As we navigate uncharted waters during the COVID-19 crisis, it is important to all of us at the Monterey County CVB to continue to bring you virtual inspiration. You may or may not know that Monterey County became the birthplace of TED Talks due to its inspirational setting when the Monterey Conference Center hosted the first TED Talk back in 1984.
Another inspiration that has brought thousands of people to Monterey County for years is the beloved whale. Whales can be spotted in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary year-round. Take a look at these three TED Talks to learn how these giant marine mammals have inspired others.
Whales to Windmills: Inventions Inspired by the Sea
There is no doubt that nature inspires. Monterey County is a great example of that. In this TED Talk, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Innovation Director of Guest Experience, Mike Chamberlain, presents stories of inventions inspired by animals. Many of the stories are of ocean animals whose design was used to inspire inventions that play a role in reducing carbon pollution, helping to create clean energy. Dive deep into this video and let nature inspire you, like it did for these inventors.
Great Whales
The protection of whales is dear to Monterey County. Listen to Michael Fischbach share his story of how saving a whale named Valentina from fishing lines changed his and his family’s life forever. Valentina soon became the inspiration behind him founding The Great Whale Conservancy that allows him to speak and work on behalf of these magnificent creatures in order to make sure they survive the threats they face today.
The Lost Culture of Whales
In Monterey County we fully appreciate whale culture. Shane Gero, assistant professor in the Marine Bioacoustics Lab at Aarhus University, founded The Dominica Sperm Whale Project which has been tracking over 20 families of sperm whales in the Caribbean Sea since 2005. In this presentation he reveal the powerful similarities between our lives and those of whales, along with how their families and cultures are at risk, how our lives impact theirs, along with why preserving cultural diversity is important in our societies and the ecosystem
Hopefully you have gained some new found inspiration and admiration for whales. When it’s time to welcome you back into our inspiring destination, be sure to reach out to our team to help you plan a group whale watching excursion that could inspire and in turn, transform attendees for years to come. Take this “whale” of inspiration to carry you through these tough times, and let Monterey County’s history of innovation inspire future attendees when the time comes.
