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FAQs
What is Greenpeace's mission?
Greenpeace is an independent non-profit global campaigning organization that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and their causes. We challenge government and industry to halt harmful practices by negotiating solutions, conducting scientific research, introducing clean alternatives, carrying out peaceful acts of civil disobedience and educating and engaging the public to follow a path to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace's goal is to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity.
How and when was Greenpeace formed?
Greenpeace began in Vancouver, Canada, in 1971, when a group of anti-war protestors chose to take non-violent direct action against US nuclear weapons testing on Amchitka, an island off the west coast of Alaska. They chartered a ramshackle fishing vessel, the Phyllis Cormack, renamed her Greenpeace, and sailed off to bear witness in the prohibited zone.
Who founded Greenpeace?
Many talented folks contributed to the creation of Greenpeace. Bill Darnell coined the name when someone flashed him a peace sign and he said "let's make that a green peace!" Bob Hunter created the concept of the "Media Mind Bomb" - reaching the public consciousness through dramatic, camera-ready opposition to environmental crimes. Jim Bohlen, Paul Cote, and Ben Metcalf led the first direct action by the "Don't Make a Wave Committee," sailing to Amchitka Island in the Aleutians to try to stop a nuclear weapons test with their presence. David McTaggart convinced a half dozen loosely connected early groups to put aside their differences and join in a single worldwide organization, creating Greenpeace International in 1979.
How many offices does Greenpeace have?
Greenpeace has a presence in 41 countries throughout the world. Click here http://www.greenpeace.org/international/ for our Greenpeace International website, where you can link to many other Greenpeace office websites throughout the work
How many supporters or members does Greenpeace have?
As of January, 2006, there were 2.7 million Greenpeace supporters worldwide, and 73,000 Greenpeace supporters in Canada. Supporters or members are defined as anyone who has made a financial contribution to Greenpeace within the last 18 months. Our financial supporters are the people who keep our ships on the oceans and our campaigners in the field. There are also millions of people around the world who take action with us every day through cyberactions, local groups, or as volunteers.
Where does Greenpeace get its funding?
To maintain independence Greenpeace does not accept money from corporations, governments or political parties. We're serious about that, and we screen for and actually return donations from large corporations. We depend on the donations of individuals to carry on our non-violent campaigns to protect the environment.
Our books are audited every year in every office around the world. Each year in Canada, we publish our annual review so you can see exactly how much money we’re given and how it gets spent. The review is available on request through member services toll-free line at 1-800-320-7183 or by emailing us at: members@yto.greenpeace.org
How is Greenpeace organized? Who runs Greenpeace?
The Greenpeace organization 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 organization 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 organizational development of Greenpeace offices, oversees the development and maintenance of our fleet of ships, coordinates planning and implementation 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, consults widely with national office staff, and leads the organization. The chair of the Greenpeace international board is currently Australian journalist and author Anne Summers. The executive director of Greenpeace International is currently German activist and advisor Gerd Leipold. In Canada, the board of directors is made up of Peter Bleyer (Chair), John Doherty (Past Chair), Ann Rowan, (Treasurer), Beverley Thorpe, Brigid Rowan (no relation to Ann Rowan) and Sue Birge. The executive director of Greenpeace Canada is Bruce Cox.
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.
Greenpeace has consultative status to the United Nations.
Greenpeace has been short-listed for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Is Greenpeace affiliated with any political party?
Greenpeace is a non-partisan organization and has no affiliation with any political party. Greenpeace does not solicit or accept funding from governments, corporations or political parties. Greenpeace neither seeks nor accepts donations that could compromise its independence, aims, objectives or integrity. Greenpeace relies on the voluntary donations of individual supporters, and on grants from foundations.
What has Greenpeace accomplished?
Click here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/about-greenpeace/history/copy-of-history to link to our Greenpeace victories page, where you can learn about some of the positive environmental changes that Greenpeace has directly helped to bring about since we began campaigning in 1971.
Where can I find the address of the Greenpeace office in my country?
There's a full list of countries where we have offices at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/about/worldwide.
If there's no office in your country, you can write to supporter.services@int.greenpeace.org.
What really happened when the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior was bombed in 1985?
It was an event that shook the world. On July 10, 1985 the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior was ripped apart by two bombs while docked in an Auckland, New Zealand harbour. One Greenpeace crew member, Fernando Pereira, was killed in the explosion. As time went on, the truth came out: the French secret service was responsible, and the French government had ordered the bombing.
The Rainbow Warrior had just arrived from the Marshall Islands when the bombing occurred. In the Marshalls, at the request of the islanders, the Rainbow Warrior had relocated the 320 residents of Rongelap atoll, whose home had been contaminated by US nuclear testing in 1950s. The islanders had been plagued with cancer, leukemia, birth defects and miscarriages since then: the Rainbow Warrior took them to a new life on Mejato atoll. Moruroa atoll, where French nuclear testing still took place, was the logical next destination on the Rainbow Warrior’s voyage of peace. The Rainbow Warrior bombing was an historic act of violence – a display of state-sponsored terrorism on the soil of a strongly anti-nuclear country and against an organization founded on the principles of non-violence.
Where does the name Rainbow Warrior come from?
Robert Hunter, one of the founders of Greenpeace, tells a story in his book, Warriors of the Rainbow, about how this legend crossed his path.
On the first voyage of a Greenpeace ship, the Phyllis Cormack, Bob had taken on board a small book of Indian myths and legends that contained some striking prophesies. The book itself had been given to him by an old wandering native American who had told him the book would "change his life" - something which prompted a bit of cynicism in the Canadian journalist, who tossed the book into a box and forgot about it. But he stocked the Phyllis Cormack with reading material for the voyage, and one stormy evening he said the book literally jumped off the shelf into his hands, and he read it.
A chapter that particularly inspired Hunter related a story an old Cree Indian woman, 'Eyes of Fire' told to her great grandson. Just as they were being overthrown, The Cree Indian people foresaw a time when the white man's materialistic ways would strip the Earth of its resources, but just before it was too late the Great Spirit of the Indians would return to resurrect the braves and teach the white man reverence for the Earth. They would become known as the Warriors of the Rainbow.
The story circulated in Greenpeace for many years, and in 1978 our first ship, a rusting North Sea Trawler named the "Sir William Hardy" was christened "Rainbow Warrior."
What is direct action or civil disobedience and why does Greenpeace engage in this?
Greenpeace uses various means and strategies to reach its goals. Along with research, education, lobbying industry and government, attendance and participation in various international fora and our solutions orientated work, there are times when, due to the urgency of the issues we are dealing with, we engage in direct action, or civil disobedience. The immediate objective of our actions is to bring the issue to the forefront in every way we can. Our tactics of direct action are confrontational and interruptive, but in no way violent or destructive. We believe that many of our campaigns would not have been won had we not engaged in such activities.
What are Greenpeace’s campaigns?
What we do throughout the world:
* Stop climate change
* Save our seas
* Protect ancient forests
* Demand Peace and Disarmament
* Say no to genetic engineering
* Eliminate toxic chemicals
* End the nuclear threat
* Encourage sustainable trade
In Canada, we are working to:
Protect Ancient Forests
The world's ancient forests are truly diverse. Together they maintain environmental systems that are essential for life, preserving our air quality and ensuring the availability of clean water. These forests are critical in stabilizing the world's climate by storing large amounts of carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change.
Evolving over three billion years, ancient forests contain two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals. That's hundreds of thousands of different plants and animals, and literally millions of insects. From owls to orchids and bears to beetles, the future of these species, as well as our own, depends on the world’s ancient forests.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/greatbear
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/boreal
Eliminate the Threat of Genetic Engineering
While scientific progress on molecular biology has a great potential to increase our understanding of nature and provide new medical tools, it should not be used as justification for turning the environment into a giant genetic experiment by commercial interests. The biodiversity and environmental integrity of the world's food supply is too important to our survival to be put at risk.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/ge
Stop Climate Change
Greenpeace is asking you to take part in an energy revolution - to go from a world powered by nuclear and fossil fuels to one running on renewable energy. Climate change caused by humans is a reality. Fortunately, there are proven energy solutions we can use today to provide sustainable development and energy for all. Will this energy transformation occur rapidly enough to avert the worst effects of a warming world? You will help decide the answer to that question.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/climate-and-energy
Around the world, Greenpeace is working to:
Save our Seas
The 'Defending our Oceans' voyage is the single largest expedition that Greenpeace has ever undertaken. This incredible year-long journey will tell the story of the crisis facing our oceans from the Azores to Antarctica, take you to places few humans have been, confront the villains and promote solutions – and you can join us.
Demand Peace and Disarmament
Make no mistake, nuclear weapons are a problem today. There are approximately 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world, belonging to nine countries: USA, Russian Federation, UK, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea. More than 1500 of them are ready to launch at a moment's notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Eliminate toxic chemicals
Toxic chemicals in our environment threaten our rivers and lakes, air, land, and oceans, and ultimately us and our future.
End the nuclear threat
Safe nuclear power is a myth. Greenpeace is campaigning to end nuclear power, reprocessing and waste dumping
Encourage sustainable trade
The World Trade Organization (WTO) promotes free trade for the gain of private interests, over and above our health and the environment. It is fatally flawed and is moving the world in the wrong direction - away from peace, security and sustainability. By stalling on issues that are crucial to poorer countries, the WTO faces a crisis of legitimacy.
Questions about working, volunteering or helping out with Greenpeace
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?
All employment opportunities in Canada, are posted on our website at http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/job-opportunities
How can I volunteer with Greenpeace in Canada?
We currently have a volunteer program set up only in our Toronto office, but we hope to have programs set up in our Montreal and Vancouver offices soon. Click here to find out more about the volunteer program in Toronto http://www.greenpeacevolunteers.ca/
Greenpeace is an independent non-profit global campaigning organization that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and their causes. We challenge government and industry to halt harmful practices by negotiating solutions, conducting scientific research, introducing clean alternatives, carrying out peaceful acts of civil disobedience and educating and engaging the public to follow a path to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace's goal is to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity.
How and when was Greenpeace formed?
Greenpeace began in Vancouver, Canada, in 1971, when a group of anti-war protestors chose to take non-violent direct action against US nuclear weapons testing on Amchitka, an island off the west coast of Alaska. They chartered a ramshackle fishing vessel, the Phyllis Cormack, renamed her Greenpeace, and sailed off to bear witness in the prohibited zone.
Who founded Greenpeace?
Many talented folks contributed to the creation of Greenpeace. Bill Darnell coined the name when someone flashed him a peace sign and he said "let's make that a green peace!" Bob Hunter created the concept of the "Media Mind Bomb" - reaching the public consciousness through dramatic, camera-ready opposition to environmental crimes. Jim Bohlen, Paul Cote, and Ben Metcalf led the first direct action by the "Don't Make a Wave Committee," sailing to Amchitka Island in the Aleutians to try to stop a nuclear weapons test with their presence. David McTaggart convinced a half dozen loosely connected early groups to put aside their differences and join in a single worldwide organization, creating Greenpeace International in 1979.
How many offices does Greenpeace have?
Greenpeace has a presence in 41 countries throughout the world. Click here http://www.greenpeace.org/international/ for our Greenpeace International website, where you can link to many other Greenpeace office websites throughout the work
How many supporters or members does Greenpeace have?
As of January, 2006, there were 2.7 million Greenpeace supporters worldwide, and 73,000 Greenpeace supporters in Canada. Supporters or members are defined as anyone who has made a financial contribution to Greenpeace within the last 18 months. Our financial supporters are the people who keep our ships on the oceans and our campaigners in the field. There are also millions of people around the world who take action with us every day through cyberactions, local groups, or as volunteers.
Where does Greenpeace get its funding?
To maintain independence Greenpeace does not accept money from corporations, governments or political parties. We're serious about that, and we screen for and actually return donations from large corporations. We depend on the donations of individuals to carry on our non-violent campaigns to protect the environment.
Our books are audited every year in every office around the world. Each year in Canada, we publish our annual review so you can see exactly how much money we’re given and how it gets spent. The review is available on request through member services toll-free line at 1-800-320-7183 or by emailing us at: members@yto.greenpeace.org
How is Greenpeace organized? Who runs Greenpeace?
The Greenpeace organization 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 organization 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 organizational development of Greenpeace offices, oversees the development and maintenance of our fleet of ships, coordinates planning and implementation 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, consults widely with national office staff, and leads the organization. The chair of the Greenpeace international board is currently Australian journalist and author Anne Summers. The executive director of Greenpeace International is currently German activist and advisor Gerd Leipold. In Canada, the board of directors is made up of Peter Bleyer (Chair), John Doherty (Past Chair), Ann Rowan, (Treasurer), Beverley Thorpe, Brigid Rowan (no relation to Ann Rowan) and Sue Birge. The executive director of Greenpeace Canada is Bruce Cox.
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.
Greenpeace has consultative status to the United Nations.
Greenpeace has been short-listed for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Is Greenpeace affiliated with any political party?
Greenpeace is a non-partisan organization and has no affiliation with any political party. Greenpeace does not solicit or accept funding from governments, corporations or political parties. Greenpeace neither seeks nor accepts donations that could compromise its independence, aims, objectives or integrity. Greenpeace relies on the voluntary donations of individual supporters, and on grants from foundations.
What has Greenpeace accomplished?
Click here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/about-greenpeace/history/copy-of-history to link to our Greenpeace victories page, where you can learn about some of the positive environmental changes that Greenpeace has directly helped to bring about since we began campaigning in 1971.
Where can I find the address of the Greenpeace office in my country?
There's a full list of countries where we have offices at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/about/worldwide.
If there's no office in your country, you can write to supporter.services@int.greenpeace.org.
What really happened when the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior was bombed in 1985?
It was an event that shook the world. On July 10, 1985 the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior was ripped apart by two bombs while docked in an Auckland, New Zealand harbour. One Greenpeace crew member, Fernando Pereira, was killed in the explosion. As time went on, the truth came out: the French secret service was responsible, and the French government had ordered the bombing.
The Rainbow Warrior had just arrived from the Marshall Islands when the bombing occurred. In the Marshalls, at the request of the islanders, the Rainbow Warrior had relocated the 320 residents of Rongelap atoll, whose home had been contaminated by US nuclear testing in 1950s. The islanders had been plagued with cancer, leukemia, birth defects and miscarriages since then: the Rainbow Warrior took them to a new life on Mejato atoll. Moruroa atoll, where French nuclear testing still took place, was the logical next destination on the Rainbow Warrior’s voyage of peace. The Rainbow Warrior bombing was an historic act of violence – a display of state-sponsored terrorism on the soil of a strongly anti-nuclear country and against an organization founded on the principles of non-violence.
Where does the name Rainbow Warrior come from?
Robert Hunter, one of the founders of Greenpeace, tells a story in his book, Warriors of the Rainbow, about how this legend crossed his path.
On the first voyage of a Greenpeace ship, the Phyllis Cormack, Bob had taken on board a small book of Indian myths and legends that contained some striking prophesies. The book itself had been given to him by an old wandering native American who had told him the book would "change his life" - something which prompted a bit of cynicism in the Canadian journalist, who tossed the book into a box and forgot about it. But he stocked the Phyllis Cormack with reading material for the voyage, and one stormy evening he said the book literally jumped off the shelf into his hands, and he read it.
A chapter that particularly inspired Hunter related a story an old Cree Indian woman, 'Eyes of Fire' told to her great grandson. Just as they were being overthrown, The Cree Indian people foresaw a time when the white man's materialistic ways would strip the Earth of its resources, but just before it was too late the Great Spirit of the Indians would return to resurrect the braves and teach the white man reverence for the Earth. They would become known as the Warriors of the Rainbow.
The story circulated in Greenpeace for many years, and in 1978 our first ship, a rusting North Sea Trawler named the "Sir William Hardy" was christened "Rainbow Warrior."
What is direct action or civil disobedience and why does Greenpeace engage in this?
Greenpeace uses various means and strategies to reach its goals. Along with research, education, lobbying industry and government, attendance and participation in various international fora and our solutions orientated work, there are times when, due to the urgency of the issues we are dealing with, we engage in direct action, or civil disobedience. The immediate objective of our actions is to bring the issue to the forefront in every way we can. Our tactics of direct action are confrontational and interruptive, but in no way violent or destructive. We believe that many of our campaigns would not have been won had we not engaged in such activities.
What are Greenpeace’s campaigns?
What we do throughout the world:
* Stop climate change
* Save our seas
* Protect ancient forests
* Demand Peace and Disarmament
* Say no to genetic engineering
* Eliminate toxic chemicals
* End the nuclear threat
* Encourage sustainable trade
In Canada, we are working to:
Protect Ancient Forests
The world's ancient forests are truly diverse. Together they maintain environmental systems that are essential for life, preserving our air quality and ensuring the availability of clean water. These forests are critical in stabilizing the world's climate by storing large amounts of carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change.
Evolving over three billion years, ancient forests contain two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals. That's hundreds of thousands of different plants and animals, and literally millions of insects. From owls to orchids and bears to beetles, the future of these species, as well as our own, depends on the world’s ancient forests.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/greatbear
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/boreal
Eliminate the Threat of Genetic Engineering
While scientific progress on molecular biology has a great potential to increase our understanding of nature and provide new medical tools, it should not be used as justification for turning the environment into a giant genetic experiment by commercial interests. The biodiversity and environmental integrity of the world's food supply is too important to our survival to be put at risk.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/ge
Stop Climate Change
Greenpeace is asking you to take part in an energy revolution - to go from a world powered by nuclear and fossil fuels to one running on renewable energy. Climate change caused by humans is a reality. Fortunately, there are proven energy solutions we can use today to provide sustainable development and energy for all. Will this energy transformation occur rapidly enough to avert the worst effects of a warming world? You will help decide the answer to that question.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/climate-and-energy
Around the world, Greenpeace is working to:
Save our Seas
The 'Defending our Oceans' voyage is the single largest expedition that Greenpeace has ever undertaken. This incredible year-long journey will tell the story of the crisis facing our oceans from the Azores to Antarctica, take you to places few humans have been, confront the villains and promote solutions – and you can join us.
Demand Peace and Disarmament
Make no mistake, nuclear weapons are a problem today. There are approximately 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world, belonging to nine countries: USA, Russian Federation, UK, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea. More than 1500 of them are ready to launch at a moment's notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Eliminate toxic chemicals
Toxic chemicals in our environment threaten our rivers and lakes, air, land, and oceans, and ultimately us and our future.
End the nuclear threat
Safe nuclear power is a myth. Greenpeace is campaigning to end nuclear power, reprocessing and waste dumping
Encourage sustainable trade
The World Trade Organization (WTO) promotes free trade for the gain of private interests, over and above our health and the environment. It is fatally flawed and is moving the world in the wrong direction - away from peace, security and sustainability. By stalling on issues that are crucial to poorer countries, the WTO faces a crisis of legitimacy.
Questions about working, volunteering or helping out with Greenpeace
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?
All employment opportunities in Canada, are posted on our website at http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/job-opportunities
How can I volunteer with Greenpeace in Canada?
We currently have a volunteer program set up only in our Toronto office, but we hope to have programs set up in our Montreal and Vancouver offices soon. Click here to find out more about the volunteer program in Toronto http://www.greenpeacevolunteers.ca/
