Posted on 12/10/2004 7:45:12 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Actor and ocean advocate Ted Danson toured the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Thursday afternoon, where he was particularly taken with the great white shark and jellyfish exhibits.
He also was here to support the work of Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, who last month was named recipient of his 2004 Ocean Hero award from Oceana, an international ocean advocacy group.
"She's one of my heroes," Danson said.
Later Thursday evening, Danson would deliver a "state of the ocean address" to some 500 international aquarium experts gathered in Monterey for a weeklong conference.
Danson said his speech would promote the work of Oceana and would cover worldwide fishing practices, ocean pollution and cruise ships' effect on the ocean environment.
"I'd like aquariums to move from pure science to becoming a bit of an advocate," he said Thursday afternoon.
As founding president of American Oceans Campaign, which two years ago merged with Oceana, Danson has a lengthy resume of ocean causes. He has spoken on behalf of the ocean environment for more than 17 years.
He has a lengthy list of TV credits, including his well-known role as barkeep Sam Malone on "Cheers."
"'Cheers' was paying me way too much money," he said, and he wanted to use it for something worthwhile. He joined a local fight against Occidental Petroleum Corp., which was trying to place a large number of oil rigs just off Santa Monica beaches. Danson said he soon learned that ocean pollution is much more than just oil spills.
"The ocean is an ecosystem that starts in the mountains," he said. Runoff from farms, communities and industry close to the shorefront all contribute far more to ocean pollution than oil spills, he said.
Now a board member of Oceana, Danson has testified before a federal oceans commission and campaigned for a moratorium on bottom-trawling fishing practices.
Danson stressed that ocean advocates need to get involved in politics to make a real difference, citing national legislation introduced last spring by Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, that would prohibit cruise ship sewage discharges within 12 miles of U.S. shores.
Most importantly, Danson said, he wants people to stop taking the world's oceans for granted.
"There is the temptation to say 'It's huge, it's beautiful. What could possibly be wrong?"
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What is Oceana? • A nonprofit organization with more than 200,000 members worldwide • It campaigns to protect and restore the world's oceans • Its Web site describes ocean threats, current campaigns and proposed legislation • Contact: www.oceana.org
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Does that mean he will urge all of his liberal pals to keep their yachts out of the ocean?
Yeah, they forced it on him. Poor guy.
Any statement from a man who would date Whoopi is suspect. Ick.
If Bush gets elected he'll make the rape of oceans legal
I had no idea that we were running out of ocean.
Tell Ted to bite me!
After he has been with Whoopi? Yuck!
My bad. ..Ouch!
Well you know, if I didn't have a dirty mind...
BTTT!!!!!!!
If only.
And who speaks for the shark's prey? Or the whales? Why are there no "Save the plankton; kill the Whales" bumper stickers?
Dan, to borrow a phrase from one of your political heroes: "Shove it!"
"...he was particularly taken with the great white shark...[i]f only..."
Danson proved his environmental dedication a few years ago when speaking at a Save the Santa Monica Bay demonstration. He callously left the engine and air conditioning of his stretch limo running unattended for over two hours so "he didn't have to get into a hot car and wait for cool air".
Yeah....if only......
"He callously left the engine and air conditioning of his stretch limo running unattended for over two hours so "he didn't have to get into a hot car and wait for cool air".
Jeez, even I don't do things like that, and I'm a "Fork the Earth, Drill Everywhere" kind of guy.
By the way, what is that shark picture from?
Ted Danson tapping into big profit
"Cheers" star Ted Danson and actress wife Mary Steenburgen bought their Cape Cod style oceanfront Malibu home for $4 million just a couple of years ago.
Now, they're offering the property, which has 3,500 square feet, five bedrooms, sun deck and new kitchen, for $9.8 million. Danson, who reportedly likes to tap dance in his spare time, will be doing a jig if he gets his price.
The couple, who married in 1995, first rented the two-story house in August 2000 before purchasing it.
I found this on the internet, I'm sure Teds living on the beach doesn't pollute the ocean at all....lol
Dave Packard's doing back flips.
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