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Fall 2017

Summer of Resistance

A Magazine By

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From the Executive Director

Photo of Annie Leonard, Executive Director

The time to act is now. In the face of an administration that won’t listen to our communities, our scientists, our environmental stewards, or even the truth, it is clear that we need to RESIST as urgently as ever to protect people and the planet. From the beginning, Greenpeace activists have put their bodies on the line in bold acts of defiance and peaceful protest. And this summer, we opened the doors wide to share our decades of experience. During our Summer of Resistance, Greenpeace held trainings centered on safe, strategic use of non-violent direct action in more than a dozen cities nationwide. Thousands of participants are now sharing these skills with their communities and escalating the resistance with hundreds of bold and creative peaceful direct actions. We must redouble our resolve that this groundswell of creative resistance is unstoppable, regardless of today’s political landscape. Like our recent, long-fought victory in convincing the world’s largest canned tuna company to make major changes to protect our oceans and seafood industry workers, every win is a reason to keep being tireless, to take heart and know that more progress is possible. Thank you for helping Greenpeace rise to the challenge and doing your part in taking responsibility for this democracy and the future of the planet. When we look back on this moment together, we will be able to say we did all that we could, and because of that, we won. For a Green and Peaceful Future,

Signature of Annie Leonard, Executive Director

Annie Leonard, Executive Director

Greenpeace USA

Our Mission

Greenpeace, Inc. is the leading independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Please visit greenpeace.org to learn more about Greenpeace, Inc., and greenpeacefund.org to learn more about Greenpeace Fund, Inc.

© Sideris Nanoudis / Greenpeace

Greenpeace Summer of Resistance

We have been out in the streets together since January—in big numbers, speaking our hearts and minds, calling our representatives, and showing our collective rejection of the Trump administration’s bigoted, anti-immigrant, climate-denying, corporate vision of the world. Greenpeace’s Summer of Resistance is pushing the resistance movement to think bigger and bolder, bringing people together in person and online to learn the skills of creative communication, peaceful protest, and non-violent direct action necessary to stop the dangerous Trump agenda. The Trump administration sees American lives and the health of the planet as disposable, and it is using all its power to attack our communities, our air, our water, our climate and our future.

The Summer of Resistance launched on June 25th with dozens of supporters across the country hosting creative resistance remote trainings via webinar in their communities. Then, on July 7th in Chicago at our first stop in Greenpeace’s Summer of Resistance national training tour, activists unfurled a massive “RESIST and DEFEND” banner on Trump Tower downtown. It kicked off an amazing, action-packed summer of creative non-violent direct action turning up the heat on Trump’s dirty fossil fuel administration and inspired our resistance movement from coast to coast. From there Greenpeace ran in-person training sessions every weekend for ten weeks, hitting Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Miami, Charlotte, New York City, and several other locations. Go to summerofresistance.org to learn more!

“Non-violent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.” — MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (excerpt from Letter from Birmingham Jail)

Non-violent Direct Action Training

Creative resistance

Creative resistance looks different for every community. Whether it is creatively and peacefully confronting members of Congress who support Trump’s harmful agenda or calling out the banks’ funding of fossil fuel projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, the Greenpeace Summer of Resistance project put together these tools to help people take action in their communities:

  • A non-violent resistance Resource Guide full of info and links to additional resources
  • Peer-to-peer recruitment tools through www.summerofresistance.org
  • In-person and online trainings on non-violent direct action
  • A brainstorm tool to help groups develop strategic, non-violent, creative resistance events
  • A team of Summer of Resistance volunteer leaders to help participants think strategically about their ideas

We concluded the Summer of Resistance with Greenpeace’s campaign to stop the development of tar sands pipelines. Tar sands oil is one of the dirtiest energy sources on the planet, producing up to 20% more carbon emissions than conventional oil. And new proposed pipelines, like Keystone XL, are in the works to carry the dirty fuel from Canada across the continent to U.S. refineries and ports. In order to build these pipelines, companies turn to major lending banks and financial institutions for the capital—26 banks in particular provide sources of credit to the pipeline companies. One of them, JPMorgan Chase, is headquartered in the U.S. and has approximately 5,000 “Chase” bank branches across the country. To convince JPMorgan Chase to drop its financial backing of these tar sands pipelines Greenpeace is calling on newly- trained resisters to host a peaceful demonstration outside of a “Chase” bank branch and send a clear message to JPMorgan Chase: “Defund Tar Sands Pipelines!” To help people have successful events, Greenpeace’s Tar Sands Action Toolkit contains complete background information, including:

  • how to get started, posters to download and print,
  • talking points on why tar sands pipelines must be defunded,
  • tips for getting the best photos of the event and sharing it on social media,
  • a letter to deliver to the bank manager,
  • and what to do–and what not to do–in various situations.

While we upped the pressure on JPMorgan Chase during Greenpeace’s Summer of Resistance, it will not stop there. Tar sands pipeline projects tread on the rights of sovereign Indigenous Nations and private landowners, threaten communities with horrific spills, and risk locking us into catastrophic climate change. We cannot let this happen and that is why Greenpeace is standing in solidarity with Indigenous and frontline communities leading this effort and asking that our supporters demand these banks stop financing these disastrous pipelines once and for all. We believe that continued public pressure and peaceful demonstrations are critical to moving the banks away from financially backing these projects. Go to summerofresistance.org to learn more!

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© Amanda J Mason / Greenpeace

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Apple Leads in Finding Ways to Make Electronics From Recycled Materials

By Elizabeth Jardim

Earlier this year Apple announced a major step forward for the IT sector by committing to use 100% recycled materials for its products. This incredible progress follows a major win when global Greenpeace pushed Samsung to agree to recycle and reuse salvageable components of its 4.3 million recalled Galaxy Note7 devices. Refurbished Galaxy Note7s went on sale in Korea in July. Apple is the first major company in the industry to commit to use 100% recycled materials in its products, leading the way on addressing the environmental impact caused by electronics manufacturing. Transitioning to 100% recycled raw materials will take years to accomplish, but will help to decrease the need for mining and increase recycling rates of electronics directly. This commitment, and Apple’s recent steps in transitioning its supply chain in Asia to renewable energy, puts it far ahead of others in the IT sector. Greenpeace is urging major brands such as Samsung, Huawei, and Microsoft to quickly match Apple’s leadership, if they don’t want to risk falling even further behind. As electronics ownership rises across the world, it is critical for Apple and other major companies to design products that last, are easy to repair, and are recyclable at their end of life. Learn more at greenpeace.org/usa/applerecycles!

Elizabeth Jardim

Greenpeace USA Senior Corporate Campaigner

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© Pablo Blazquez / Greenpeace

Greenpeace Sues Trump and Fires Up The Resistance to Stop Offshore Drilling Plans

By Diana Best

In response to the Trump administration’s decision to jettison a permanent ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, Greenpeace and a dozen conservation groups joined a lawsuit. The executive order could open up more than 120 million acres of ocean territory to the oil and gas industry, affecting 98% of federal Arctic Ocean waters and 31 biologically rich deepwater canyons in the Atlantic Ocean. Offshore drilling in these undeveloped regions threatens to harm irreplaceable wildlife, sensitive marine ecosystems, coastal residents and the businesses that depend on them, and our global climate.

We have worked too hard and too long to see these regions destroyed. Oil companies like Shell have already proven that they cannot competently drill in places like the Arctic where there is a 75% chance of a major oil spill should oil production start, based on the government’s own analysis. Trump can try his best to prop up the dying fossil fuel industry, but like every other ill-fated promise from his administration, we will resist and he will fail. Take action at greenpeace.org/usa/trumplawsuit!

Diana Best

Greenpeace USA Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner

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© Doc White / Greenpeace

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Greenpeace's Campaign for a Plastic-Free Future

By John Hocevar

Our oceans provide 97% of the Earth’s livable habitat and a home to more than 700,000 species, and they generate half of the oxygen we breathe. But our oceans are now choking on plastic as we dump the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic into them every minute, all day, every single day. This plastic pollution entangles turtles, sharks, and sea lions, crippling them and leaving them vulnerable to attack. Other ocean life—including zooplankton and oysters, whales, and seabirds—are ingesting plastic waste and, as a result, are suffering slow, painful deaths. Greenpeace is engaging two million people over the course of three years to shift the behavior of corporations driving the serious environmental hazard created by throwaway plastic packaging, leading to new solutions that will pave the way to a plastic-free society and end the flow of plastic waste into the ocean. We’re calling on global corporations to phase out single-use plastics and engaging retailers, particularly supermarkets and convenience stores, to persuade them to do more comprehensive assessments of their role in plastic pollution, and commit to reduce their plastic footprints. Our objective is to shift mindsets to make single-use plastics unacceptable, and eventually eliminate them. The future of our oceans and marine wildlife depends on it.

Go to greenpeace.org/usa/plasticfree to learn how you can help!

John Hocevar

Greenpeace USA Oceans Director

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© Greenpeace

Taking a Free Speech Protection Message to the Heart of the Publishing Industry

By Amy Moas PhD

Resolute Forest Products, one of the largest logging companies in Canada, wants to silence Greenpeace and sue the organization out of existence with lawsuits claiming more than $300 million Canadian dollars in damages. The company filed these complaints in the U.S. and Canada after Greenpeace exposed Resolute’s irresponsible logging practices, which put areas of priceless intact Canadian forests in danger and threatened native species. Resolute is one of the largest suppliers of book paper, providing paper to virtually all of the world’s major publishers. We decided to bring the story of what Resolute is doing directly to the publishing industry at BookExpo in New York—the largest book event in the Western Hemisphere. With support from over 200 authors, and 500,000 signatures from others who pledged to stand up for free speech and forest protection, we engaged with book publishers, other authors, editors, and event attendees for four days in June. As we spoke with them about the lawsuits, many were shocked that a book paper supplier could use the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a law intended to prosecute organized crime, against storied environmental organizations and individual activists. Many were very worried to hear that Resolute’s lawsuits could set a dangerous precedent for free speech if the logging company succeeds in silencing public comment on its reckless corporate behavior. Greenpeace’s recent report Clearcutting Free Speech documented the unique paradox that Resolute’s massive legal attacks present for those publishers. One of their paper suppliers is threatening free speech rights, which they fundamentally rely on everyday for their business, while that same paper supplier is operating counter to the companies’ own, pre-existing sustainability commitments. The future of Greenpeace and our forests depend on them taking action and demanding better from Resolute. *Greenpeace partnered with artist Pamela Paulsrud in celebration of her immersive, participatory Treewhispers art installation. Treewhispers featured a grove of 14-foot-tall “trees” made up of hundreds of recycled paper discs, each one presenting an individual’s story about how trees have touched them. Learn more at greenpeace.org/usa/bookexpo!

Amy Moas PhD

Greenpeace USA Senior Forest Campaigner

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© Michael Nagle / Greenpeace

Victory! The World's Biggest Tuna Company Commits to Clean Up Its Act!

Following years of pressure from Greenpeace and individuals around the globe, Thai Union, the world’s largest canned tuna company, has committed to a major program of change that will help to protect workers at sea and reduce the impacts of destructive fishing.

Thai Union’s efforts would double the number of more sustainably caught products on store shelves in just two and a half years, ensure workers are treated as human beings rather than a captive workforce, and help reduce the number of sharks, turtles, and seabirds that are needlessly killed by fishing vessels. Thai Union has agreed to independent audits and public scrutiny to ensure its seafood supply chains are moving in a better direction, and Greenpeace, together with activists and allied organizations around the globe, will work to ensure that the company is honoring its pledges. While these changes are only a start, they set a clear roadmap for every major seafood company to also step up and make similar commitments to improve the lives of thousands of workers and protect our oceans around the world. Go to greenpeace.org/usa/thaiunionvictory to learn more!

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© Will Rose / Greenpeace

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2017 Tuna Ranking Report

In its second-ever canned tuna ranking, Greenpeace USA found that a number of U.S. brands have made significant progress toward offering consumers more sustainable and ethical products, but two of the largest U.S. brands—Bumble Bee and StarKist—continue to hold the industry back from the sweeping changes that are desperately needed. Greenpeace’s tuna ranking evaluated the sourcing policies and practices of 20 brands, including whether the fishing method used to catch their tuna harms other marine life, whether they avoid shark finning, and whether they can trace their products back to the sea. In addition, Greenpeace examined the equitability and social responsibility of tuna brands. In this year’s ranking, Wild Planet, American Tuna, Whole Foods, and Ocean Naturals are in the green category, identified as the best canned tuna choices for American consumers. As consumers demand responsibly caught tuna, the U.S. market is starting to shift toward best practice catch methods like pole and line, troll, and FAD-free. To view the entire Canned Tuna Shopping Guide, please visit: greenpeace.org/usa/oceans/tuna-guide!

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© Will Rose / Greenpeace

Create Your Legacy for the Earth

Greenpeace supporter John Tanton died in 2014. This year, he will help us campaign for a plastic-free future and end the plastic pollution choking our oceans and entangling and suffocating marine wildlife.


The struggle to save our planet will continue long after we are gone. But that doesn’t mean that our voices become silent. By leaving a legacy to Greenpeace, you can continue to be an advocate for the planet that future generations will inherit. If you would like to know more about how you can remember Greenpeace in you estate plans, please contact Corrine Barr or visit greenpeacefund.org

1 (800) 328-0678 [email protected]

© Scott Portelli / Greenpeace

Greenpeace Logo

Executive Director

Annie Leonard

Editorial Staff

Editor in Chief

Sara Rycroft

Development Editors

Elizabeth Bennett Allison Gates Corrine Barr Rogelio Ocampo

Editorial Staff

Campaigns Editors

David Barre Rebecca Pons

Photo Editor

Tim Aubry

Legal Editor

Deepa Padmanabha

Board of Directors

Greenpeace, Inc.

Michael Leon Guerrero Stuart Clarke Larry Kopald Bryony Schwan Guillermo Quinteros Karen Topakian

Board of Directors

Greenpeace Fund, Inc.

Ellen Dorsey John Passacantanado Jee Kim Jeffrey Hollender Tom Newmark

Best in America - Certified by Independent Charities of America Greenpeace Fund, Inc. on Charity Navigator