Jessica Remington, founder and director of One World Youth Project, is an amazingly talented young woman and a good friend. Her organization One World Youth Project is outstanding and they need your help! One World Youth Project (OWYP), facilitates high quality partnerships between schools or youth groups worldwide for the purpose of cultural exchange and community service toward the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Through a unique curriculum that encourages collaborative learning, OWYP creates global communities while strengthening local communities. It is our belief that recognizing one’s existence in a global community of shared challenges at a young age promotes a future of cross-cultural collaboration. One World Youth Project is an initiative incubated within Georgetown University’s Office of the President.

Below is a message from Jessica, calling for your assistance.
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Dear Friends,

I REALLY need your help and quickly.

OWYP is entered into the Pepsi Refresh Everything contest: http://www.refresheverything.com/oneworldyouthproject. We have a 1 in 29 chance of winning $50,000 in this contest! The 10 organizations within the 50k category who receive the most number of votes within March win. You can vote for OWYP once a day. So, basically we need to mobilize thousands of people to vote for OWYP every day of the month. Right now we are 38th out of 290 organizations. It is believed that we need to jump to the top 10 in 48 to 72 hours in order to start on a winning track. I NEED YOUR HELP and QUICKLY!!

Would you be willing to serve as a “Captain” in OWYP’s “get out the vote” strategy?
Who are Captains?

-Captains are in charge of recruiting a group of 10 of their friends who commit to voting for OWYP in the Pepsi contest EVERY DAY of this month.
-Captains must be in the USA OR have the ability to recruit 10 people who are in the USA (as the contest only works for USA based IP addresses). THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, as non-USA IP address votes, will not count.
-Captains must remind their “group” of 10 to vote every day for the month (e.g. you could send a quick email, send them a facebook message, text them…what ever works best for you & which you know will be effective).
-All Captains must send the email addresses of their group members to win@oneworldyouthproject.org. So, that they can receive important updates from OWYP related to the contest.
-Captains agree to change their facebook profile picture a “Vote for OWYP” graphic (see attached)

Can you commit to being a Captain for OWYP? PLEASE email me back with a “YES” or “NO” as soon as you can. If you respond with a YES, then I’ll send you an email template to help in recruiting your 10 voters. (P.S. If you can’t be a Captain, would you consider becoming an OWYP Friend by voting every day & convincing 1 other person to vote with you every day?)

Let me know in the next 24 to 48 hours if you can help. I need you. We have some stiff competition and REALLY need to win this contest.

In Solidarity,
Jess

P.S. Join us on Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/One-World-Youth-Project-OWYP/184125839202?ref=ts

On the left side of the page, right under the profile picture, click on “suggest to friends” link and invite your facebook friends to join us! So far we have 488 fans, we are aiming for over 20, 000 fans.

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/owyp

Read our Blog: http://owyp.wordpress.com/

LET’S BUILD A MOVEMENT…!

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Wow…what a day! I never cease to be amazed by how fast technology is moving and how many powerful tools we have at our disposal to affect education, tools that we never could have even imagined just a few years ago. I will never forget how much my grandfather loved technology and how much he believed in it as a tool to inspire the next generation. This morning I was able to combine both technology and education with some pretty exciting results.

Through my work with EarthEcho International and my role as chief spokesperson for environmental education for Discovery Education, the #1 provider of K-12 broadband-delivered educational content to U.S. schools, I hosted a live virtual expedition from the Seattle Aquarium that was broadcast to almost 50,000 elementary school students in the state of Texas. It was such a hit we crashed their system because so many schools logged on. In one hour, we worked through learning objectives for the students to bring science alive. This was a test and it worked beautifully. We had to limit it to elementary schools but next year we will open it to other states and all grades and I am confident we are pioneering a whole new frontier of education.

This is the future and I am tremendously excited! Unlike past virtual expedition programs, I was able to have two-way communication with students and we tailored the program to align with state education standards for K-5th grade, piping the feed directly into classrooms. It was an amazing experience and I know we inspired a lot of kids today.

I think my grandfather would have been astounded at how far technology has come in the 13 years since he passed away and that he would agree with me that the possibilities are endless…

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I turned 30 last month. I know - I can’t believe it either. One of my resolutions for the year is to be better about posting blogs. To jump start, I thought that this would be appropriate. It’s an article that I wrote that was published in Thirty Things to Do When You Turn Thirty (www.amazon.com/Thirty-Things-When-You-Turn/dp/1416205152) last year.

Be Humbled by Nature

A brief but intimate encounter with a mother gray whale and her new baby leaves this conservationist not only with a sense of awe and wonder, but with a renewed commitment to fight for our planet and all its magnificent creatures.

by Philippe Cousteau

The boat rocked softly as the giant nudged her calf alongside us. After lifting her head out of the water and gently resting it on the side of the boat I felt an overwhelming sense of humility that this new mother would share her most precious possession, her new baby, with us. She was easily twice as long as our frail vessel and could have capsized it with a simple twist of her enormous head. The differences between our species melted away and words were not necessary, it was clear that this was a proud mother eager to show off her beautiful child. She seemed content to share a fleeting moment before she slowly, smoothly slipped back beneath the waves followed by her offspring, leaving a few small swirling eddies as the only testimony to their brief presence.

A gray whale, easily fifty feet long and weighing as many tons, had decided to grace us with a few precious moments. Aside from the awe and wonder that such an encounter would naturally elicit in any reasonable human, I also felt humility and a strange sense of pride in what I had experienced. This creature, whose kind has suffered so much at the hands of man, had swum the fifty yards to our boat and urged her calf to lift its head out of the water and interact with ME! I was standing in a small twenty-foot metal skiff off the coast of Laguna San Ignacio along the western coast of Mexico. I had come to witness the culmination of the annual southward migration of the Pacific Gray Whale, a 6,000-mile journey (the longest of any mammal in the world) south from summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. Here in the warm waters off Baja they give birth and prepare their calves for the journey north back to the food-rich waters of the Bering and Chukche Seas in the Arctic.

A United Nations World Heritage site, Laguna San Ignacio cuts into a spectacular untamed desert on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula and is the last and only undeveloped breeding and nursery ground in the world for the Pacific gray whale. The other two major breeding areas have been encroached upon by development and industry, which are ruining what were once pristine samples of nature’s beauty. The desert extends for miles around and looking at the sunset over the azure blue waters with every hue of crimson and orange, purple and rose bleeding into one another, it seems as though one is staring at heaven itself.

Only small eco-tourism operations run out of this rustic town along the bay and thus the few tourists who come here to see the whales are treated to one of the most majestic panoramas on earth. The local whale-watching operation adheres to strict rules that make sure the whales are not disturbed and tourists are only taken out for a few hours each day.

Once known as “devil fish,” because they would attack the small whaling skiffs that were sent to hunt them, Pacific gray whales were driven to near extinction in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries but their numbers have rebounded since the hunt was banned in 1947. They retained their fearsome reputation, however, until 1972 when a local fisherman discovered that a giant whale that had approached him seemed consumed not by a desire to hurt him, but rather by a curiosity about this strange ungainly creature that had invaded her world. As he later recounted, “I don’t know what finally compelled me to reach out my hand. The moment I touched the whale for the first time, I felt something incredible. I lost my fear. I was amazed. It was like breaking through some kind of invisible wall. And I kept touching. That moment I compare with when my first child was born.” From that moment on, the nickname of these gentle giants changed and they are now known as the “friendly whale.”

In our modern, industrialized world we are all too often separated from a sense of belonging to nature. While there are many natural experiences that will humble you, nothing will prepare you for that first moment when you touch a giant whale and gaze into the eyes of her calf. Few experiences in life can ever match the deep feeling of honor at being allowed to share in the mother’s joy and pride in her newborn; the experience will leave you speechless.

As we bustle about our daily lives, which seem to get increasingly busy as we enter our fourth decade, we may forget that we are a part of this planet. Thus it is easy to watch the daily onslaught of bad news about our environment with a certain degree of detachment. From global warming and collapsing ecosystems to pollution and plummeting bio-diversity, we face mounting crises that threaten life as we know it. And yet the power to change rests in the hands of ordinary people willing to demand change of themselves, their habits, and the priorities of their politicians.

Being humbled at the awesome beauty and power of nature is a way to jolt us from our malaise. It can help give us a renewed sense of commitment to embrace the urgent responsibility we all have to fight for a planet in which all its magnificent creatures can continue their incredible journey with dignity and health.

As the only species on earth endowed with the power to cherish, protect, and enhance life, we are bound by a wonderful responsibility to do so. We must embrace this singular power with gratitude and humility. Sometimes being humbled by nature, for just a moment, can help remind us of that.

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What do the Arctic, a Thermostat and COP15 Have in Common?
By Philippe Cousteau, Jr.

The year was 1972 and my father Philippe Cousteau Sr. was filming another episode of the famed series The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. This particular installment, A Smile of the Walrus, chronicled the story of a changing Arctic ecosystem and the struggle of the various creatures such as the walrus to adapt. But 37 years ago, the changes being investigated by my father and grandfather were of a very different sort than those we struggle with today. At that time, the Inuit people were trading their dogsleds for snowmobiles, and their spears for rifles. The questions being asked were about the sustainability of a species in the face of man’s technological advancements. Today, those advancements have given way to a whole new arsenal of problems that threaten not only the Arctic and its indigenous species, but the entire planet and humanity as we know it.

The Arctic is among the least understood places on the planet; however, we do know that its landscape is changing and evolving as quickly as cell phones and the Internet. You have probably heard or said at some point, “I could not live without my cell phone.” Well, the world cannot live without the Arctic; it affects every living thing on Earth and acts as a virtual thermostat, reflecting sunlight and cooling the planet.

Now imagine, for a moment, if you lost control of the thermostat in your home or office; you would be pretty uncomfortable, right? Thankfully, most of us are fortunate enough to resolve this with a phone call or two (or three, depending on your maintenance guy). The Arctic isn’t so lucky. It’s warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, causing seasonal ice to melt at an astounding rate. According to NASA, since 1979, the average decline of sea ice per decade is almost 10 percent.

You’re probably asking, “what does this have to do with me?” Well, if we continue pumping carbon pollution into the atmosphere, which is causing the sea ice to melt at the current rate, here are just some of the consequences (in the Arctic and in your backyard):

•Further decline of public health. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; from 1980-1994, the prevalence of asthma increased 75% in the US population, amongst children under the age of five it increased more than 160%. Contributing factors include poor air quality and pollution. In fact, the fastest growing school clubs in Atlanta are asthma clubs. I have met mothers who struggle to keep their jobs because of their children’s constant visits to the hospital, many of whom are uninsured; we all know how costly this is to our healthcare system. In my opinion, this is unacceptable and unnecessary collateral damage of our environmental neglect;

•Droughts and dwindling water supply. As the ice melts, the resulting salinity and temperature changes in the ocean will continue to cause shifting ocean currents and thus more severe and frequent climate disruptions from storms to drought, the kinds of droughts that are causing people to fight over dwindling water supplies from Darfur to the Middle East;

•Loss of jobs and food sources. The carbon output that melts the ice in the Arctic also causes ocean acidification, which results from the ocean absorbing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (the same carbon dioxide that is the primary cause of global warming, hence the nickname ‘the other carbon problem’). Often referred to as osteoporosis of the ocean, higher acidity prevents shell building creatures such as lobster, oyster, crab, shrimp, and coral from extracting the calcium carbonate from the water that they need to build their shells and are thus unable to survive. This will cause ocean eco-systems to collapse with disastrous consequences for not only the multi trillion dollar fisheries business, but also depriving the more than one billion people who rely on seafood as their only source of protein.

The Arctic is one of many issues that elected officials and policymakers are currently discussing in Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of the United Nations’ (UN’s) climate change summit. From December 7-18, representatives from countries around the world are debating ways to build a cleaner and more livable world than the one we live in today.

Whether you’re on the ground in Copenhagen or not, you can affect the outcome by signing the UN Climate Petition and becoming a citizen of Hopenhagen (http://www.hopenhagen.org/home/showform). Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning. The hope that we can build a better future for our planet and a more sustainable way of life. It is the hope that we can create a global community that will lead our leaders into making the right decisions and fulfill the promise that by solving our environmental crisis, we can solve our economic crisis at the same time.

It’s time that we stop debating the science as Earth grows sicker and our welfare is put into jeopardy. I’m all for debate and discussion, but we can do this and implement solutions simultaneously. Hopenhagen is a quick and easy first step, but we must also individually and collectively consider the consequences of our behavior; from driving gas-guzzling SUV’s that emit more CO? than any car should, to demanding that our elected officials institute the radical legislation that we need to combat this crisis.

My grandfather opened the first chapter of his story, A Smile of the Walrus, with an old nursery rhyme, “Did you ever see a walrus smile all these many years? Why yes I’ve seen a walrus smile, but it was hidden by his tears.” As we open this new chapter in the battle against climate change, I fear that if we do not take action, then the smiles of our children, like the walrus, will be hidden by the tears they shed as they pay the consequences of our inaction, our apathy and our greed.

Philippe Cousteau will be interview by CBC at 10:30 E.T. December 12, 2009. Tune in!

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By all accounts, a week that starts with a speech from President Obama and ends with a speech by President Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; is filled in between by three and a half days of meetings with world leaders, and inspiring people who are fighting to defeat all the most serious social and environmental problems facing our planet is a good week. Add to that launching a program whose press release headline reads… Co-Founder & CEO Philippe Cousteau Joined by President Bill Clinton and Grammy Award Winner Usher Raymond IV to Announce Unprecedented Service Learning Program Reaching Millions of U.S. Middle and High School Student (full press release here http://is.gd/3JtEc) and you have all the makings of a week that will go down a one of the most impactful of my life. It is over now, but will define the course of EarthEcho and thus my life, for the foreseeable future.

The Clinton Global Initiative is in its fifth year and was founded by President Clinton to get things done. Unlike other conferences where all you get is talk talk talk, the purpose of CGI is to bring organizations that work to tackle all the major issues from climate, hunger, health and poverty reduction together with the foundations and organizations who are ready and able to provide the resources to make it happen. Politics aside, President Clinton has achieved more in his post White House life than any other president in the last 50 years…and any intelligent human has to appreciate that.

As for our project The Water Planet Challenge, we are very excited about launching a program that will revolutionize the environmental youth service movement and mobilize an army of young people to solve these problems. When Vice President Al Gore accepted the academy award for An Inconvenient Truth, he said (and I paraphrase) we know what the solutions are we just lack the will to implement them. I believe that there are millions of youth in this world that have the will to implement them; they just lack the tools and knowledge to do it. By focusing our distribution through a network like Discovery Education that immediately puts us into over 60% of the middle and high schools in this country coupled with partnerships with all the best youth service orgs as well as promotion through Planet Green, we are going to give those millions of youth access to the tools and knowledge they need and take a great leap forward towards making this world a better place. My grandfather believed that youth could solve the problems facing our world and so do I; EarthEcho’s Water Planet Challenge will give them the power to do it.

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Okay, first visit this website to watch a PSA featuring yours truly… http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/…done? Nice piece isn’t it?
Well, as you can see it is all about two big scary words that are finally starting to get the universal attention they deserve…CLIMATE CHANGE!!! While some stalwart (delusional) individuals still hold out and claim it is a big fantasy, most are now willing to accept that, without drastic action, we face a disaster greater than any we could have imagined; one that is already threatening the stability and sanctity of life on this planet. This December the United Nations will be holding what they are referring to as the COP15 which stands for - the fifteenth Conference of the Parties under the United Nations’ Climate Change Convention. From the 7th of December to 18th December 2009, world leaders will gather in one place to debate this issue. If they have the courage…they will also act.
Of course, I have rarely met a politician who acts in a vacuum and I believe that if anything meaningful is to come out of this conference it is up to us…the people…who must demand it and make it so. That is why I agreed to be a featured voice for the United Nations Environment Program’s new campaign Seal the Deal 2009. I was fortunate to be part of a public service campaign video (watch it here, http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/ it is really well done) that is asking people to sign the Climate Petition online. Please do so. While I am the first to admit that petitions are not the only answer, they can send a strong message that people do care. So, while there are lots of things we should all be doing to help mitigate climate change everyday this is a really easy one. So go on…make your voice heard…and help us to make Copenhagen the success that we all deserve.

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This summer, my sister Alexandra and I are the co-hosts of Planet Green’s special television and on-line programming initiative, Blue August, an event that shines a spotlight on the critical role the oceans and water play in the health of our planet. Starting August 3, when you tune into Planet Green or go to PlanetGreen.com/blueaugust people will find incredible programming – including amazing documentaries — and take action resources and information to help get inspired and involved in the future of our oceans and waterways.

As an example of its genuine commitment, Planet Green has also engaged its partners and renowned environmental advocacy and conservation organizations the Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to bring resources and information to this special month-long event.

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EarthEcho International is looking for amazing young people (ages 13-25) helping our environment and saving our planet one action at a time. Tell EarthEcho International your story in a short 30-60 second video that shows youth(you) applying their ideas and energy to learn about, preserve, and conserve our environment. These inspiring videos will be collected for an online documentary project that will motivate others and “echo your message.” If you are an EchoRockstar or know an EchoRockstar, please contact Kenzie McDonald at Kenzie@earthecho.org. See Kenzie talk about her high school project at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utdcQctDD_E.
Ideas for your video:
– Set up like a TV News Flash
– Photo Montage with Voice Over
– Straight Talk (see Kenzie’s example)
– Music and Action
Your Ideas — Your Story!

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Wow, well I have to say that I am very honored that Bob Woodruff would do the piece he did for ABC/Planet Green. He was such an amazing guy to work with, so talented and down to earth. My thanks to all of you who support our work. We have updated the website with new information about EarthEcho and our great projects. We hope to have a link to the whole piece which aired on Planet Green soon.

Cheers

P

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Wow…if you haven’t visited my sister’s website it is high time. I have been traveling for the last few weeks and had limited internet access. When I got home last night I logged on to see some pretty fantastic videos and great blogs. From Botswana to India and beyond (currently she is in Jerusalem) my sister’s expeditions are pretty fantastic. I think my favorite video is Kanpur: Ganges Under Threat http://www.alexandracousteau.com/videos, I have never been to India before but am familiar with the Ganges River and how important it is to the culture of the Hindu people. When you think in Kanpur that 20 million litres or just over 5 million gallons of tannery waste as well as human waste get dumped into the river each day!!

When one thinks of the pollution and devastation that a river many people call the ‘Mother Ganges’ is suffering from; it is a poignant reminder of the link between human culture and the environment.

These are important stories and I urge you all to watch them.

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