Environment and organization?
What is Greenpeace?
What are their goals?
Until the 19th century, man saw nature as a wild animal and somehow tried to conquer it.But in the 20th century man realized that man is not an isolated being.Man is only a link in the chain of living beings.Man cannot survive without depending on many things in nature.The book 'Silent Spring' was published when the 20th century matured.This book was released by an American scientist named Rachel Carson.This book, which shocked the world, was released in 1962.Man saw DDT as an elixir-like wonder drug.Man began to see the light at the end of the tunnel that he had traveled until then when he learned that DDT, which is used to kill insects, reaches breast milk.That book was able to ignite a popular movement against DDT. The US even had to pass legislation banning DDT.In 1983, when the last factory in the United States was closed, the curtain fell on DDT.'Silent Spring' sparked a worldwide backlash against pesticides.Many realized the need for environmental protection when it was realized that mercury in the water flowing out of Maaur Rayons reaches humans through the fish in Chaliyar, and that the pesticide Endosulfan is killing humans inch by inch in Kasaragod district.From vehicle fumes to plastic cages, the environment is at risk.
Disrupts the weather.Environmentalists around the world are trying to avoid that disaster.Greenpeace is the most lauded organization in that group.Many of their activities have helped to protect the environment.But there are those who look at their work with suspicion.
A September 1971.Vancouver Beach, Canada.Calm and beautiful weather.Preparations are underway there for a sea voyage.The trip had a very important purpose.An old fishing boat was prepared for the trip. The name of that boat was 'Phyllis Cormack'.Later renamed as 'Greenpeace', that boat started a great movement.The first passengers were Canadians.Many of them are sailing for the first time.Many of them are sailing for the first time.Because they were journalists or artists.Only two or three of them have experience of sea voyage before.Dave Birmingham, one of the passengers, steered the boat.
The boat started moving through the North Pacific.Their destination was the Aleutian Islands near Alaska.These islands were known as 'nature's biological tombs'.There were also endangered vultures on those islands.The US was preparing for a nuclear test on the island.The purpose of that journey was to call the world's attention against it.They were also ready to record the nuclear test and deliver the news and its pictures to the people.Amchitka on the Aleutian Islands was chosen by the United States as the nuclear test site.The experiment was by detonating an atomic bomb underground.The islands were located in a very earthquake prone area.Many feared that a nuclear explosion would cause an earthquake.So from the very beginning this trip grabbed the news and public attention.The boat's occupants believed that the United States would not stop them at international maritime borders because the boat's passengers were Canadian.But the United States was also determined to strongly oppose any move to stop nuclear testing.Initially the journey was pleasant but later the journey became difficult due to strong winds.The passengers felt that their lives were in danger.So they ended their journey and sought refuge in a port on the Aleutian Islands.This was a good opportunity for the United States to stop the trip.The Coast Guard arrested the boat's passengers for anchoring at the port without customs clearance.The United States made good use of this opportunity.They did not delay the nuclear test.They successfully completed it.Greenpeace's first trip did not reach its destination.However, the trip managed to grab a lot of public and media attention.The trip helped to make people aware of the serious problems nuclear testing was causing to the environment.It also managed to raise public opinion against nuclear testing.As a result, the United States promised not to conduct nuclear tests on the Aleutian Islands.That was the biggest success of that trip.
Gathering in the church
The Aleutian Islands trip was a success.With this, many of the protesters returned to their old jobs.But others were of the opinion that such protest programs should continue.As a result of what many people said, the Green Peace Foundation was formed in 1971.In fact, the foundation of Greenpeace was formed before the Aleutian Islands trip.In 1970 many discussions took place in a church in Vancouver.It was also where the passengers of the Greenpeace boat first gathered.They were Patrick Moore, Bob Cummings, Bun Met Calf and Dave Birmingham.They later became founding members of Greenpeace.The primary goal of that gathering was to stop US nuclear testing.The first attempt was to raise money to organize protest events.
They raised $900 through fundraisers and concerts.So the money was found to hire a boat for the trip.Ben Metcalf was the first chairman of the Greenpeace Foundation.Ben was a Canadian radio journalist and political activist.The foundation's name was meaningful.That name was to clarify the purpose and the way of the organization.Green refers to the greenness of the earth.Green is the color of the plant world which is the basis of life.It refers to the environment.'Peace' means peace.It refers to the way the organization works.The protests since the organization's inception have been peaceful.The Green Peace Foundation's work was initially confined to Canada.By the late 1970s, offices were established in the United States and Europe.
Nuclear testing in France and movements against it
After succeeding in stopping the US nuclear test, Greenpeace turned its attention to other nuclear tests.This time the protest was against another nuclear power, France.This happened in 1973.France was preparing for a nuclear test at Moraura Atoll.Moraura is a Polynesian island in the Southern Ocean.Nuclear tests were usually conducted underground.But that was not the case in France.Therefore, the risk was very high.
Greenpeace activists rushed to the test site in three boats to stop the French nuclear test.The protest boats were Vega, Magic Isle and The Boy.In this the 'Boy' rowed very close to the test site.The French navy attacked and drove them off.They smashed 'Vega'.French commandos then attacked the Greenpeace activists.The French attack on Greenpeace sparked worldwide protests.The governments of New Zealand and Australia sent their warships to the test site in protest.Greenpeace's protest has won again.The protest was able to lead France to decide that it would no longer conduct nuclear tests in the open, except underground.With this, the activities of Greenpeace Foundation came to be known all over the world.
Formation of GPI
The head office of Greenpeace Foundation was in Canada.Greenpeace offices began operating in the United States and Europe in the late 1970s.However, the relationship between the offices was informal.Coordination of operations and campaigns was thus difficult.Experience has also made it clear that it is time to reorganize the organization.Those in the organization decided that there are other problems that destroy the environment from the first actions taken against nuclear tests and they should respond to them.The movement of those in the organization was to respond to the issues of environmental pollution, nuclear waste and whaling.
These were not problems confined to any one place.Therefore, to organize effective protests against this, Greenpeace's activities were spread around the world.Greenpeace activists chose the method that was being implemented by multinational companies.Thus in 1979 Greenpeace International (G.P.I) was formed.Its headquarters is in Amsterdam, Holland.The Executive Director is the head of GPI.Governance is controlled by the Board of Directors.Below the Executive Director are the posts of Campaign Director, Financial Coordinator and Communication Director.All of them are full-time employees of the organization.Therefore, they have more responsibilities.When necessary, experts from other fields are selected and appointed.All those selected are salaried officers.However, the real strength of the organization is the tenacity, sincerity, adventure and many energetic workers to face anything in any crisis.They run campaigns and run offices without any remuneration.They also distribute Greenpeace leaflets on the streets and in many other areas.Greenpeace offices now operate in more than 55 countries.The main office in a country is called the national office.There are also regional offices.The annual meeting of GPI decides the campaign program for the next year.So once the campaign is decided it is the campaign director who plans how to run it.The campaign director will also allocate vessels from the Greenpeace fleet for campaigning.
GPI will function like an international company once preparations for promotion are complete.The financial coordinator will find the required funds.The coordinator is also responsible for the financial affairs of the campaign.The communication director's job is to secure media attention for the campaign.The communication director's job is to prepare news and pictures of the campaign and provide it to various media.The National Offices are also functioning on the GPI model.The annual meeting of national offices selects one or two important environmental issues for their respective countries to work on for the next year.After this, the propaganda activities continue on their own.GPI's help and advice can be sought if necessary.The main task of the National Offices is to organize the necessary activities to make the GPI's campaign successful for that year.Greenpeace's main sources of income are membership fees and contributions from members.National offices are responsible for collecting it.National offices pay a portion of their income to GPI.The main income of GPI is the same.Thus the National Offices are also responsible for maintaining the GPI.Previously, Greenpeace activists had collected from the public in cities.The money was later found by selling t-shirts and badges with Greenpeace labels on them.Greenpeace is one of the world's largest environmental organizations today.It belongs to non-government aided organizations, abbreviated as NGOs.GPI is not affiliated with the governments of any country.Many governments view the GPI as enemies because of their protest programs.Today Greenpeace International has more than 30 lakh members.In the 1980s, membership numbers were much higher.Later, as people became less interested in environmental issues, the membership decreased.Many efforts are being made to increase the membership.The GPI also acquired a large fleet to use for promotional events.
Objectives of the Greenpeace organization
Ban Aleutian Island Nuclear Testing - Created by Greenpeace With this single goal in mind, the protests organized in the early years of the organization were mostly against nuclear tests.Later, as it became a global organization, the goals of Greenpeace organization were also expanded.
Goals that came later
1. Protect the climate and the ozone layer.Help industrialized nations reduce emissions of 'greenhouse effect' ozone-depleting gases.
2. Prevent overfishing and pollution of the sea.Stop dumping waste and hazardous materials into the oceans.Urge the authorities to take strong action.
3. Monitor waste generation problems worldwide and ensure necessary control.
4. Air conditioners and refrigerators are technologically upgraded to reduce the emission of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer.Create and disseminate eco-friendly technology in this sector.
5. Protect the forests of different countries and find alternatives to rampant logging that leads to deforestation.
6. Stop whaling, which is causing the extinction of whales.
7. Completely stop the use of dangerous chemicals like chlorine (chlorine is widely used in industries like paper and PVC, despite being known to be deadly to humans and animals).
8. End the nuclear threat
9. Check whether genetically engineered 'GM' crops are harmful to the environment.
