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GREENPEACE

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CLAUDE LORRAIN AND DONG QICHANG

AGreenpeace International is located at Ottho Heldringstraat 5 1066 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The phone number is +31 20 718 2000.

B. Greenpeace is concerned about the environmental sustainability of planet Earth. The group believes that the current path that mankind is on will destroy the Earth and people along with it. The group campaigns in favor of the planet and reaches out to people for them to respond to the problem that is facing the planet. Greenpeace believes that the biggest threat to the sustainability of the planet is global warming. Without changing attitudes about the effects of people’s daily lives and the rate of their consumption, the world will overheat, causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise and animals to die.

C. The group started in the late 1960s when the United States was planning to test nuclear weapons underground around Amchitka, which is an unstable island in Alaska. A man who had served in the U.S. Navy, Jim Bohlen, opposed the tests. He learned from a Jewish couple, Irving and Dorothy Stowe, of a form of passive resistance, where protests were conducted by simply being present at the action. This continues with Greenpeace today. The first office was opened in Vancouver, Canada. The group began as being loosely organized, and were referred to as “The Don’t Make a Wave Committee.” Greenpeace officially started in 1971.

D. Greenpeace has been extremely active since its creation. The organization has hosted events featuring famous stars, such as Paul McCartney. These events aim to educate people about issues that face the world. And it points the finger, acting as the watchdog, against companies such as Shell, the oil giant. Greenpeace’s accomplishments are based on their ability to inspire millions. Their achievements are plenty. Just one example is from this month when Greenpeace held protests in 110 cities in 19 countries to tell Shell to not drill in the fragile Arctic. A couple of examples of the protests include: Greenpeace Netherlands took over Shell’s headquarters, invading their offices. In the United Kingdom, Greenpeace shut down 78 Shell petrol stations.

E. Many divisions of Greenpeace are established throughout the world. Forty offices are established worldwide. These countries and regions aren’t just limited to G20 nations. Greenpeace is established in parts of Africa, South America, Central America, Asia and India, for example; and of course the United States and Canada.

F. Greenpeace consists mainly of volunteers, but there are employees. The volunteers are the driving force behind the organization. Greenpeace relies on donations from the public to fund its rallies, protests and education. Volunteers help organize Greenpeace’s rallies, and in a way, the people who join in the protests are also volunteers. It is the sheer numbers of protestors that allow Greenpeace to do what they do. The volunteers also educate the public at festivals, conferences and other events. The paid employees do things such as raise funds. The employees are paid $10.20 per hour for two training days. Then, the wages are between $10.20 per hour to $17.55 per hour plus bonuses. There are regular wage increases and a benefits package.  Positions at head office are also paid for. The employees earn benefits, though their wages were not disclosed. They are eligible for a paid sabbatical after five years of employment.

G. Funding comes largely from canvassed donations. As mentioned above, the organization hires people to go around and collect money. Funds can also come to the organization via their website, where there is a donate option. During the many events hosted by Greenpeace, such as music festivals, people are able to donate. Money collected from the concerts also goes to Greenpeace.

H. The organization doesn’t claim to be able to solve the world’s climate problem. Their goal is to educate the people who play a role in the degradation of the planet. Their goal of educating the public has been extremely successful because it has created in its more than 40-year history a voice that reaches the entire globe.

I. The organization has been very successful at achieving its goals, though organizers would like to see more improvements. Every time Greenpeace makes a statement, people are going to learn about what is happening to the environment and how it can be saved. Because Greenpeace has grown into such a massive environmental group which reaches worldwide, they have the power to influence a lot of people. Just looking at the example above about Shell proposing to dig in the Arctic, the opposition Greenpeace had about that inspired 19 countries to try to stop the oil giant. It could be argued that the attention given to climate change and the environment in general in recent years is thanks in part to the effort made by Greenpeace. Some of the efforts have caused government to change policy and create a better living environment.

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By Hanna Robinson

Hanna has won numerous writing awards. She specializes in academic writing, copywriting, business plans and resumes. After graduating from the Comosun College's journalism program, she went on to work at community newspapers throughout Atlantic Canada, before embarking on her freelancing journey.