Tens of millions of people head to the polls today and exercising one of the most fundamental democratic rights by casting a vote.
But no matter what the outcome of the election brings, its clear we have a lot of work to do to protect the environment.
- Climate change is driving extreme weather. Leading to more intense storms like Hurricane Sandy, droughts, frequent flooding and the wildfires we saw this summer. Yet the issue of climate change wasnt even mentioned during the Presidential debates.
- Our oceans are on the brink. Tuna companies are killing thousands of sea birds, sea turtles and sharks and putting global food sources at risk through destructive fishing practices. Still, less than 1 percent of the worlds oceans are set aside and protected as marine reserves.
- Pulp and paper companies in Indonesia are currently destroying Sumatran tiger habitat for throwaway fast-food products while the agribusiness lobby in Brazil pushed through dangerous legislation that weakened Brazilian forest laws, opening up a section of rainforest the size of Minnesota to deforestation.
- The Arctic is under attack. Sea ice is disappearing at an alarming rate due to climate change and big oil is using the opportunity to drill. Threatening polar bears and all the other unique species that call the Arctic home. All with the approval of the US federal government.
Addressing these issues is going to take some real leadership on the part of the people elected tomorrow. Unfortunately, we have to compete for their attention with the largest corporations and most powerful interests in the world all of whom are perfectly happy with the way things are right now.
Thats why Greenpeace exists.
Unlike the American political process, we dont take a dime from corporations or governments. Our only mission is to do whatever is needed to protect the environment. If that means sailing one of our ships to the Arctic to expose Big Oil or working to connect extreme weather events like hurricane Sandy to climate change like we have been this week, thats what well be doing.
So if you havent already voted, we hope you vote today. Its critical.
We also hope youll support our work to make the world a more green and peaceful place by making a contribution today. Your support is critical too.
We cant do this without you. What happens after tomorrow is even more important than how the vote turns out. Thats up to us. The environment needs us now more than ever. Hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of the fact. Your support allows us to do things such as providing electricity to devastated regions after the powerful superstorm from your solar truck, the Rolling Sunlight. Watch below to hear more about that work in the Rockaway neighborhood in New York.
Vote for the environment today and support more work like the Rolling Sunlight.
