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In 1971, a small group of concerned environmentalists sailed an aging fishing boat into a nuclear test zone off Amchitka, Alaska, to stop nuclear weapons testing. They called themselves "Greenpeace" and were committed to protecting the environment for future generations. Today Greenpeace campaigners are working tirelessly around the world defending our oceans and ancient forests, promoting clean energy, advocating for healthy alternatives to toxic chemicals and genetically-engineered food, and keeping up the fight against nuclear threats. For more than 30 years, Greenpeace has been the world's most creative voice speaking out on behalf of the Earth, changing the way people view the environment, and saving life-supporting natural resources and precious wildlife.
Peaceful direct action, public education and campaigning remain at the heart of Greenpeace's work. In addition, we provide scientific research, participate in international treaty negotiations, launch legislative initiatives, and develop corporate reform tactics.
Campaigns
Oceans
The world's oceans are no longer a bountiful and limitless source for human consumption. From the great whales to tiny coral, ocean species have been driven toward extinction by industrial fishing, commercial whaling, and uncontrolled ocean pollution. The oceans' ecosystem, a vital part of the Earth's life-support network, is in serious jeopardy. This is why Greenpeace works to save the last great whales, stop all overfishing, and halt the dumping of industrial waste into our oceans.
Ancient Forests
Today percent of the Earth's original ancient forests have been degraded or destroyed. Only 22 percent remains in areas large enough to support their full range of native plants and animals. From the Amazon Basin to the Congo Basin, from the Russian Far East to Papua New Guinea and across North America industrial logging is the single greatest threat to the planets last remaining ancient forests. The destruction of these last wondrous ancient forest regions is driven largely by international market demand often to make disposable products, such as plywood and paper. Greenpeace works to ban destructive logging, promote well-managed forest practices, enforce legal protections and educate consumers.
Clean Energy
Greenhouse gas emissions, caused largely by the burning of fossil fuels, are wreaking havoc with the Earth's climate; trapping excessive heat in the lower atmosphere. We have seen temperature records set year after year within the last two decades. Greenpeace is working to put industrialized and developing nations on a clean energy path that reduces our reliance on oil, gas, and coal and promotes renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind, and waves.
Toxic Pollution
Industrial facilities continue to contaminate our air, water, and food with dangerous toxic chemicals that cause cancer, reproductive disorders, and impaired mental development. In the U.S., 40 percent of our rivers are too polluted for swimming and fishing. Chlorine and the myriad of chemicals made from it pose one of the most serious global health threats. Chlorine gas is highly poisonous, and chlorine-based compounds are long-living, and can build up in the tissues of humans and animals. Greenpeace works worldwide for the phase out of toxic chemicals such as chlorine and promotes clean, healthy, and economic alternatives.
Genetically-Engineered Food
Genetic engineering (GE) crosses species that could not combine in nature, thereby creating entirely new forms of life; many of them utterly bizarre. Doctors and scientists around the world are warning that GE crops may not be safe for human consumption. Yet, GE ingredients are found in thousands of unlabeled foods in our supermarkets. Greenpeace supports a consumer's right-to-know about what is in our food and calls for a ban on the release of GE organisms into the environment to protect organic crops and sustainable agriculture.
Nuclear Threats
Greenpeace opposes nuclear energy and nuclear weapons; the starkest threats to a green and peaceful future. Civil and military nuclear installations have a sad record of accidents causing dangerous radiation leaks that lead to the contamination of our soil, air, and water. They produce nuclear waste that, to this day, cannot be disposed of safely. Greenpeace works to phase out nuclear power plants and campaigns to prevent a new nuclear arms race.
The Ships
Since our inception, the history and mission of Greenpeace have been encapsulated in the icon of a ship. The Greenpeace fleet of ships includes theArctic Sunrise, the Esperanza and - the most famous - the Rainbow Warrior.