GREENPEACE

About Greenpeace

Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.

☻ An independent global campaigning organisation.

☻ Founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1971.

☻ Has national and regional offices in 42 countries worldwide.

☻ Acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment.

☻ Present in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

☻ Non Provit Organization :

♥ Does not accept donations from governments or corporations.

♥ Relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants

☻ Promote peace by:

♥ Catalysing an energy revolution

♥ Defending our oceans

♥ Protecting the world’s ancient forests

♥ Working for disarmament and peace

♥ Creating a toxic free future

♥ Campaining for sustainable agriculture

The history of Greenpeace

1971 - Motivated by their vision of a green and peaceful world, a small team of activists set sail from Vancouver, Canada, in an old fishing boat.

1972 - After the first Greenpeace action in 1971, the US abandons nuclear testing grounds at Amchitka Island, Alaska.

1978 - Greenpeace actions halt the grey seal slaughter in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.

1983 - The Parties to the London Dumping Convention call for a moratorium on radioactive waste dumping at sea. As a result of Greenpeace's repeated actions against ocean dumping.

1991 - Major German publishers go chlorine-free after Greenpeace produces chlorine-free edition of Der Spiegel as part of campaign against chlorine-bleaching.

1992 - France cancels this year's nuclear tests at Moruroa Atoll, following the Rainbow Warrior visit to the test zone, and vows to halt altogether if other nuclear nations follow suit.

1995 - Following a submission made with Greenpeace support, UNESCO designates Russia's Komi Forest as a World Heritage Site.

Greenpeace stopped the dumping of the Brent Spar and other at-sea installations, in a campaign against using the oceans as a dumping ground.

Greenpeace victories

May 2, 2007: Apple announces a phase-out of the most dangerous chemicals in its product line in response to a Webby-award winning online campaign by Greenpeace and Apple fans worldwide. The campaign challenged Apple to become a green leader in addressing the electronic waste problem.

February 15, 2007: In a major blow to the UK government's plans to reinvigorate nuclear power, the High Court rules their decision to back a programme of new nuclear power stations was unlawful on the basis that they had failed to adequately consult citizens and groups who oppose nuclear power as a dangerous distraction from real solutions to climate change.

May 31, 2006: Despite heavy lobbying by the nuclear power industry, Spain has confirmed that the country's 8 operating plants will be phased out in favour of clean, renewable energy. Spain joins Sweden, Germany, Italy and Belgium as the fifth European country to abandon nuclear power.

November 24, 2005 - The city of Buenos Aires announces plans to implement a zero waste policy after a campaign by Greenpeace in Argentina. The plan aims to reduce dramatically the 4-5000 tonnes of waste the city dumps every day. Buenos Aires is the largest city so far to announce a zero waste plan.

October 22, 2004: A decade of lobbying, scientific research, and direct non-violent action by Greenpeace and environmental groups around the world comes to fruition as Russia ratifies the Kyoto Protocol, bringing to force the world's sole global effort to address the dangers of global warming.

1997: Greenpeace collects the UNEP Ozone Award for the development of Greenfreeze, a domestic refrigerator free of ozone depleting and significant global warming chemicals.

Our core values

Greenpeace's cornerstone principles and core values are reflected in all our environmental campaign work, worldwide. These are:

• We 'bear witness' to environmental destruction in a peaceful, non-violent manner;

We use non-violent confrontation to raise the level and quality of public debate;

In exposing threats to the environment and finding solutions we have no permanent allies or adversaries;

We ensure our financial independence from political or commercial interests;

We seek solutions for, and promote open, informed debate about society's environmental choices.

Volunteers

There is a lot to be done when protecting the planet for future generations and help is always welcome.

A Greenpeace volunteer helps to survey protected forest in the Amazon. A member of our cyberactivist community, he responded to a call for highly skilled volunteers at the Action Forum.

Greenpeace International is based in Amsterdam and we have volunteering opportunities from time to time for those who are interested in helping us out in the office and, occasionally, in the field.

If you meet the above conditions and would like to volunteer at our office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands you need to send an email to volunteers@int.greenpeace.org, with a copy of your resume, letting us know which department you would like to volunteer.

You can also take action with us via your computer by signing up as a cyberactivist.