DANA POINT, CALIF.—Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment (AOTE) program will launch at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel on Earth Day, April 22, 2010. AOTE includes an environmental and cultural education center with excursions led by expert naturalists.
“The launch of AOTE demonstrates our strong commitment to our community and our planet,” said general manager Bruce Brainerd. “The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel will be the first luxury resort in the continental United States to offer a comprehensive program that provides guests the opportunity to become advocates of protecting and preserving the planet for future generations through social responsibility and stewardship.”
AOTE is designed to give guests of all ages the most fun and enriching experience possible in nature. This is achieved through excursions, games, multimedia presentations, discussions and activities. The natural wonders of Southern California make it a natural classroom and living laboratory where kids, families and adults can learn and grow during a fun, interactive activity.
Guests will develop a deep appreciation for the wonders of nature, an understanding of how coastal ecosystems (marine and terrestrial) function, the value of culture, why it is important to be environmentally aware and what individuals can do to help protect and preserve the planet. A fundamental theme running through the program is everything—land and sea, humans and nature, people and other people, and the past, present and future—is connected.
Different Activities Planned
Each day will be dedicated to different aspects of Southern California’s natural wonders—kelp beds, the intertidal zone, the sandy beach, terrestrial ecology, native culture, sustainable living and becoming an Ambassador of the Environment.
“We want the guest’s experience to continue even after they have departed the resort,” said Brainerd. “As an Ambassador, every participant will take a piece of their experience with them to share with others. All AOTE participants also become a member of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society and are encouraged to visit the Ambassadors of the Environment website for more information about his adventures. The website offers guidance for sustainable living and educational resources for Ambassadors and their families.”
According to Jean-Michel Cousteau, “We expect everyone, by learning more about our natural world and their places within it, to return to their communities as environmental stewards—ambassadors of the environment.”
AOTE is part of an agreement between The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., and renowned diplomat for the environment, Jean-Michel Cousteau and his Ocean Futures Society to develop Ambassadors of the Environment programs in select Ritz-Carlton locations worldwide. The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel’s program follows the successful launch of programs at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.
Go to the Ocean Futures Society and The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.
