MY BLUE Q&A

Introduction

Anne explains why she chose to become a BLUE Ambassador:

AQ © Anne Quemere

Q1. How does your sport connect you to the natural environment and how does that environment continually motivate and inspire you?

A1. Whether I cross an ocean by row boat or by kite boat, I never use any other form of propulsion other than my own strength and the strength of the wind and currents.  Therefore, I don't cause any damage to the environment around me during my adventures.

Feeling the power of the wind in my kite is really something amazing.  Kite propulsion is a relatively new method of movement which is improving everyday and it has the potential to be used in other areas.  This is a great inspiration to me and motivates me to keep going throughout my voyage.

Q2. What has your sport and experiences through it, taught you about your natural environment?

A2. Every time I launch off on a ocean voyage, I know I will be far away from dry land for a long period of time.  I know I have to count on nature to keep me going, whether it is the wind, the currents, the sun or the sea water.  Solar panels give me electricity thanks to the sun,  A watermaker produces drinking water thanks to the sea water, my kites lead me all the way from one side of the ocean to the other thanks to the winds and the currents... It couldn't be different for me and I know that each time I come close to the line in my voyages, I manage to succeed and reach the other side because the natural environment help me to do so and to stay safe.

Q3. A healthy environment is necessary for healthy sports.  Through participating in your sport have you encountered anything that's truly shocked you about the impact human activity is having on the natural environment?

A3. When I rowed across the Atlantic Ocean in 2004, I entered the Gulf Stream during the trip and was shocked to see huge quantities of trash pulled together due to the current.  It really looked like I was in a garbage dump and yet only a few hours before, I had been watching a beautiful sunrise surrounded by hundreds of dolphins swimming along the side of my boat.  What a contrast!

Q4. If you could motivate people (on a local, national or international level) on one particular environmental issue, what would it be?

A4. Living in Brittany (France), I enjoy walking along the beach, training with my kite buggy or even sailing along the coast.  During these times of relaxation, I see all the garbage collecting on our beautiful beaches.  I know that this will not change overnight but if we start teaching people from a young age at school about the environmental issues facing our planet, our children and their families will be encouraged to change their behaviour and protect our coastlines and beaches.

Q5. What have you changed in your day to day living behaviour and choices including how you go about your sport, that makes a positive difference?

A5. I haven't change many of my day to day behaviours because I was taught from a young age about environmental issues and most of my lifestyle adopts these principals.  My grandma created an association in the 70's to protect the coast and shorelines from property developers and my father as a sailor always told us how to enjoy sailing and to be respectful of the ocean and the beauty of nature, if we wanted the next generation to enjoy it in the same way we had.  So, the environmental issues everybody talks about today is something that I have lived all my life so far.

Q6. Why did you get involved with The BLUE Climate and Oceans Project?

A6. Because I wanted to communicate my love for the ocean environment to as many people as possible in a bid to try and encourage more to adopt simple changes to their lifestyle that will help to make a difference in protecting these environments for our younger generation.

Q7.  What one piece of advice would you offer to get people, specifically young people, thinking proactively about a BLUE future?  What actions could they take to achieve this?

A7. I don't think actions need to be huge to begin with.  It is really about making small changes that can be adopted easily to daily life for example, take a shower instead of a bath, turn electrical items off at the plug and don't leave them in standby etc.

Ignorance is what always keeps us in the dark, so if we ever want to be truly BLUE, it is a matter of learning and sharing experiences, images, films, accounts etc.  There is no need to make people feel guilty about the damage that has already been done but it is more about trying to be optimistic about what the future could hold if we adopt a BLUE approach.