Shining World Compassion Award Recipients: Ocean Futures Society and the Whale Sanctuary Project, Part 1 of 2

On today’s show, we highlight Ocean Futures Society, a non-profit organization founded in 1999 by acclaimed ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau. Based in California, United States, the non-profit carries on the mission of exploring the global oceans and sharing with people around the world the significant connection between the quality of the ocean and the quality of our lives. In regard to the benevolent act of helping the orcas, Jean-Michel explained to us the traits of these sophisticated ocean creatures, which make them really special. “When you look at the marine mammals, and particularly the dolphins, you find out that at the top of many different species, there is one species which is called the Orca. They not only are warm blooded, they have families. They speak different languages just like we do.”

In addition, he pointed out the three main current issues of the global oceans caused by human activities. “We are using for creation of energy products, which are now affecting the temperature, the emission of CO2 and ultimately, the ocean is affected by water temperature, by the acidification, and the energy increases the storms and the hurricanes and makes them stronger than they used to be.”

“We need to stop using the ocean as a garbage can. What about chemicals, heavy metals, which are going into little rivers or big rivers, giant rivers, right into the ocean. So there are opportunities today to create industries that capture all these waters before it goes into the ocean, not only to get plastic, which we are very sensitive about because it's our primary sense. But what about what we don't see, oil, all these chemicals and heavy metals, we need to capture them and make them reused.”

Touched by their noble efforts in helping the orcas and beluga whales go back to their ocean home, Supreme Master Ching Hai “lovingly offered the Ocean Futures Society the Shining World Compassion Award, plus ‘a humble contribution of US$10,000’ for their benevolent endeavor.”