Greenpeace Australia was founded in 1977. In 1998, the Australian and Pacific offices teamed up to become Greenpeace Australia Pacific, an environmental force for the region.

Internationally, Greenpeace began in Vancouver, Canada, in 1971, with a courageous group of conservationists protesting against nuclear testing.

In 1969, the US had set off a one-megaton nuclear bomb 1200 metres below the sea near Amchitka, an island off the west coast of Alaska. When a second test (five times the size) was announced, the concerned conservationists formed a group they called Greenpeace. They raised money and chartered a boat. They travelled to the nuclear testing site to bear witness and register their protest. In the new millennium, bearing witness to environmental abuse is at the heart of the Greenpeace mission. You can learn more about our history and founders in the about us section of this website.

I want to learn about the history of Greenpeace.

Visit the 'about us' section of our website for information on our founders, history and achievements.

For more information on our history, read Rex Wyler's article 'Waves of Compassion: The History of Greenpeace" from the Utne Reader.'

To learn more about the founders of Greenpeace, read this light-hearted transcript of a discussion between Jim Bohlen, Bob Hunter, Dorothy Stowe and Dorothy Metcalf.

The following books might also be of interest:

'Warriors of the Rainbow: A Chronicle of the Greenpeace Movement' by Bob Hunter
'Greenpeace III: Journey to the Bomb' by David McTaggart
'The Greenpeace Story' by John May and Michael Brown
Greenpeace Witness: Twenty-Five Years on the Environmental Front Line

How many financial supporters does Greenpeace have in Australia and worldwide?

For more information on our supporters, please go to the About Us section of this website. If you would like to become a financial supporter, please go to our supporter section.

Are contributions to Greenpeace tax deductible?

All donations over $2.00 are tax deductible.

Where do you get your funding from?

Greenpeace is funded by the donations and support of individuals. To guarantee that our independent voice for the environment is never compromised, we don't accept money from governments or corporations.

Our supporters are the financial backbone of our activities. And, thanks to them, we are making a difference. We rely on concerned individuals to support our work.

How can I help out on one of Greenpeace's ships?

To apply for a position as a crew member on one of our ships, send a CV to:

   Greenpeace Marine Services
   Ottho Heldringstraat 5
   1066 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands

List any marine certificates you posses, and specify as many skills as you can. Do you speak several languages? Are you a certified diver? A professional cook? A wonderful musician? A photographer, videographer, carpenter, plumber, or engineer? Is your passport current and what's your availability?

We are always looking for motivated, skilled and experienced crew but as you can imagine we also receive many applications each day. Give us as much information as you can, and good luck!

How can I get a job with Greenpeace?

Take a look at our job vacancies.

I'm just a kid, what can I do to help?

Add a campaign message and a link to our website in your email signature. If you make your message really interesting and change it often, friends will read it and might be inspired to learn more. You can also use our ecotips to help the environment in your daily life.

How can I open a Greenpeace office in my country?

Opening a new office, or appointing a representative in a country in which we do not have an office, is an organisation-wide decision which has to be agreed upon by our International Board and approved by our international Annual General Meeting. Greenpeace does not subsume existing organisations into its structure. Like every organisation, we have to work within our budget and be strategic about where we open new offices. We are not planning to open any new offices in the near future.

The name "Greenpeace" belongs to the Stichting Greenpeace Council in the Netherlands. Use of the name requires permission and is conditional upon fulfilling a whole range of obligations towards the international organisation.

We hope that you will not find this discouraging, and that you and/or your organisation will continue in its aims to explore environmental issues further. You can get involved with Greenpeace in many ways – even when an office isn't nearby.

How is Greenpeace organised? Who runs Greenpeace?

The Greenpeace organisation consists of Greenpeace International (Stichting Greenpeace Council) in Amsterdam and Greenpeace offices around the world. Greenpeace currently has a presence in 41 countries. Greenpeace national or regional offices are licensed to use the name Greenpeace. Each office is governed by a board which appoints a representative (called a trustee).Trustees meet once a year to agree on the long-term strategy of the organisation, to make necessary changes to governance structure, to set a ceiling on spending for Greenpeace International's budget and to elect the International Board of four members and a chairperson.

Greenpeace International monitors the organisational development of Greenpeace offices, oversees the development and maintenance of our fleet of ships, coordinates planning and implemenation of our global campaigns, and monitors compliance with core policies.

The International Board approves the annual budget of Greenpeace International and its audited accounts. It also appoints and supervises the International Executive Director who, together with senior managers, and consulting widely with national office staff, leads the organisation.Greenpeace does not solicit or accept funding from governments, corporations or political parties. Greenpeace neither seeks nor accepts donations which could compromise its independence, aims, objectives or integrity. Greenpeace relies on the voluntary donations of individual supporters, and on grant support from foundations.

Greenpeace is committed to the principles of non-violence, political independence and internationalism. In exposing threats to the environment and in working to find solutions, Greenpeace has no permanent allies or enemies.

The Chair of Board is currently Australian journalist and author Anne Summers. The Executive Director is currently German activist and advisor Gerd Leipold.

Where can I find the address of the Greenpeace office in my country?

Visit our Worldwide Offices page.

Can Greenpeace endorse my product or business?

Greenpeace is an independent organisation which means that we don't accept funding from or align with any governments, businesses or political parties. In keeping with our independence, we don't endorse particular products or businesses.

Can Greenpeace assess, promote or fund my invention?

We don't assess, promote or fund business proposals or inventions. You may find it useful to contact: Inventors' Association of Australia

I'm a teacher. Does Greenpeace have educational material that I can use?

We don't have resources specifically designed for class room use, but we do have many resources that could be useful, including:

Information on forests around the world.

Games and screen savers.

Other web resources that could prove useful:

Encyclopedia of Sustainable Development

Envirolink Network

The Institute for Earth Education

Australian Council of Gould Leagues

Global Education Centre

National Geographic Homework Website

Planet Ark’s ‘DO SOMETHING!’ kit

What is Greenpeace doing about the seal hunts in Canada?

Greenpeace is calling for an end to this hunt. We are targeting both the Canadian government and the science used to legitimise the hunt. Greenpeace scientists have produced a report entitled “The Canadian Seal Hunt: No management and no plan”. This report debunks the politically motivated myth that seals are responsible for depletion of cod stocks and inserts into the seal hunt debate the reality of climate change and its effects on marine mammals.

We are working alongside other environment and animal welfare organisations to stop the seal hunt. To learn more about these hunts and take action on this issue, you may like to visit the International Fund for Animal Welfare's website by clicking here.