30 Heroes Fighting to Save Our Oceans

Alexandra Cousteau continues the family business in oceanic exploration and preservation. The granddaughter of famed explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau and daughter of explorer Philippe Cousteau, Alexandra is a senior adviser to the oceanic conservation organization Oceana. Her mission is to inspire people to protect the ocean and the human communities dependent on sources of freshwater.

Moviegoers might know Amber Valletta from her nearly 20 films that include “What Lies Beneath” and “Transporter II.” The Oklahoma native is also concerned about the high mercury content found in fish that people eat. Valletta became the official spokeswoman for Oceana’s Stop Seafood Contamination campaign, which seeks to stop mercury pollution at its source and persuade chlorine plants to move to mercury-free technology.

Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has leveraged his fame to create the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation that raises money for marine, wildlife, and conservation organizations. Through his foundation, DiCaprio has produced media projects that stress the urgency of environmental issues, including the web films “Water Planet” and “Global Warning.”

We know him as the troubadour of the laid-back beach lifestyle. However, Jimmy Buffett is quite passionate about the ocean and its marine life. Buffett is involved with the Save the Manatee Club, which has been protecting the endangered aquatic mammal since 1981. He has recorded television and radio announcements to raise awareness about manatees.

Exploration, education, and inspiration are the goals of the Ocean Futures Society, founded in 1990 by Jean-Michel Cousteau. The son of the renowned Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel is a second-generation conservationist who works tirelessly to protect the sea environment. He has made his mark in dozens of ways, such as advocating for the Paris Climate Agreement, writing an open letter to the prime minister of Japan about unethical treatment of whales, and becoming the first person to represent the environment in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002.