Film Makes Bush an Environmentalist!

The colorful Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Source: Tom Ordway, Ocean Futures Society)

President George W. Bush got Gore-ish yesterday when he announced his decision to confer national monument status on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This remote group of islands and reefs hosts precious natural resources, including 7,000 species of marine and terrestrial life.

It was apparent from Bush's speech that a documentary film, "Voyage to Kure" by Jean-Michel Cousteau (and shot by Hawaii's own Paul Atkins), had greatly influenced his decision: "I want to thank Jean-Michel Cousteau for joining us....He's made a really important movie that I hope people will watch about the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. I think the American people will understand better about why I made the decision I made when they see the movie that Jean-Michel has produced."

See, film is not all frivolity and flightiness!

>> Text of President's monument statement [Hnl Advertiser, 6/15/06]
>> Bush to create huge isle monument [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/15/06]
>> Bush establishes Northwestern Islands monument [Hnl Advertiser, 6/15/06]
>> President Bush Announces World’s Largest Marine Sanctuary [Outside Online, 6/15/06]
>> Ocean adventure [Hnl Advertiser, 4/3/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Film as Nourishment
>> Respecting Host Cultures While Filming
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> Amateur Documentarian Highlights Homeless Problem