New York, NY – Greenpeace’s historic Arctic Sunrise ship arrived in New York City this morning, kicking off a month-long tour along the Atlantic Coast highlighting threats to the oceans and climate and impacts to our communities. The ship tour will focus on the urgent issue of single-use plastics and microplastics in our waters, and the need to protect our coasts and climate from seismic blasting and offshore oil drilling. The tour will also support an effort led by our allies in the environmental justice movement to deliver critical rebuilding supplies and expertise to rural communities in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria’s devastating impacts to the region. The ship is docked at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, and will offer tours to the public from 10am-6pm on October 14 and 15.
“New York City is of critical importance in tackling the growing plastics epidemic plaguing our planet,” said Greenpeace Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar. “We are kicking off our Atlantic Coast ship tour here to research the microplastics that flow from rivers like the Hudson into the ocean, and to conduct a brand audit of the corporate plastic pollution found along the region’s beaches. If we are going to tackle this global threat, it will be because cities like New York step forward to say enough is enough — it’s time for corporations to own the problem they’ve created.”
New York City is the first stop on the Atlantic Coast ship tour and will feature a beach clean-up and brand audit on October 15 at Rockaway Beach to identify the corporations responsible for the pollution filling up our landfills, choking our rivers, and contaminating our oceans. Greenpeace will also oversee a trawl survey of the Hudson River to assess the amount of microplastics entering the ocean. Earlier this month, Greenpeace launched a global campaign on Coca-Cola calling on the company to phase out single-use plastic bottles.
Following its stop in New York, the Arctic Sunrise will travel to Norfolk, VA, Wilmington, NC, and Miami, FL, educating the public about the impacts of plastics and oil drilling on our climate, our communities, and our coasts. The tour will conclude by delivering materials to Puerto Rico, including solar systems, sustainable agricultural goods, and tools.
“Greenpeace is honored to play a role in ensuring a just recovery for the victims of yet another climate catastrophe in Puerto Rico,” said Greenpeace spokesperson Hannah Strange. “People continue to suffer and the Trump administration has left them behind in favor of malicious tweets. If the U.S. government won’t step up to properly assist with recovery, the people will rebuild in a way that puts climate justice at the forefront.”
Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise has a rich history. The Russian government seized the ship in 2013, along with 30 peaceful activists when Greenpeace protested Arctic oil drilling by the Russian company Gazprom. It was also the first ship to circumnavigate James Ross Island in the Antarctic. It has worked to stop Japanese whaling fleets’ attempts to pursue their so-called scientific whaling program, chased private vessels fishing illegally, navigated both the Congo and the Amazon, performed independent assessment of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and most recently departed Europe where we protested oil drilling in the Norwegian Arctic.
On Friday, October 13, Greenpeace will open up its ship to members of the media from 10am-1pm for private tours and interviews with our experts. Reporters are invited to attend any time during this range and encouraged to RSVP with Perry Wheeler at perry.wheeler@greenpeace.
For photos of the Arctic Sunrise’s arrival and throughout the New York City stop, please visit: http://www.media.
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Contact: Perry Wheeler, Greenpeace Communications Manager, P: 301-675-8766
