Cousteau Challenge

Join the month-long Cousteau Challenge to track and reduce plastic use, build sustainable habits, and protect our oceans for future generations.

Take Action for Our Oceans and Join the Cousteau Challenge This World Oceans Month!

As World Oceans Month begins, it is a great time to reflect on our impact on the oceans and the many ways every single one can take steps toward creating a more sustainable future for all! 

The Cousteau Challenge is a month-long challenge aimed at raising awareness about our planet’s plastic problem while empowering individuals to make impactful changes in their daily lives. By participating in the Cousteau Challenge, you are committing to tracking and reducing your disposable plastic consumption while increasing your mindfulness of the impact your everyday choices can have on our ocean and the environment.

How to Accept the Cousteau Challenge!

Track Your Disposable Plastic Use 🌍

Monitor your disposable plastic consumption throughout the month using our weekly Disposable Plastic Tracker. By keeping a record of the plastic items you use, you’ll gain valuable insight into your habits and identify opportunities to make more sustainable choices. Small changes can lead to a big impact—let’s start tracking!
1

Raise Awareness & Shift Habits 🔄

Understanding your plastic use is the first step toward reducing it. By tracking your consumption, you'll become more conscious of how disposable plastics sneak into daily life. Use this awareness to make ocean-friendly choices, swapping out single-use plastics for more sustainable alternatives.
2

Swap & Reduce with Sustainable Alternatives ♻️

Replace commonly documented disposable plastic items—such as straws, utensils, bags, and bottles—with eco-friendly, reusable options. Whether it’s a stainless-steel water bottle, a cloth grocery bag, or compostable utensils, each small switch helps protect marine life and reduces plastic waste in our oceans.
3

See Your Impact & Continue the Journey 🌊

At the end of the month, review your Cousteau Challenge Results to measure your progress. Celebrate the difference you've made and commit to long-term ocean mindfulness by integrating sustainable practices into your daily routine. The ocean—and future generations—will thank you!
4

Why Take the Cousteau Challenge?

Plastic pollution has become one of the most significant threats to our oceans, planet, and marine species. This threat has reached alarming levels, contaminating even the most remote and pristine parts of our planet. An estimated over 8.5 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year, harming our planet, wildlife, and even human health.

By taking the Cousteau Challenge this World Oceans Month, you will build more sustainable habits by increasing your awareness of your individual impact on our planet and finding sustainable alternatives to your most commonly used disposable plastic items! See firsthand how everyday choices can add up and lead to large-scale positive change when done collectively.

Thank you for joining the Cousteau Society on this ocean-mindfulness journey to celebrate World Oceans Month!

Jacques Cousteau wearing his iconic red hat, symbolizing ocean exploration and the legacy of The Cousteau Society, featured on the homepage.

1973

The Cousteau Society Founded

Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau establishes the Cousteau Society to protect the ocean and its biodiversity, laying the foundation for global marine conservation.

1977

Mediterranean Sea Pollution Survey

Aboard Calypso, Captain Cousteau and his team visit 13 nations to conduct a pioneering survey of pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, raising awareness about the need for environmental action.

1985

Round-the-World Expedition

Captain Cousteau launches a monumental round-the-world expedition aboard Calypso and Alcyone, visiting locations such as Haiti, Cuba, Cape Horn, the Sea of Cortez, French Polynesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and more, to document and explore diverse marine environments.

1991

Rights of Future Generations

The Cousteau Society begins a global petition urging the United Nations to adopt a Bill of Rights for Future Generations, advocating for every child’s right to inherit an uncontaminated planet.

1994

UNESCO-Cousteau Ecotechnie Program

In collaboration with UNESCO, Captain Cousteau launches the Ecotechnie initiative to promote interdisciplinary education and sustainable solutions for environmental challenges.

2009

Cousteau Divers Established

Pierre-Yves Cousteau, son of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, creates Cousteau Divers, a nonprofit focused on citizen science and marine conservation. This initiative empowers divers to contribute real-time data on marine ecosystems to aid global research.

2019

Mission Red Sea

Following years of research in Sudan’s Red Sea by the Cousteau Society, two reports were published as part of Mission Red Sea—a comprehensive initiative focused on protecting marine habitats, advancing shark and ray research, and empowering local communities—detailing critical findings and conservation strategies.

2020

Vaquita Conservation Efforts

The Cousteau Society supports groundbreaking research and acoustic monitoring to save the critically endangered vaquita, in collaboration with Oceanides Conservación and Mexican researchers.

2023

The Remora Project Pilot Phase

The first 50 Remora sensors are distributed to divers and dive centers worldwide, revolutionizing coastal ocean temperature data collection.

Know

Know

Explore the Cousteau Society's mission to protect and celebrate the wonders of our oceans while continuing Captain Jacques Cousteau's extraordinary legacy.

Love

Love

Reconnect with Jacques Cousteau’s inspiring legacy through breathtaking visuals, iconic marine species, and timeless wisdom that inspired generations to protect the underwater world.

Protect

Protect

Discover how the Cousteau Society protects our oceans and marine life, and learn how you can join us in ensuring a thriving future for our Water Planet.

Inventions 🤿

Discover groundbreaking inventions that revolutionized ocean exploration. From the Aqua-Lung to underwater cameras and habitats, Jacques Cousteau’s innovations opened new frontiers in marine research and conservation. Learn how these technologies continue to inspire explorers and protect our oceans today.

Ships and Vessels 🚢

Embark on a journey aboard Jacques Cousteau’s legendary vessels. From the iconic Calypso to the groundbreaking Alcyone, these ships were at the heart of Cousteau’s explorations, uncovering the ocean’s mysteries and advancing marine science. Discover the stories behind these floating laboratories and their role in ocean conservation history.

Subscribe

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