Greenpeace Blog

GM quarantine in Romania

Posted by jamie — 5 September 2007 at 5:30pm - Comments

A Greenpeace volunteer sprays a car leaving Braila island, Romania

How's this for a creative and exciting example of direct action - it's a blockade but with a difference. Earlier this morning in Romania, Greenpeace volunteers quarantined a whole island where GM soya crops are being grown, which is illegal under EU law. Vehicles leaving Braila island were hosed down by people wearing white biohazard suits to prevent genetic contamination spreading to the mainland. Even a donkey and cart were washed and made GM-free!

YouTube group hug

Posted by jossc — 31 August 2007 at 4:01pm - Comments

Check out our YouTube groups

August in pictures

Posted by jossc — 31 August 2007 at 12:15pm - Comments

08 August - India. Water is sprinkled on activists chained and arm locked to blockade the gates of the Surya Light bulb manufacturing unit in Kashipur. The Surya factory produces energy wasting incandescent bulbs.

This may still be the 'silly season' as far as our national press are concerned, but that hasn't prevented a lot of good work being achieved by Greenpeace campaigners around the globe.

Blockading incandescent light bulb manufacturing plants in India; halting a coal shipment to Canada's largest power station; protesting against the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Brazil; lobbying the Thai government to prevent them lifting a ban on GM crop field trials - these are just some of the practical steps we've been taking to help bring about the cleaner, greener world we all want to see.

Threats and intimidation down Amazon way

Posted by jamie — 30 August 2007 at 3:48pm - Comments

As the narrator of this startling video states, "working in the Amazon forest is not for the faint of heart." In the past, people from campaigning organisations have been bullied by land owners and workers, facing intimidation, violence, death threats and even murder.

How the World Bank and HSBC are investing in deforestation

Posted by jamie — 29 August 2007 at 2:53pm - Comments

Timber being sawn up in Bandundu province, DRC

Back in April, at the World Bank's spring meeting, there was much talk about the plight of the Congo rainforest. We'd just published a big report detailing how in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) logging titles were being granted in breach of a moratorium that the bank had been instrumental in establishing. The report launch was so high profile, we were able to force DRC's rainforest high onto the agenda of the World Bank meeting and have also managed to secure another session at the upcoming autumn meeting.

Update: Amazon land settlements suspended

Posted by jamie — 29 August 2007 at 10:39am - Comments

There have been further developments in the Amazon. As we reported last week, Greenpeace Brazil published its investigation into deals between a Brazilian government agency and logging companies over areas of rainforest under the guise of a land settlement programme.

Halting the Arctic 'goldrush'

Posted by jossc — 28 August 2007 at 2:01pm - Comments

Polar bears: running out of time and space?

Lights go on at Sainsbury's

Posted by jamie — 28 August 2007 at 12:37pm - Comments

Volunteers in Blackburn with Seize the Light flags signed by Woolworths customersSomething that happened a few weeks ago but has slipped through the net is that Sainsbury's has announced an improved policy on light bulbs. By committing to phasing out those wasteful incandescent bulbs by 2010, they join Asda and Morrisons (who also recently shifted their stance) further up our league table. That still only gives them a D, but it leaves three supermarkets lower down - Tesco and the Co-op at E and Somerfield a disappointing F.

Meanwhile, there's been no further word from wooden spoon winners Woolworths since their CEO's response to our day of action, but we're still working on them. You may have been invited to sign a 'Seize the Light' flag outside you local branch, as groups of Greenpeace volunteers (like the Blackburn group pictured) have been collecting signatures to show Woolworths that their customers want them to help everyone improve their energy efficiency by getting rid of out-dated, inefficient light bulbs.

If you haven't emailed Woolworth CEO Trevor Bish-Jones, now's the time - everyone who's done so has received a personal response, and you could be one of those lucky people. Or if you fancy a bit of flag-signing, contact your local Greenpeace volunteer group and find out how you can help everyone make the switch.

Iceland ends commercial whale hunt

Posted by jossc — 24 August 2007 at 5:28pm - Comments

Iceland's senseless resumption of commercial whaling has now been suspended

In a setback to the whaling industry worldwide, Iceland's fisheries minister has just announced he will not issue further commercial whale-hunting quotas.

Iceland announced last year a return to commercial whaling and a quota of 30 minke whales and nine fins. But with virtually no market in Iceland and fears of contamination making Japan unwilling to purchase North Atlantic whale meat, the hunt has been a disaster. Since its introduction last year, Icelandic whalers have killed only seven minkes and seven fin whales, haven't made public the results of contamination testing on the whale meat, and can't seem to convince anyone to buy their product.