Practice English Speaking&Listening with: Alexandra Cousteau | Conversations with Jeff Weeks | WSRE

>> THIS ORIGINAL WSRE

PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY

VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> SHE IS A CRUSADER FOR THE

WORLD'S WATER SUPPLY.

AND A FILM MAKER WITH A FAMOUS

LAST NAME.

ALEXANDRIA COUSTEAU ON THIS

EDITION OF CONVERSATIONS.

>> ALEXANDRIA COUSTEAU IS

CARRYING ON A FAMILY TRADITION.

TELLING THE STORY OF ONE OF OUR

PLANET'S MOST IMPORTANT

RESOURCES.

WATER.

HER FAMILY NAME IS ROYALTY WHEN

IT COMES TO THE CONSERVATION OF

THE WORLD'S OCEANS, SHE'S THE

GRANDDAUGHTER OF JACQUES

COUSTEAU AND DAUGHTER OF

PHILIPPE COUSTEAU.

WHILE MUCH OF HER GRANDFATHER'S

EFFORTS FOCUSED ON OCEANS,

ALEXANDRIA CONCENTRATED MUCH OF

HER ATTENTION TO THE CONDITION

OF THE WORLD'S WATER SUPPLY.

SHE'S AN ENVIRONMENTALIST,

SPEAKER AND FOUNDER OF BLEW

LEGACY, A NON-PROFIT MULTI-MEDIA

PLATFORM PROVIDING RELEVANT

CONTENT ABOUT THE WORLD'S WATER

SUPPLY.

ALEXANDRIA COUSTEAU, THANK YOU

FOR JOINING US.

WELCOME.

>> THANKS, JEFF, GOOD TO BE

HERE.

>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP

AS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF JACQUES

COUSTEAU?

>> WELL, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, I

LEARNED TO SWIM BEFORE I COULD

WALK.

AND WENT ON MY FIRST EXPEDITION

WHEN I WAS JUST FOUR MONTHS OLD

TO EASTER ISLAND WITH MY

PARENTS.

MY FATHER WAS MY GRANDFATHER'S

RIGHT HAND MAN AND WORKED WITH

HIM IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE

COUSTEAU SOCIETY AND THE FILMS

AND SO WE WENT FROM EASTER EYE

LAND WHEN I WAS FOUR MONTHS OLD

AND WENT TO KENYA AND UGANDA AND

TUNISIA AND IT WAS I THINK A

TIME THAT I DON'T REMEMBER BUT

THAT PROBABLY INFLUENCED ME A

LOT BECAUSE TO THIS DAY MY

FAVORITE PLACE IS IN THE MIDDLE

OF SOMEWHERE I HAVE NEVER BEEN

SURROUNDED BY MY CREW AND

TELLING STORIES, SOME -- MY

GRANDFATHER TAUGHT ME TO DIVE

WHEN I WAS SEVEN AND HE WAS

CERTAINLY IN MY FATHER'S ABSENCE

A GREAT INFLUENCE ON ME AND

SOMEONE WHO HAS INSPIRED ME

ENORMOUSLY, AA LONG WITH MANY

OTHER PEOPLE, BUT HE WAS A BIG

INFLUENCE.

>> YOU MENTIONED YOUR FATHER'S

ABSENCE, HE DIED YOUNG,?

>> HE WAS YOUNGER THAN I AM NOW

WHICH IS STRANGE WHEN YOU THINK

-- YEN WHEN YOU OUTLIVE YOUR

PARENTS BUT HE DIED IN 1979 IN A

PLANE CRASH IN PORTUGAL, THEY

WERE DOING REPAIRS ON THE AM

ACTIVE WOWS PLANE HE USED ON

EXPEDITION AND IT WAS AN OLD PPY

WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL PLANE AND

THEY WERE DOING A TEST FLIGHT

AND THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE

LANDING GEAR SO THE PLANE

CRASHED INTO THE RIVER AND HE

WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIED AS

THE PILOTS OFTEN ARE.

BUT HE WAS TRULY AN

EXTRAORDINARY MAN.

NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE

TALENT HE BROUGHT TO FILM MAKING

AND THE EMMIES THAT HE WON, HE

WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MEN

IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME OF HIS

DEATH NEXT TO MY GRANDFATHER.

BUT THE MEMORIES HE LEFT WITH

THE PEOPLE WHO KNEW AND LOVED

HIM WERE WHAT I GREW UP WITH.

AND HE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY

EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW.

>> HE AND YOUR GRANDFATHER WERE

EXTREMELY CLOSE AS I UNDERSTAND

IT.

>> THEY WERE.

>> HOW DID YOUR GRANDFATHER DEAL

WITH IT?

>> MY GRANDFATHER NEVER GOT OVER

IT, NEITHER DID MY GRANDMOTHER.

SHE WAS MY GRANDFATHER'S PARTNER

IN CRIME, ESPECIALLY IN THE

BEGINNING, SHE WOULD -- SHE

PAWNED OFF A LOT OF JEWELRY IN

THE EARLY DAYS TO PAY FOR THE

EXPEDITIONS WHEN THEY DIDN'T

HAVE ANY MONEY AND THEY WOULD

SIT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE AND

IMAGINE THE PERFECT SHIP FOR

THESE EXPEDITIONS THEY WANTED TO

DO AFTER MY GRANDFATHER LEFT THE

FRENCH NAVY.

THEY JUST DREAMED UP THE WHOLE

AFFAIR AND SHE SPENT MORE TILE

ON CLIPS THAN MY GRANDFATHER.

THEY CALLED HER THE SHEPHERDESS

BECAUSE SHE WAS NURSE AND DEN

MOTHER AND PSYCHOLOGIST AND COOK

AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING TO

THE MEN THAT WERE ON EXPEDITION

AND FAR FROM THEIR FAMILIES FOR

NINE OR TEN MONTHS A YEAR.

>> YOUR GRANDFATHER WAS ALSO

QUITE THE INVENTER.

>> HE WAS.

>> SO HE WAS REGULATOR FOR

DIVING?

>> UH-HUH.

>> WHAT ELSE?

>> BACK THEN ALL THE THINGS WE

TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY DIDN'T

EXIST.

SO THERE WAS NO SCUBA DIVING,

THERE WAS NO UNDERWATER CAMERAS,

THERE WAS NO UNDERWATER FLASH,

THERE WAS NO UNDERWATER SOUND.

THERE WASN'T ANY OF THAT.

SO MY GRANDFATHER HAD THIS DREAM

OF GOING DEEPER AND STAYING

LONGER AND BEING ABLE TO SHARE

WHAT HE EXPERIENCED UNDERWATER

WITH THE WORLD BECAUSE HE WAS I

THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, A

STORY TELLER.

SO HE STARTED HIS LOVE AFFAIR

WITH CAMERAS AND FILM WHEN HE

WAS A TEENAGER AND HE WOULD DO

BLACK AND WHITE MOVIES AND HE

WOULD STAR THEM AND DIRECT THEM

AND PRODUCE THEM AND PUT THEM

TOGETHER.

SO AFTER HE LEFT THE FRENCH NAVY

WHERE HE WAS AN INTELLIGENCE AND

HE SAILED ALL OVER THE WORLD AS

CAPTAIN OF A NAVY SHIP AND HE

WAS IN THE FRENCH RESISTANCE AND

ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE DON'T

ACTUALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT,

BECAUSE WE THINK OF HIM AS THE

MAN OF THE -- WITH THE RED

BONNET.

BUT HE GOT THE CALYPSO AND HAD

THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE

DREAMS COME TRUE.

AND HAD TO INVENT THE TOOLS TO

DO IT.

SO HE ALSO HAD TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT THE COLLABORATION OF SOME

VERY TALENTED PEOPLE HOW TO DO

UNDERWATER FLASH, UNDERWATER

VIDEO, UNDERWATER EVERYTHING.

AND HE ALSO WHEN HE WENT TO

HOLLYWOOD TO PITCH THIS IDEA OF

DOING A SERIES OF UNDERSTOOD

WATER FILMS, DAVID WALPER SORT

OF AN EARLY ICON OF THE EARLY

DOCUMENTARY GENRE SAID OKAY,

JACQUES, I GET IT.

THIS COULD BE GOOD BUT YOU HAVE

GOT TO JAZZ IT UP A LITTLE.

MAKE IT COOL.

AND MY GRANDFATHER SAID I KNOW

JUST WHAT TO DO.

SO HE WENT AND PUT THE ICONIC

YELLOW STRIPES ON THE DIVE SUITS

AND PUT AN OBSERVATION CAPSULE

IN FRONT OF THE CALYPSO AND PUT

A SLIDE OFF THE BACK WHERE THE

DIVERS WITH SLIDE INTO THE WATER

HEAD FIRST AND DID THESE THINGS

AND WENT BACK TO DAVID AND SAID

DO WE HAVE A DEAL?

AND HE SAID YEAH, I THINK WE DO.

LET'S DO IT.

SO AMERICA IS ACTUALLY THE ONE

THAT GAVE MY GRANDFATHER HIS

FIRST CHANCE TO TELL THESE

STORIES.

>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE HANGING OUT

WITH HIM?

>> HE WAS VERY COMPLEX, AS YOU

CAN IMAGINE, SOMEONE WHO IS

EVERYTHING FROM S EMPLOYERER TO

A SPY TO THE MUSICIAN, HE PLAYED

THE PIANO AND THE ACCORDION, HE

COULD PAINT, HE WROTE POETRY, HE

WAS AN INCREDIBLE WRITER AND

STORE STORY TELLER, FILM MAKER

INVENTER.

SO HE WAS REALLY A POLYMATH IN

SO MANY WAYS ANDED THAT THIS

COMPLEXITY ABOUT HIM, HE HAD A

BRILLIANT MIND.

HE WAS A VISIONARY, HE COULD SEE

INTO THE FUTURE AND SEE SOME OF

THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT

MOST PEOPLE ARE COMING TO TERMS

WITH ONLY NOW, HE WAS WARNING

ABOUT -- HE WAS INCREDIBLY

CHAIRSMATIC.

HIS VOICE, HIS EYES WOULD LIGHT

UP THE WAY HE WAS -- HE USED HIS

HANDS TO EXPRESS HIMSELF, THE

WAY HE USED HIS VOICE, HE WAS AN

INCREDIBLY CHARISMATIC MAGNETIC

PERSON AND I REMEMBER THAT HE

COULD MAKE ANYTHING, ANY TOPIC

ANY IDEA COME TO LIFE.

AND HE HAD THIS OVERSIZED

PRESENCE IN THE WORLD.

I HAVE SPOKEN WITH ALL SORTS OF

PEOPLE SINCE HIS DEATH IN 1997.

AND HE MISSED, LIKE HIS PRESENCE

IN THE WORLD IS MISSED.

HE WAS THAT MAGNETIC.

>> OUTSIDE OF THE BOLD

PERSONALITY, WHAT DO YOU THINK

HIS LASTING LEGACY WILL BE?

>> WELL, HE PULLED BACK THE

CURTAIN ON 70% OF THE PLANET.

THE OCEAN.

AT A TIME WHEN NOBODY KNEW WHAT

WAS UNDER THE SURFACE.

IT WAS A COMPLETELY UNKNOWN

ENVIRONMENT.

AND THERE WAS THIS PASSION FOR

THE OCEANS THAT GREW OUT OF HIS

WORK THAT WAS UNIVERSAL.

EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT I

HAVE BEEN FROM RUSSIA TO COSTA

RICA TO BATSWANA TO ALASKA,

PEOPLE HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE

MEMORIES OF WATCHING THE

COUSTEAU DOCUMENTARIES.

THEY REMEMBER SO MANY THINGS

ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING

ABOUT THE OCEANS AT A TIME WHEN

NO ONE KNEW ANYTHING, THAT I

THINK SPAWNED THE MARINE CONCERN

RATION MOVEMENT AND INSPIRED

EVERY MARINE BIOLOGIST CERTAIN

AGE INSPIRED BY JACQUES COUSTEAU

AND SO MUCH LEGISLATION WAS

INSPIRED BY THAT, SO MUCH OF THE

EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE OCEAN

STARTED WITH MY GRANDFATHER

OPENING THAT WORLD TO US.

AND TODAY WE TAKE WHAT HE DID

FOR GRANTED BECAUSE YOU HAVE HD

DOCUMENTARIES ON THE OCEANS

EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK ON

MULTIPLE CHANNELS.

WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE OCEAN

S AREN'T A LIMITLESS

RESOURCE AND AN ENDLESS DUMPING

GROUND FOR OUR WASTE.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE RELY ON

THE OCEANS FOR EVERYTHING FROM

THE OXYGEN THAT WE BREATHE TO

THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE SHIPPED

AROUND THE WORLD TO FOOD

SECURITY AND RECREATION AND HUGE

PART OF OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY.

BACK THEN NO ONE KNEW ANY OF

THAT.

SO I THINK THEE HE REALLY OPENED

THE DOOR TO THAT, WE WOULD

PROBABLY BE REALLY BEHIND IN THE

WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO TO

PROTECT THE OCEANS IF MY GRAND

FATHER HADN'T HAVE DONE

EVERYTHING HE DID.

>> YOU SEEM TO SHARE HIS PASSION

FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

WHEN DID THAT BEGINTOR YOU?

>> -- BEGIN FOR YOU?

>> THE OCEAN WAS ALWAYS PART OF

MY LIFE, I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME

THAT BEING IN THE WATER WASN'T

REALLY NATIVE TO ME.

SWIM LESSONS STARTED WHEN I WAS

FOUR, FIVE MONTHS OLD.

SO I GREW UP ENJOYING THE OCEANS

AND EXPLORING THE SHOWNS AS A

CHILD WITH MY NET AND BUCKET IN

THE SOUTH OF FRANCE AND OTHER

PARTS OF THE WORLD.

AND JUST EXPLORING TIME POOL AND

BEACHES AND CATCHING LITTLE

SHRIMP OR SEA URCHINS OR STAR

FISH AND PUTTING THEM IN MY

BUCKET FOR OBSERVATION AND THEN

RELEASING THEM SO THEY WOULDN'T

GET TOO THE HOT IN THE WATER OR

USE UP ALL THE OXYGEN AND CATCH

THEM AND LOOK AT THEM AND

RELEASE THEM.

AND IT WAS A HUGE PART OF ME P

AND I THINK AS TIMES HAVE

CHANGED, BECAUSE TIMES HAVE

CHANGED A LOT, EVEN JUST SINCE I

WAS A CHILD, I HAVE SEEN A LOT

OF THOSE PLACES DISAPPEAR.

DUE TO POLLUTION OR DEVELOPMENT

OR WHATEVER.

AND I REALIZE THAT THESE PLACES

ARE SO MUCH A PART OF WHO WE

BECOME FOR ALL OF US.

THE PLACES THAT WE KNEW AS A

CHILD.

SO FOR YOU IT MIGHT BE THE

BEACHES HERE IN PENSACOLA.

FOR ME IT WAS THE SOUTH OF

FRANCE AND SOME OTHER PLACES

THAT DEFINE MID CHILDHOOD.

-- DEFINED MY CHILDHOOD AND GAVE

ME SPACE TO UNDERSTAND THE

ENVIRONMENT THAT I LIVE IN AND

THE CREATURES THAT I SHARE THAT

ENVIRONMENT WITH.

AND GAVE ME A SENSE OF AUTONOMY

AND INDEPENDENCE AND WONDER AND

AWE.

AS A CHILD WHEN YOU CAN DISCOVER

THE UNEXPECTED WE FEEL SO ALIVE,

WE DO AS ADULTS AS WELL.

LOSING THE PLACES THAT GAVE ME

ALL OF THAT, REALLY WAS A WAKE

UP CALL FOR ME AS A YOUNG ADULT.

AND MADE ME WANT TO DO

EVERYTHING I CAN TO PROTECT THEM

AND TO INSPIRE OTHER PEOPLE TO

PROTECT THE PLACES THAT DEFINED

THEIR CHILDHOOD OR DEFINE THEIR

COMMUNITY, DEFINE THE LAND THAT

THEY CALL HOME.

WHEN WE LOSE THESE PLACES, THESE

NATURAL PLACES, I THINK WE LOSE

A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT PART OF

OURSELVES THAN WE IMAGINE.

CERTAINLY I SAW THAT FIRSTHAND

WHEN I CAME HERE IN 2010 AFTER

THE DEEP WATER HORIZON SPILL,

PEOPLE DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT

THAT, WE MENTION THE SUGAR WHITE

SANDS FLORIDA IS KNOWN FOR

EMERALD GREEN WATERS AND SO MUCH

OF THAT WAS JEOPARDIZED DURING

THE OIL SPILL.

WHERE DO YOU THINK WE ARE RIGHT

NOW?

WHERE IS THE GULF RIGHT NOW IN

YOUR JUDGMENT AS FAR AS BEING

RESTORED BACK TO SOME LEVEL OF

NORMALCY?

>> I HAVEN'T BEEN BACK TO THE

COMMUNITIES I VISITED IN 2010

SINCE WE WERE THERE ON

EXPEDITION.

THE FIRST STORY WE WERE TOLD IN

THE GULF WAS DEAD ZONE.

AT THE NAME 2009 WHEN WE WERE

FILMING IN LOUISIANA AND ALABAMA

AND SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH

THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THERE AND

THE FISHERMEN AND TRYING TO

UNDERSTAND NOT ONLY THE

SITUATION OF THE CODE ZONE BUT

ALSO THE EXPERIENCE PEOPLE HAVE

OF THAT CRISIS BECAUSE IT IS A

CRISIS AN AREA THE SIZE OF NEW

JERSEY DIES EVERY SUMMER.

AND AT THE TIME IT WAS LIKE GOD

IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE HAHN

THAT, A DEAD ZONE.

NOT THE ONLY DEAD ZONE IN THE

WORLD, THERE'S 400 AROUND THE

WORLD.

WE'RE DOING SOMETHING REALLY

WRONG UPSTREAM IF WE'RE TURNING

OUR COASTAL AREAS INTO DEAD

ZONES SO WE TOLD THAT STORY AND

OBVIOUSLY COASTAL COMMUNITIES

AND FISHERMEN WERE CONCERNED

ABOUT IT AND THEN THE OIL SPILL

HAPPENED.

AND WE WENT BACK AND FOUR MONTHS

AFTER IT HAPPENED I GUESS.

WENT BACK TO THE SAME

COMMUNITIES AND TALKED TO THE

SAME PEOPLE AND I HAD THE SENSE

THEY HAD AGED FIVE OR TEN YEARS

IN JUST A SPAN OF FOUR MONTHS.

THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO ARE SALT

OF THE EARTH, THEY LOVE THE

GULF, THEY LOVE THEIR WAY OF

LIFE, THEY LOVE THEIR SEAFOOD,

THEY'RE PROUD OF THEIR

CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICA.

TO OUR ECONOMY, TO THE PROVISION

OF SEAFOOD WE DEPEND ON.

BUT MOSTLY IT DEFINES THEM, IT'S

SOMETHING THEY LEARNED FROM

THEIR FATHER WHO LEARNED IT FROM

THEIR GRANDFATHER, SOMETHING

THEY DO WITH THEIR SONS AND

THEIR DAUGHTERS UNDULOUSING THAT

I THINK FOR A LOT OF THEM FELT

LIKE LOSING A REALLY IMPORTANT

PART OF WHO THEY ARE.

AND WHEN WE WERE THERE, THE

FIRST REPORTS OF SUICIDES

STARTED COMING IN.

AND IT WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN

JUST AN OIL SPILL.

IT WAS --

>> A LIFE CHANGER.

>> A LIFE CHANGER.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT A LOT OF

THE FISHERMEN WERE SAYING TO ME,

THEY SAY IT'S ALL GONE BUT WE

KNOW IT'S NOT ALL GONE.

WE KNOW THERE'S STILL OIL HERE.

WE DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT OF THE

DISPERSESANTS, THIS REALLY

SCARES US SO SOME FISHERMEN WE

WENT AND INTERVIEWED HAD

ACTUALLY STARTED TESTING THE

WATER THEMSELVES.

TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND

OF SITUATION THEY WERE IN AND

WHAT WAS STILL IN THE WATER.

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED

THAT THEY WERE STILL FINDING OIL

IN THE WATER EVEN AFTER THEY HAD

BEEN TOLD IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK

FISHING.

SO THE IMPACT LONG LASTING,

WE'RE STILL FEELING IT AND IT

WILL DEFINITELY BE THE MARK OF A

GENERATION.

>> HOW DO WE BALANCE COMMERCE

AND AT THE SAME TIME PROTECT OUR

ENVIRONMENT?

WHAT'S THE KEY TO THAT?

>> I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE

STARTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE

CAN'T SACRIFICE OUR ENVIRONMENT

WITH THE ECONOMY BECAUSE OUR

NATURAL RESOURCES ARE A HUGE

PART OF OUR ECONOMY.

THEY'RE A HUGE PART OF OUR WAY

OF LIFE AND THE QUALITY OF OUR

HEALTH AND OUR HAPPINESS, THE

PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE

TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT HAPPENED

HERE IN THE GULF AND SO MANY

OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD,

IT'S THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR

ENVIRONMENT.

PROSPEROUS COMMUNITIES HAVE

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS.

IF YOU DESTROY YOUR ENVIRONMENT

AND YOU DESTROY THE QUALITY OF

YOUR WATER AND THE QUALITY OF

YOUR LAND AND SOIL, YOU CUT DOWN

YOUR TREES, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO

BE A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY FOR

LONG.

AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN

, WE SEE THAT THAT IS

ACTUALLY PLAYING OUT IN

COMMUNITIES AROUND THE UNITED

STATES.

DESTROYING THEIR ENVIRONMENT,

THE COMMUNITIES THAT RESTORE OR

PROTECT THEIR ENVIRONMENT

PROSPER.

AND I THINK TODAY THERE'S SO

MANY NEW ALTERNATIVES

TECHNOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVES,

ENERGY ALTERNATIVES, WAYS TO

INVEST IN INNOVATION AND

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND DO

IMAGINATION OF ALL OF THE

BRILLIANT PEOPLE THAT EXIST IN

THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE

WORLD, INVESTING IN THOSE IDEAS

AND BRINGING THEM TO LIFE AND

OFFERING AN ALTERNATIVE TO

STATUS QUO IS SOMETHING WE HAVE

TO GET BEHIND BECAUSE THE STATUS

QUO ISN'T WORKING.

AND IT'S CERTAINLY WON'T WORK IN

THE FUTURE.

SO CHANGE IS COMING.

WE CAN EITHER SHAPE THE FUTURE

OR WE CAN REACT TO THE FUTURE.

>> UH-UH.

ONE OF YOUR FOCUS IS ON THE

GLOBAL WATER SUPPLY.

I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT MANY

PEOPLE PROBABLY DO NOT FULLY

APPRECIATE SOME OF THE

CHALLENGES THAT LIE WITHIN THE

WATER SUPPLY AROUND THE GLOBE.

CAN YOU DEFINE WHAT'S GOING ON

AND WHERE WE ARE AS A SOCIETY

AND THE CHALLENGES AS WE LOOK

AHEAD TO OUR WATER SUPPLY?

>> THERE'S TWO THINGS TO BE

MINDFUL OF WITH WATER.

ONE IS WATER QUALITY, IS OUR

WATER GOOD ENOUGH TO FISH DRINK

AND SWIM IN, EASY WAY TO THINK

OF IT AND WATER QUANTITY.

IS THERE ENOUGH WATER WHERE WE

NEED IT WHEN WE NEED IT.

AND INCREASING SAYING ONE OR

BOTH OF THOSE ARE IN DECLINE ALL

OVER THE WORLD AND WE WERE

EXPERIENCING IT HERE IN THE

UNITED STATES.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON

IN CALIFORNIA, I WAS JUST UP IN

VERMONT, SHAM PLAIN A COUPLE OF

MONTHS AGO LOOKING AT LOOKING AE

BLUE-GREEN ALGAE OUTBREAKS THEY

HAVE EVERY SUMMER NOW, THAT

MAKES PART OF LAKE SHAM PLAIN,

PLACES THAT NO ONE CAN ENJOY, NO

ONE CAN SWIM THERE, BOAT THERE,

GO THERE.

DOGS ARE DIEING OF THIS STUFF

AND IT CAN IMPACT CHILDREN AND

ADULTS.

SO WHEN THIS COUNTRY WE'RE

SEEING WATER QUALITY AND

QUANTITY ISSUES GROWING, DUE TO

POLLUTION, CLIMATE CHANGE, ALL

SORTS OF SOMETHINGS.

PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO

UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A

FLUKE, THIS IS NOT JUST

SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS AND THEN

THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL THERE,

IS A NEW NORMAL AND WE NEED TO

THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT HOW WE

APPROACH THIS ISSUE AND HOW WE

SOLVE IT.

THE BUSINESS AS USUAL ISN'T

GOING TO SOLVE IT FOR US.

SO I'M HAPPY IN THE UNITED

STATES I SEE A CHANGE IN

ATTITUDE AND APPROACH.

IN LEADERSHIP, TOP LEADERSHIP

ALL THE WAY DOWN -- FOR THE

FIRST TIME WE HAVE A PRESIDENT

TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE,

GOVERNORS TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE

CHANGE.

WE HAVE MAYORS TALKING ABOUT

CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT'S SOMETHING

THAT IS A REAL THREAT.

THE PENTAGON HAS BEEN TALKING

ABOUT IT FOR YEARS.

SO I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO A

POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE

PEOPLE IMAGINING NEW SOLUTIONS

AND GETTING MIND THEM AND THAT'S

TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING.

>> WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE AROUND THE

GLOBE WHO -- THEY JUST CAN'T

DRINK THE WATER, WE TAKE FOR

GRANTED IN THIS COUNTRY AND

EUROPE THAT WE CAN AS I HAVE

SAID BEFORE YOU CAN GO INTO A

DIRTY OLD GAS STATION AND YOU

CAN DRINK THE WATER OUT OF THE

SINK AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT

GOING TO GET SICK BUT SO MANY

PEOPLE WAKE UP EVERY MORNING IN

DIFFERENT PARTS P OF THE GLOBE

AND CAN'T DO THAT.

HOW DO WE FIX THAT PROBLEM?

>> IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM

THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO

FIX FOR A LONG TIME, THE UN

MILLENNIUM GOALS HAD WATER AND

SANITATION AS ONE OF THEIR MAIN

PRIORITIES. WATER AND

SANITATION AFFECTS A BILLION

PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD EVERY

YEAR, IT'S ONE OF THE LEADING

CAUSES OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN

BECAUSE IT'S OF DIRE REEL

DISEASE, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE

TOILETS, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS

TO WATER.

AND THIS FRANKLY ISN'T EVEN ONLY

IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD,

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN CANADA

HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

SO WATER AND SANITATION IS A

REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF NOT

JUST SAVING LIVES BUT ALSO

EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS KEEP

ING THEN SAFE,ING THEM

ACCESS TO EDUCATION SO THEY CAN

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF

SOCIETY AND MANAGE THEIR FAMILY

PLANNING AND PARTNER WITH THEIR

HUSBANDS IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE

TO START BUSINESSES AND PROVIDE

FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND EDUCATE

THEIR OWN CHILDREN IN TURN.

SO THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES

SURROUNDING WATER AND SANITATION

THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE, I'M

-- I WORK WITH A NUMBER OF

ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE THE

GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGE THAT IS

WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT.

I THINK WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT WE

JUST HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BRING

WATER AND SANITATION TO MORE

PEOPLE BECAUSE TRUTH IS WHEN

GIRL CAN'T FINISH SCHOOL THEY

CAN'T BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF

SOCIETY.

WHEN CHILDREN ARE DYING OF

DIARRHEAL DISEASE YOU HAVE A

LEVEL OF DESPERATION IN THE

COMMUNITY THAT IS UNREAL.

THERE'S A LOSS OF TIME AND

PRODUCTIVITY WHEN WOMEN AND

CHILDREN HAVE TO GO FETCH WATER

FROM WELLS THAT ARE MILES AWAY.

THERE'S JUST -- BUT WE CAN DO

IT.

WE CAN GET THERE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT

FROM THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

THROUGH U.S. AID AND OTHER

AGENCIES TO BE PART OF THAT

SOLUTION.

>> I HAVE ABOUT THREE MINUTES.

TELL ME WHAT YOUR FUTURE AGENDA

IS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?

>> WELL -- IT'S DIFFERENT NOW

FOR ME AS THE MOTHER OF TWO

SMALL CHILDREN TO BALANCE

EXPLORATION AND BEING PRESENT AS

A MOTHER AND A PARENT.

SO I'M CURRENTLY IMAGINING WAYS

TO BRING MY CHILDREN WITH ME AND

GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO I

HAD AS A CHILD TO TRAVEL AND BE

PART OF UNDERSTANDING THESE

ISSUES.

SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING

CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW,

SET FOR MYSELF, HOW CAN I BRING

MY CHILDREN WITH ME.

BUT CERTAINLY I WORK CLOSELY

WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE NATIONAL

GEOGRAPHIC AND OCEANA AND OTHERS

TO TELL STORIES AND ADVOCATE FOR

CHANGE, ISLE BE IN BELIZE AT THE

END OF THE MONTH WITH OCEANIA,

TALKING TO STUDENTS AND

FISHERMEN AND THE PRESS ABOUT

THE PLAN TO DRILL FOR OIL ALONG

THE CORAL REEF WHICH IS THE

SECOND LARGEST BARRIER REEF IN

THE WORLD AFTER AUSTRALIA.

NEXT WEEK I'LL BE IN INDIA

HOSTING A DOCUMENTARY FOR

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ON

SUSTAINABLE COTTON AND IMPACT ON

WATER.

SO THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS KEEP

ME BUSY.

AND THEN AS I SAID, MY NUMBER

ONE PRIORITY IS BEING A MOM.

>> GOOD FOR YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST OPTIMISTIC

ABOUT IN ABOUT A MINUTE AS YOU

LOOK AHEAD?

>> I AM MOST OPTIMISTIC IN THE

ABILITY OF TECHNOLOGY TO GIVE US

ALTERNATIVES AND THE CAPACITY OF

PEOPLE FOR RAPID CHANGE.

I THINK WE'RE SEEING BOTH OF

THOSE COMING TO OUR RESCUE AND

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW

RAPIDLY WE CAN GET BEHIND

INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR CHANGE.

>> VERY GOOD.

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO

VISIT WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.

VERY BEST IN YOUR ENDEAVORS AS

YOU MOVE FORWARD AND WORK TO

KEEP OUR ENVIRONMENT IN GOOD

SHAPE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALEXANDRIA COUSTEAU, A REAL

PLEASURE.

BY THE WAY YOU CAN FOLLOW

ALEXANDRIA AT ALEXANDRIA

ALEXANDRIACOUSTEAU.COM.

KEEP UP WITH ALL THE THINGS

SHE'S DOING.

AND OF COURSE YOU CAN FOLLOW US

AND CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR

CONVERSATIONS ONLINE AT

WSRE.ORG/CONVERSATIONS AND WE'RE

ALSO ON YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.

I'M JEFF WEEKS.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR

WATCHING.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE

BROADCAST.

TAKE GREAT CARE OF YOURSELF.

WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.

>> SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS

PROVIDED IN PART BY THESE

CORPORATE SPONSORS.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.