Sept. 15 marked the 45th Canadian environmental activists' voyage to Amchitka Island where in 1971, the U.S. planned to test a large-scale nuclear weapon. The group's goal was to “sail a boat up there and confront the bomb.”
Marie Bohlen had casually suggested the idea one morning over coffee with friends – a group of Quakers, pacifists, ecologists, journalists and hippies. The idea kept rolling and led to fundraisers. The group sold 25-cent buttons and even held a rock concert with over 16,000 people in the Vancouver Pacific Coliseum. Overall, they raised $23,000 and purchased a ship. And thus, Greenpeace was born.
Unfortunately, the campaign was a disaster. The ship departed on Sept. 15, 1971 and was intercepted by the U.S. Navy before it even reached Amchitka.
Also, it didn't help that the crew was very divided until Bob Hunter became the leader. However, the media coverage of the interrupted voyage still managed to attract some public interest and brought awareness to Greenpeace's cause.
The early group of activists continued with their campaigns despite their bitter division. Members Paul Watson and Bob Hunter became extremely divided over campaign tactics and involvement. Their biggest controversy erupted over a campaign to end the Arctic Seal hunting. Hunter wanted to peacefully negotiate with the townspeople who killed young seals for their fur, while Watson was interested in a more active approach. It eventually led the two to take a stand together on fragile ice in front of an oncoming ship coming to pick up pelts. The pair made a statement by literally putting their lives on the line together.
Watson eventually broke away from Greenpeace and found his own group, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, in 1997. He also became a big Greenpeace critic and claims their approach to activism is too passive.
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Greenpeace, check out the Netflix documentary, “How To Change The World.”
“If we ignore [the] laws of ecology we will continue to be guilty of crimes against the earth. We will not be judged by men for these crimes, but with a justice meted out by the earth itself. The destruction of the earth will lead, inevitably, to the destruction of ourselves.” – Bob Hunter
Today, Greenpeace is a worldwide symbol of environmental protection with three main goals, to:
Investigate:We believe in the public’s right to know about what’s happening to our planet. Our investigations expose environmental crimes and the people, companies and governments that need to be held responsible.
Connect: Each one of us can make small changes in our lives, but together we can change the world. Greenpeace connects people from all over the globe. We bring together diverse perspectives and help communities and individuals to come together.
Act: We have the courage to take action and stand up for our beliefs. We work together to stop the destruction of the environment using peaceful direct action and creative communication. We don’t just identify problems, we create solutions.
Greenpeace has come a long way since their Amchitka campaign, and they survived the early tension within the group. Now, they have become a leading worldwide environmental organization. Check out their blog or website to learn about current issues they are tackling, and let’s celebrate the success of this "small group of committed citizens" on Greenpeace’s 45th anniversary.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world: Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
