Protect Our Future, Protect Our Oceans

Benjamin Franklin declared, “When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” Franklin’s idea is explored in Jacques Cousteau’s The Human, The Orchid, and The Octopus ( Bloomsbury USA , 2007, 302 pgs.) Cousteau’s book describes his experiences while diving under the world’s oceans, discovering its hidden treasures. Also, valuing the opinions of residents near his explorations sites, he learns how they view a particular situation.  From his experiences and conversations with residents, he is able to glean useful information to aid in his studies trying to conserve our natural world. The Human, The Orchid, and The Octopus by Jacques Cousteau accentuates the oceans current condition while urging readers to conserve our natural world.

            In Cousteau’s The Human, The Orchid, and The Octopus, Cousteau emphasizes that not only is pollution a main contributor, according to a marine biologist organization, it is “responsible for 33% of the toxic contaminants that end up in oceans and coastal waters,” but human expansion plays a role also. Human expansion is spreading so far, that now businesses, entrepreneurs and the creation of more homes begin to reach and affect our oceans. Areas with costal views always bring tourist and locals to relax with the subtle breeze of the ocean, but this gathering affects our marine animals. “Nature’s irreplaceables are being plundered-ransacked, pillaged, looted- by the marauders of our modern age” (Cousteau 134). Environmental extremist oppose all development which isn’t exactly going to help accommodate our growing population, but finding ways to make the expansion and the activities that tourist and locals engage in, less harmful to marine life is a much more productive way to erect essential buildings and homes.

            Cousteau’s book explains how the decreased fish population affects people who depend on fish as a main food source. Dependants of fish have a hard game to play, and hopefully win. Fishermen, those who are dependant on fish as a food source, are in constant competition with other fishermen, those who get paid to catch fish, and only depend on the fish for the money as a reward. Fishermen, who only catch the fish for money, have an unfair advantage because they are able to use advance technology, such as sonar to help catch fish.  The depletion was never difficult to deplete solely by fisherman, but the pace has increased “in only a few seasons” (Cousteau 152) since the advancement in technology.  Cousteau spoke with a man named Moses, whose lives in Jamaica, about the depletion of the fish populations. Moses’ response was, “I know what I do is not good for the years to come…but I must eat” (Cousteau 147). This tragedy that Moses faces is universal. Fisherman catch fewer and fewer fish, dependants, in some cases starve due to the lack of fish. Many countries eat fish because that is all they have to eat. An interesting point Cousteau made, “Everyone speaks for the present. Few speak for the future. Everyone speaks for themselves. And almost no one speaks for Moses” (Cousteau 154). Cousteau’s point is still relevant to modern day society, which is a shame that people in Moses’ case have to continue struggling with this way of life.

            The book declares to readers that human values and the advancement in technology had aided and hindered our oceans. Cousteau was diving in the Mediterranean Sea and when he was at the bottom salt domes looked like “fingerlike columns” (Cousteau 179). This discovery was physical evidence that the Mediterranean had at one time dried away and the evaporated seawater had left behind a “245 feet thick” (Cousteau 179) blanket. Knowing this discovery was extraordinary and not having anyway to investigate what was hidden all of these years, was a knife into his heart. Also knowing that some bureaucrat was going to disregard all perils and continue to drill with all of the high-end technology, his level of pain and guilt multiplied by infinity, its product would only be a glimpse of how Cousteau felt for disclosing such crucial information.  Discoveries often lead to more investigation, and in some case, like the one above could be fatal.

            Kirkus Reviews comments about Cousteau’s book, and says that with all of his books (over 70); his television series Cousteau makes many relevant and declarative points for conserving our natural world. At the start of the book, he discusses the instinct for the drive to explore and ways to protect our seas.  Cousteau recalls his experiences and observations from his career. Also mentioning his Oceanographic Institute in Monaco where he was the director where he addressed the toxic waste dumping.  Cousteau is urging action against over fishing and coastal development which is harming the environment. With all of his experience, he is trusted and familiar to many people who grew up in his era. Cousteau’s answer to why we must conserve is "We are part of Earth."  

            Publishers Weekly also comments that the book cautions readers “as it celebrates the natural world: as the seas are plundered, the biosphere is polluted and the hazards of nuclear power are imposed upon nature, the human race is ‘unraveling complexities it took eternity to create’.”  Also mentioning how some leaders are in a constant quest for power and money, act foolishly and make harmful judgments that leave our natural world to suffer for their decisions and to clean up after their mess and chaos they have created.

             Jacques Cousteau, a diving pioneer, explorer, filmmaker, inventor and activist, is well known to many people who lived during his era and also after. He was in the French Navy Academy, fighting in World War II. “Cousteau was named a capitaine de corvette of the French navy in 1948, and two years later he became president of the French Oceanographic Campaigns. That same year, Cousteau purchased the ship Calypso to further his explorations” said Spectrum Biographies. He helped to invent the Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, or SCUBA.  Since many divers use the devise to shatter coral reefs, robbing the reefs of their goods, Cousteau comments, “I am not sure that the good of the apparatus can do outweighs the bad. Could I turn back time, I do not know whether I would participate in the invention of the aqualung again” (Cousteau 187).After many spectacular years, enlightening people about the worth of our oceans, and encouraging conservation, his exploration came to a halt in 1997, when he passed away from a heart attack. 

            The diversity of our oceans isn’t anything surprising because life started in water. Amazingly, molecules took shape, natural processes were created and earth survived the roller coaster of science reactions. Life was luckily sustained and over time, the “complex vertebrate, the human being, and the most complex plant, the orchid. I would designate the octopus, given its intelligence and devotion to the continuation of its species, as the top invertebrate” (Cousteau 278). These creations make up the miracles of life, and should be protected and conserved, The Human, The Orchid and The Octopus.

O’Neill 5

Works Cited

"Jacques Cousteau." Spectrum Biographies. 2007. incwell . 15 Mar 2008             <http://www.incwell.com/Biographies/Cousteau.html>.

Cousteau, Jacques. The Human, The Orchid, And The Octopus. 1. Bloomsbury, NY:   Bloomsbury, 2007.

"Cousteau, Jacques: The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus.(Book review)." Kirkus Reviews (Sept 1, 2007): NA. General OneFile. Gale. Oakland Community          College. 26 Mar. 2008 
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"Ocean Facts." Marine Bio. 07 Feb 2008. Marine Bio. 26 Mar 2008    <http://marinebio.org/MarineBio/Facts/>.

"The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus: Exploring and Conserving Our Natural         World.(Brief article)(Book review)." Publishers Weekly 254.31 (August 6,             2007): 177(1). General OneFile. Gale. Oakland Community College. 23 Mar. 2008 
            <http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId=ITOF>.

"The Quotable Franklin." U S History. July 04 1995.. Independence Hall Association. 16          Mar 2008 <http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/quotable/singlehtml.htm>.