Half a century of hope in action
“Ecology. Look it up. You’re involved.”
– Message from billboards commissioned by Greenpeace’s first president, Ben Metcalfe
“Make it a green peace!” was first uttered, in Vancouver, 1970. A humble retort to the standard hippie “Peace!” salute of the time. It marked the close of the meeting of the Don’t Make a Wave Committee, where it had just been agreed to send a boat to Amchitka to confront US nuclear weapons testing.
They did not have a boat, the funds to buy one or the skills to sail it even if they had!
A year later, on September 15, 1971, the Phyllis Cormack, bearing the banner Greenpeace across its bridge, left Vancouver bound for Amchitka determined to “confront the bomb”. It was still doubtful if the funds would last or if the skills would be sufficient.
The “Greenpeace” never arrived and on 6 November an underground atomic bomb was exploded, rupturing the island, opening fissures and pushing deadly radiation into the surrounding environment.
The first of many “mindbombs” – an idea so powerful that it changes mindsets – had also exploded in the collective consciousness. The crew’s courage and powerful storytelling ignited mass opposition to future tests and the all powerful US Atomic Energy Commission reluctantly declared it would abandon the Amchitka site “for political and other reasons”. A stunning victory for daring to care and caring to dare!
50 Years of Change
That initial fusing of peace and ecology – Greenpeace – had a percussive effect, growing to encompass countless campaigns for a safer, fairer, future. Greenpeace organisations can now be found in 57 countries, and counting, with thousands of staff, tens of thousands of volunteers and many tens of millions of supporters.
“It is amazing, what a few people sitting around their kitchen table can achieve.”
– Dorothy Stowe, Greenpeace founding member
Over fifty years – on all continents and oceans – together we have spoken truth to power, borne witness, stopped, blocked and placed our bodies in the way of environmental destruction. We have investigated and documented ecological contamination and crime. We have conducted scientific studies, litigated and lobbied. We have tried, failed and tried again. We have also succeeded!
As we commemorate, and celebrate, 50 years since the Greenpeace set sail, we are painfully aware of the gathering storm wrought by inequity, greed and corruption, of accelerating habitat destruction and the deepening climate emergency. We look to the past for learnings on how to face the future. We celebrate the passion and commitment of all who make Greenpeace possible.
50 years of Greenpeace: Q&A with Rex Weyler
I was asked to host a series of virtual “mailbag” calls connecting activists across generations and regions. The outpouring of interest — and questions — from those at Greenpeace today was moving.
And the winning design is…
Greenpeace turns 50 this year and to help mark the occasion we invited creative folks from around the world to participate in a design contest.
The women who founded Greenpeace
Although men got most of the headlines in the early Greenpeace campaigns, many strong and visionary women helped bring Greenpeace to life.
“Greenpeace is the many, supported by the many, acting for all.”
– Bill Darnell, Greenpeace founding member
