Photograph courtesy Alexandra Cousteau
Name: Alexandra Cousteau
Place of Birth: California
Current City: Washington, D.C.
Occupation: Explorer and Global Water Advocate
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I first went on expedition with my family when I was four months old. I have always wanted to continue in the tradition of exploration and travel the world investigating water issues.
How did you get started in your field of work?
I very much inherited a passion for the natural world from my family that has grown into a desire to engage people in conversation about the conservation of our water resources for a healthy planet and productive societies.
What inspires you to dedicate your life to freshwater?
Water issues touch every aspect of life on our planet and of our societies. The issues we face are challenging and working towards solutions is both urgent and fascinating.
What’s a normal day like for you?
Every day is different. Some days I'm on the water, or climbing a mountain, and others I'm in an airport or board room. The sheer diversity of what I do is part of what I find so thrilling.
If you could have people do one thing to help save freshwater, what would it be?
Protecting freshwater has a lot to do with both where and how you live. Identify your local watershed and find out what threatens it and how you can help protect it.
What are your other passions?
Horseback riding, scuba diving, and rowing.
What do you do in your free time?
If there is anything that I've learned from starting my non-profit, Blue Legacy International, it is that having your own business has a way of eating up all your free time.
Freshwater Videos
More About Freshwater
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Blue Legacy
Blue Legacy is an initiative started in 2008 by Alexandra Cousteau to engage individuals around the world through telling the story of our water planet.
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Summit on the Summit
A team of actors, musicians, and National Geographic explorers—Jimmy Chin and Alexandra Cousteau—set out to climb Africa’s tallest peak to raise awareness about the global clean water crisis.
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Alexandra Cousteau, Social Environmental Advocate
Cousteau's latest initiative, Blue Legacy, was created to tell the story of our Water Planet to the world, to inspire people to take meaningful action on critical water issues.
In the Field
Environment Photos
Why Care About Water?
The National Geographic Society’s freshwater initiative is a multiyear global effort to inspire and empower individuals and communities to conserve freshwater and the extraordinary diversity of life that rivers, lakes, and wetlands sustain.
Freshwater Advocates
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Sandra Postel
Sandra is a leading authority on international freshwater issues and is spearheading our global freshwater initiative.
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Shannon Switzer
Shannon Switzer is an inspring young photographer and conservationist.
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Zeb Hogan
Zeb travels to the most endangered freshwater ecosystems striving to save critically endangered fish.
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Water Currents, by Sandra Postel and Others
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Bottled Water is Booming
Despite environmental impacts, Americans are buying more bottled water than ever.
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Salt Threatens World's Largest Mangrove Forest
Agriculture and development imperil the Sundarbans in South Asia.
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Protecting Rivers From Dams
New solutions are needed for ecosystems and livlihoods.
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The World's Water
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Why Should You Care?
Learn more about the world's water challenge with photos, stories, videos, and more.
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Visualizing Our Water Footprint
You might be surprised to see how the daily choices you make affect critical watersheds around the world.
