What is it like to be an eco-luxury expert and on-air correspondent who travels the world looking for stories to share?
That roughly describes the life of Ashlan Gorse Cousteau.
Journalist, adventurer, and consummate advocate, Cousteau travels the world searching for stories to inspire and entertain. Dived with great white sharks off the coast of Mexico. He went tiger hunting in the jungles of Nepal and ran with caribou in the Arctic.
She has ventured to the Marshall Islands with her husband Philippe, grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau. Philippe is an Emmy-nominated television host, author, speaker, and social entrepreneur who is now a key player in the environmental movement.
Ashlan and Philippe met at an eco conference, enjoyed an enchanted romance and, in 2014, a fairytale wedding in a spectacular French castle. She married a dynasty that began to make its mark with Jacques Cousteau’s groundbreaking research and underwater television specials.
“It is a great honor to be part of the Cousteau family. Phillip’s grandfather invented scuba diving. He made underwater cameras and figured out how to put those cameras underwater. Everyone enjoyed those classic Cousteau movies on television. They were seeing family, ”Ashlan tells About.com.
Her husband has also contributed to the family legacy with his own work.
As executive producer and host of the television series »Awesome Planet«, distributed on Fox and Hulu, Philippe was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for «Best Host». Philippe is also the host of the hit series »The Aquatic World of Philippe Cousteau» on GreatBigStory.com. The series reached the milestone of 10 million views in the first season. The second season was released in the fall of 2016. Serving as a CNN special correspondent, he has also hosted several award-winning shows, including “Going Green” and “Expedition Sumatra.”
Philippe is a successful author too. His book “Follow the Moon Home” was released in April 2016. He has also co-authored two award-winning books, “Going Blue” and “Make a Splash.” They are both multiple award winners, including a 2011 Teachers’ Choice Family Award from Learning Magazine, a Nautilus Gold Award, and a 2010 ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Gold Award.
Philippe’s conservation efforts are focused on solving global social and environmental problems. In 2004 he founded EarthEcho International, a leading environmental education organization dedicated to inspiring young people to act now for a sustainable planet. In business for over ten years, EarthEcho has established itself as a leading youth environmental education organization.
Ashlan is now joining her husband’s efforts and carving out a different niche for herself.
She was part of an expedition that filmed, tagged, and studied gray reef sharks that managed to survive and thrive in the world’s largest nuclear testing grounds. The resulting documentary, “Nuclear Sharks” for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, premiered as the number one cable show.
In 2015, she and Philippe led a three-part expedition series with Takepart.com called “Treasures of the Terai.” The program documented a search for endangered Indian tigers and one-horned rhinos in Nepal. Philippe and Ashlan also hosted the Month for Ocean in June 2016 for Pivot Television.
Ashlan also joined Philippe as a member of EarthEcho International’s Into the Dead Zone team, an initiative designed to bring science to life for 21st century students.
Ashlan’s efforts have already brought her into the arena of public service. Former Vice President Al Gore appointed her to the opening presentation of his international live broadcast of Climate Reality, 24. She has been a speaker at a variety of events including the annual Soceity of Environmental Journalists conference, the State Department Our Oceans conference and the United Nations Convention on Migratory Species in Quito, Ecuador. She is an avid advocate for animal welfare and pet adoptions. And she also hosted many events for the Starlight Children’s Foundation; Susan G.
Komen; human society and inspiration awards. Additionally, Ashlan sits on the Board of the Environmental Media Association.
Interestingly, she came to the ambient arena from an entertainment setting. For more than a decade, Ashlan worked for the highest rated entertainment shows; on Entertainment Tonight as a special correspondent and for seven years as a correspondent and host for E! News. She was also the main presenter on E! News Now, reaching millions of digital viewers daily. As a correspondent, he covered everything from breaking news and celebrity exclusives to award shows and movie premieres.
Ashlan is an Eco-Luxury Ambassador for .Luxury, a new and expanding online network of hundreds of luxury-oriented websites, each with a signature domain address ending in “luxury.” The .luxury community is designed to connect brands and consumers interested in luxury products, services and content. Ashlan’s global documentaries and environmental stories are available on the discover.luxury blog and website.
It’s another example of how Ashlan is creating a unique niche for herself in the environmental world. And the connection to Cousteau’s legacy is nothing short of impressive.
“What I feel like I can add to Cousteau’s legacy is to make things a little more fun, bring it into the world of pop culture and make it great,” he said.
Another great motivation is providing inspiration for girls.
“The ‘Nuclear Sharks’ special at Shark Week was a 17-person boat. Only me and the producer were women. So we had these salty sailors and that was very interesting. But it was about making sure that I could empower myself. I tagged sharks. I wanted to make sure I was in a science space where we don’t normally see women or minorities. And I also wanted to make it entertaining and fun, “said Cousteau.
She added, “I want to make sure there are healthy, smart, and interesting role models for young women to look up to. Not many people know that Philippe’s grandmother was the shepherdess of Cousteau’s famous ship, the Calypso, ”he says.
Ashlan participates in Philippe’s series for GreatBigStory.com about the strange and wonderful life found in the world’s oceans. It is an ironic tribute to The Life Aquatic and therefore to his own legacy. The result is a unique and entertaining version of real science.
“What Great Big Story exemplifies is the idea that we can make saving the planet great and serious science stories interesting. That is something we try to do in all the projects, ”Ashlan said.
“All the science and all the information that we provide in the three-minute videos is accurate. We just present it in a fun way, ”he added.
The reason they chose the cheerful format is simple.
“Some people will watch a serious two-hour documentary. But many of them won’t, ”Ashlan said.
Most of GreatBigStory’s viewers are millennials. It is a category to which Cousteau belongs. She was born in 1980.
“The audience really covers the whole gamut. It is geared for everyone. My parents look at it. It’s good for any age viewer, male or female, “he added.
The Cousteaus have also launched a new series in association with Takepart.com. It delves into the global poaching crisis. It highlights the current sad reality of the high black market demand for exotic animal trophies.
His love of adventure began at a young age.
“My family always took great vacations every year. We always left the country. Traveling is very important. However, we live in a time when half of us, Congress, don’t even have a passport, “he said.
Another bonus: she grew up a professed “water baby” in North Carolina.
“I was constantly in the water, and that helps me in my current life. When we were filming in the Marshall Islands, everyone else got pretty dizzy. We had to tie up in our bunks, ”he said.
With all the trips he takes, it’s especially important to Ashlan to have as little environmental impact as possible. One topic of particular interest is the notion of green travel for business. While there is an extensive list of luxury eco-friendly hotels and hotels, they have yet to cross over into the field of business.
She has advice for those interested in leaving less carbon footprint when traveling.
“If you are traveling on business and cannot choose a specific hotel, there are still a few things you can do. Do not request any cleaning services or keep the “Do Not Disturb” sign. You don’t need to change the sheets every day. You can reuse your towels. When the maids arrive, remember that many companies have not switched to non-toxic cleaning solutions. Another small thing. Plastic pollution is a problem. When traveling, keep a reusable bottle in your travel bag. At the airport, fill it with water after you have cleared security.
And it’s always a good idea to pack as light as possible, ”Ashlan said.
For those interested in a luxurious eco-lodge experience, Cousteau has some recommendations.
“Brando in Tahiti is all about ecological awareness and sustainability. The Kenoa Resort in Brazil is a complete hotel built with mud. It was built with local people and artisans. They made it so eco-friendly that they even built sinks out of old sacred tree trunks. And all the food is locally sourced and fresh. Another wonderful option is the Coppola Turtle Inn in Belize, ”Ashlan said.
But not everyone can afford to fly to the world’s most exotic eco-havens. The major hotel brands are doing their part for the environment, which is also commendable.
“Starwood’s Element brand is designed to go green from the ground up. That is always a great option when you travel. Starwood in general across the board is doing great things. They have a Go Green option where you can earn loyalty points if you choose not to receive the cleaning service. And Hilton is looking at the gray water, how to use it to water the lawn. We can all do our part with very little effort, ”Ashlan said.
