This morning, Fonterra’s Auckland headquarters were lit up by Greenpeace with dozens of messages from New Zealanders, who are calling on the dairy giant to take responsibility for its environmental impact.
These messages included that of Gail, who said “With a dairy farm background I feel sad our dairy industry continues to pollute”.
Another message, from Elizabeth, read “I used to be proud of New Zealand’s dairy farms but no longer. Now I’m ashamed.”
Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn says “Fonterra is New Zealand’s worst environmental polluter. They’re cooking the climate with superheating methane gas, contaminating rural communities’ drinking water with harmful levels of nitrate, and destroying the rainforests of Southeast Asia for cheap cow feed.
“New Zealanders care deeply about nature. No one wants to know that the butter they’re spreading on their toast, or the milk they’re pouring in their coffee, is linked to environmental destruction. But unfortunately, the way that Fonterra chooses to run its business means that is currently the case.
“People have expressed their shame and disgust at Fonterra’s blatant disregard for protecting nature, and they’ve shared how the intensive dairy industry has impacted their lives. We’ve come here to bring their voices directly to Fonterra, to hold this superpolluter accountable for its environmental crimes.”
Greenpeace recently announced that Fonterra is seeking three hundred thousand dollars in reparations over a peaceful climate protest that took place at the Fonterra Te Rapa factory last year.
“This is a draconian effort to silence peaceful protest, but we will not be intimidated. Greenpeace and concerned individuals from across the country will continue to hold Fonterra accountable, despite their attempts to silence us,” says Deighton-O’Flynn.
