Podcast: Alexandra Cousteau, Explorer, Filmmaker and Water Advocate

November 14, 2014

What I do for a living enables me to meet people in a pretty cool head space because my job (conservation) is their passion (conservation). Discussions run from the philosophical to the very applied as we figure out how to make the world a better place. And the players range from ranchers to CEOs to entrepreneurs to political leaders. For years, I’ve distilled out the important parts useful to my work and put them to use, but the conversations I’ve largely kept to myself.

That changes now.

After much planning and strategizing, a platform for these, that could also feed my passion and get me talking to other leaders was discovered — podcasting.

Months of recording and interviewing later, I’m excited to announce the first episode of our new podcast, freshwater Talk. This podcast is a way to provide an engaging and enriched story behind our economic and environmental issues. Enlisting the support of fellow industry thought leaders dedicated to environmental conservation, I aim to expose unique perspectives on how to address these big picture issues.

As I launch this new endeavor in storytelling, who better to help kick off it off than filmmaker, water advocate and National Geographic Emerging Explorer, Alexandra Cousteau. Continuing the work of her grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau and her father Philippe Cousteau Sr., Alexandra uses storytelling to inspire and advocate the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water in order to preserve a healthy planet. It was an honor to sit down with her, catch up on her filmmaking career, her non-profit Blue Legacy and discuss her perspective on the solution to managing our water.

“Water is the vehicle through which we will feel the impact of climate change, there is no doubt about it. The biggest impact will be the water cycle, we’re seeing that more and more in the United States…building resilience into our water sheds so we can mitigate impacts in this change in climate will be really important.”

From her 18,000 mile interactive National Geographic trip across North America in the former John McCain’s Straight Talk Express bus, to her experience at the Ganges in India, Alexandra provides a fascinating global insight and understanding of our water problem. During our interview we discuss the impact we have on the ocean and that how the water crisis is not just about water sanitization, but rather ecosystems, economy and health. She has witnessed first hand how the US’s expertise in big data, leadership in generous fiscal philanthropy and commitment to community can lead the world in solutions, not just aid.

I’m grateful to have Alexandra as my first freshwater Talk podcast guest. Not only was our discussion informative, but it also illustrates the importance of discussing our water issues. I’m even more grateful for those of you who will be my first listeners to the podcast. I hope you will enjoy future episodes with friends and colleagues.

Yours in conservation,
Joe Whitworth

Are you interested in more podcast episodes?

Listen Here