Protect What You Love

Jean-Michel Cousteau is the son of the famous Jacques Cousteau. He published a memoir this summer, My Father, the Captain, so we’ve seen his name in the media a little more frequently.

One article in particular caught my attention. In it, Cousteau muses about the future of the earth’s oceans and how he feels about it. He quotes a saying from his father: "People protect what they love."

It’s true, and I find it interesting because it refocuses environmental efforts. Our job is not to beg people and politicians (notice how I separate the two?) to preserve the ocean’s natural resources. Our job is to make them love the ocean, the rest follows. People protect what they love.

This is especially relevant for us as scuba divers. Scuba diving is one of the best ways for people to fall in love with the ocean. With all of these pieces in mind, it is no surprise that the burden of ocean preservation has fallen largely on the shoulders of scuba divers. And you thought scuba tanks were heavy.