocean correspondent for Discovery’s Planet Green, said it is too soon to see a “silver lining” in the disaster. “I can’t talk about a silver lining when people are suffering so much,” he said.

“I do think it is a stark reminder of the problems, and I hope we can leverage this disaster in order to deal with those issues and invest in science.

“We spend a thousand times more money on space exploration than on ocean exploration. Whether there is water on Mars is not critical to our future, but having healthy oceans is,” he said.

“My hope is that the next generation will wise up and understand that this is not a sustainable way we are living.”

Cousteau is not a scientist, but views his work as educating the public on the importance of the environment, especially oceans. He is continuing the efforts of his grandfather, the famed French explorer, and his father, Philippe Sr., who died in a 1979 flying boat crash.

“Just like my father and grandfather, I see my work as storytelling,” Cousteau said from California, where he was on a tour to speak to schoolchildren.

AFP