Greenpeace

With only three days remaining for our world leaders to sign an ambitious and binding climate treaty at the UN Climate Summit, one that meets the global emissions reduction standards necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change, activists from all over the globe are migrating to Copenhagen to take aggressive stands. Denmark has become this month's Mecca for environmental activists abroad.

On December 8, young activists from SustainUS, the Sierra Student Coalition, the Cascade Climate Network, and more invaded a live webcast of a climate denier conference in Copenhagen planned to coincide with the UN Climate Summit. The host of this conference was Americans for Prosperity, a group greatly funded by David Koch, co-owner of oil and gas empire Koch Industries. The fifty activists posing as audience members stormed the stage only five minutes into the event, holding a banner and chanting, “Real Americans for Prosperity are Americans for Clean Energy."

 

On the second day of negotiations in Copenhagen, African Delegates protested the UN Climate Summit in Denmark in response to a leaked draft agreement that would disadvantage developing countries. "No Bad Deal for Africa," they chanted, unwilling to accept a political deal that would doom their continent to suffer the effects of climate change.

 

 

Starting in Copenhagen's parliament Square, the "The World Wants a Real Deal" march of December 12 attracted 100,000 activists. The participation was well over the expected amount, and the large masses of people owned the streets, bearing bright yellow picket signs and were accompanied by various floats and drum beats.

 

 

Then, on December 14, the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse rode through Parliament Square of Copenhagen. Four riders, dressed and made-up to represent, Famine, Pestilence, War and Death mounted their horses in an effort to warn the world leaders of the devastating effects of climate change. The message was not to predict the world's impending doom, but to remind our leaders that they have the power to prevents these unfortunate effects of global warming.

 

 

 

Trader Joe's recently sent out a mass e-mail to all members subscribed to their newsletter. It seems the popular grocery store is fishing for compliments from its loyal customers. They are essentially asking for a product ego-boost, requesting that all recipients vote for their favorite Trader Joe's products.

However, within the seafood aisles, hidden between the lines of misleading ingredient lists,Trader Joe's inconspicuously sells over a dozen red-list species. For example: "Trader Joe's Lightly Breaded Fish Sticks" are made with Alaskan Pollock. This billion dollar fishery is the largest in the United States, however, the Pollock population is currently at a record-low. Steller sea lions, which feed on the Pollock, have also been decreasing as overfishing continues to deplete their food source.

So, rather than comply with Trader Joe's request for product praise, Greenpeace USA suggests we instead remind them that they continue to stock their shelves with our LEAST favorite products, despite our efforts to persuade them to change their ways.

TAKE ACTION: E-mail Trader Joe's at favoriteproducts@traderjoes.com and send them the following message:

"Trader Joe's Lightly Breaded Fish Sticks"

These fish sticks are my LEAST favorite Trader Joe's product because they are made with Alaskan Pollock, a fishery under the threat of collapse. Stop selling red-list seafood species and adopt a sustainable seafood buying policy now!

"Trader Joe's Lightly Breaded Fish Sticks" are unsustainable, but so are the following list of Trader Joe's products, all tainted with red-list seafood species. You can personalize your message by choosing your LEAST favorite and telling Trader Joe's all about it!

“Barbeque Cut Fresh Salmon Fillets," “Pecan & Hazelnut Crusted Norwegian Farmed Salmon," “Fresh Salmon Boneless Skinless Fillets," “Salmon Stuffed with Feta & Spinach," “Cajun Salmon," “Salmon Stuffed with Couscous & Dill," and “Pacific Supreme Smoked Salmon."(All contain Farmed salmon raised in a way that pollutes the ocean)
"New England Wild Jumbo Scallops" (Contain Atlantic scallops which are bing overfished)
"Trader Joe's Albacore Solid White Tuna"(Contains South Atlantic albacore tuna caught by the use of longlining which results in the bycatch of threatened or endangered sea turtles, sharks and seabirds in large numbers)
“Tempura Shrimp with Dipping Sauce," "Coconut Shrimp," “Medium Cooked Shrimp," “Large Cooked Shrimp," “Jumbo Cooked Shrimp," “Colossal Cooked Shrimp," “Uncooked Wild Blue Shrimp," “Colossal Butterflied Shrimp," and "Trader Joe’s Seafood Blend.” (All contain Tropical shrimp which are caught using fishing methods that are destructive to seafloor habitats)

"Wild Seasoned Turbot" (which contains red-list Greenland halibut.)

In 1920 a strenuous and enduring battle for civil rights was won by means of political lobbying, protests, and radical civil disobedience. It was almost a century ago that American women were granted the long overdue right to vote, but the passing of time should never cheapen this accomplishment, however jaded we may become in the post suffrage generations. Today some women may choose to never cast a ballot in neither a local nor a presidential election, taking for granted this once seemingly unattainable right. However, while the American suffragists made huge strides in obtaining equality of the sexes, an ideal that our country has never been as close to as it is in the present, they also practiced progressive campaigning strategies that have been proven effective.

In 1917, the National Woman's Party organized the first peaceful women's protest outside of the White House, earning many of the participants jail sentences in unsanitary women's workhouses. The members of the Party knew that to be successful they would have to appeal to the political party in power and to hold those politicians personally responsible for any delay in the passing of an amendment. Right outside of President Woodrow Wilson's home, the suffragists yielded banners directly addressed to the president and quoting him in his commitment to justice and equality:

"Mr. President, what will you do for woman suffrage?"

"Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?"

"We shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts--for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments."
- Woodrow Wilson. Address to Joint Session of Congress. Washington D.C.. April 2, 1917

I was taught that history always has relevance in the present, and I believe that the suffragists whom I admire for their efforts in passing the nineteenth amendment can still, through the power of their legacy, help us to fight our battles today. Specifically, the challenge of Climate Change, the most pressing issue that our country and the rest of the world currently face. We too must look towards our political leaders, those who have the power to insist on a strong and binding climate treaty in Copenhagen, and make clear to them that any delay in necessary action is unacceptable.

President Obama has recently announced his plans to postpone the signing of a climate treaty until next year, despite his convincing, and now disappointing, promises for environmental protection. In following the National Woman's Party's example, he is the one in power, and so he is the one that must be held accountable. If we were to protest outside the gates of the white house today, what would our banners read?:

"Mr. President, what will you do for Mother Nature?"

"Mr. President, how long must the world wait for a climate treaty?"

"I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal"
-Barack Obama. Final Primary Night, Presumptive Democratic Nominee Speech. St. Paul, Minnesota June 3, 2008

"Now is the time for serious leadership to get us started down the path of energy independence. Now is the time for this call to arms."
-Barack Obama. Energy Independence: A Call for Leadership. September 20, 2006

"We often lose sight of the real and lasting meaning of the decisions we make and those we defer...The issue of climate change is one that we ignore at our own peril."
-Barack Obama. Energy Independence and the Safety of Our Planet. April 3, 2006

Do not allow President Obama to delay a climate treaty any longer. Tell him that he needs to stay true to his words and do everything in his power to prevent the worst possible effects of Climate Change. Tell him it's time to sign!

 

While scooping out bits of meat from a tuna can or using chopsticks to pluck up sushi is an everyday, ordinary occurrence for millions of the world's population, imagining the species from which that meat was obtained is actually extraordinary. Bluefin tuna, the favored source of a popular Japanese delicacy called sashimi, have the potential to grow to ten feet in length and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. These fish are great swimmers and can reach speeds of 50 miles per hour. Imagine an elephant-sized fish that can swim as fast as a cheetah can run. That's probably not what you expected to have been eating for lunch today. In fact, bluefin tuna are so spectacular, that in Tokyo, one fish could sell for over $30,000.

However, despite its high cost, the bluefin tuna remain popular amongst human populations (Japan being the largest consumer), while the tuna's populations are depleting and rapidly approaching extinction because of overfishing. The amount of bluefin tuna in the Atlantic has decreased by nearly 90% in the past 40 years due to the fact that they are a slow maturing species and are usually caught before they are able to reproduce. Reading these statistics merely sounds unfortunate, but perhaps contemplating a world in which the bluefin tuna does plunder into extinction will be eye-opening.

Already on the eastern coast of the United States, recreational and commercial bluefin tuna fisheries have dried up. Thousands of people whose livelihood depended on catching bluefin tuna have lost their jobs which in turn caused surrounding communities to lose millions of dollars. What kind of devastation would result from a worldwide extinction of tuna?

Bluefin tuna are one of the ocean's major predators. Their depletion, and their subsequent extinction would have tremendous effects on the remaining ecosystems.

While Japanese fisheries continue to aggressively hunt the remaining stocks of bluefin tuna, increased bycatch is inevitable, particularly with the use of longlines. The populations of other creatures such as sea turtles, sharks, and marine mammals (many of which are already endangered) are placed in peril.

Although the threat of bluefin tuna's extinction seems to be rapidly approaching, it can be avoided if the right actions are taken. Next year the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species will meet and hopefully ban the illegal trade in bluefin long enough for the population to replenish. Even this, however, is not enough. Greenpeace proposes that in order to preserve the existence of bluefin tuna and countless other endangered marine life, a global network of marine reserves that cover 40% of the world's oceans needs to be established. While the earth is covered by 70% of water, only 0.5% of our oceans are currently protected. Those areas that are protected, though, produce 200 times as many fish that live longer and therefore grow larger than those of unprotected areas. The species under the protection of a marine reserve have the freedom to mate, feed, and rejuvenate without the threat of capture or habitat destruction.

Sign our petition to help protect the bluefin tuna and to establish global marine reserves that cover 40% of the world's oceans!

What I've learned this weekend is that neither unfavorable weather conditions, nor the threat of legal repercussions can discourage passionate environmental activists from supporting their cause. Last Saturday, participants in over 5,000 events worldwide joined 350 and Greenpeace in a united effort towards climate action. The creative demonstrations of International Day of Climate Action were as varied as the different weather conditions across the United States and the 180 other countries that participated.
Here in New York, we had rain, and while on any other typical gloomy Saturday afternoon I would have vouched to remain cozy and lethargic inside, I braved the outdoors for a good cause. I spent the afternoon upstate New York in New Paltz where I found that students from the University, and local residents and business owners had also chosen to embrace the muddy puddled Hasbrouck Park in order to partake in this epic opportunity. The day, filled with polar bear costumes, environmental raffles and displays, bands and public speakers, support for local agriculture, and the gathering of local green businesses, culminated in the human formation of "350" in the park, despite the the sticky mud.

Across the Brooklyn Bridge, activists, undaunted by the murky overcast, marched towards a better future. They held signs that demanded a strong climate treaty from our world leaders when they meet in Copenhagen.

In Chicago, eight activists from the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization were arrested during a peaceful blockade of the Fisk Coal Plant. Their actions demonstrated what they are willing to sacrifice in order to dissolve the deceitful term of "clean coal."

Rising sea levels due to Global Warming could cause devastation to coastal areas, so Bostonians expressed their concern by rallying behind a pseudo-sandbag wall on the harbor. The participants were geared up with goggles, water caps, and other scuba gear to survive the threat of underwater submergence.

Every event was unique and the participation around the world was far greater than I could have imagined. Uniting that many people on one day, for one cohesive cause was a powerful step towards our goals. International Day of Climate Action and everyone involved had a substantial influence in the future because we refused to be ignored. Check out this video which sums up the collaborative efforts of Greenpeace activists and other volunteers on October 24.

 

I am so excited for this weekend! My boyfriend and I are heading upstate to New Paltz, New York to enjoy the fall weather at its most comfortable, and the foliage of the Mohonk Mountains at the season's peak. I will be returning to my college town as a recent alumni with every intention of devouring the outdoor activities I've since been almost starved of: apple picking, drinking fresh local cider, scavenging pumpkin patches and kicking up the crinkled red leaves that blanket the ground. That crunch is so satisfying!

Sadly, New Paltz and the surrounding areas are not exempt from the devastating effects of climate change. The Smiley family has been working on the Mohonk Preserve for generations, keeping the oldest, most accurate and in-depth environmental and weather records. Not surprisingly, they've discovered a warming trend that could result in the extinction or migration of many inhabiting species.

That is why it is so appropriate that our weekend plans coincide with the much anticipated International Day of Climate Action! On Saturday, October 24, Greenpeace is joining up with 350 to host events across the globe in an effort to raise climate change awareness and inspire change. Groups scattered throughout over 140 different countries are participating in this unprecedented opportunity to send a global message to world leaders who will be held accountable for the fate of our environment.

In New York City, participants will be walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in a March for Climate Leadership.


In Tampa, volunteers and community leaders will be demonstrating the drastic effects of rising sea levels on the peninsula of Florida. Get on your scuba gear!

In Portland, Oregon, everyone will be using their artistic medium of choice to commmunicate their visions of a healthy environment during an ActionArt Fest.

In Columbus, activists will be rallying on the steps of the Ohio Statehouse, testifying on camera why climate change is important, and writing letters to President Obama.

In Ann Arbor, students at the University of Michigan will be conducting an aerial art photo representative of their environmental efforts.

In St Louis, Missouri hundreds of people will partake in a photo opportunity holding signs that express their need for President Obama to take action on Climate Change.

The list goes on and on, and the nationwide events are so numerous it is practically impossible to avoid getting involved. However, if you can't find an event near you, create your own!

Luckily, although I'm missing out on some great events taking place here in New York City, there is a Climate Action Fair being organized at Hasbrouck Park of New Paltz by NYPIRG and The Climate Action Coalition. There will be a green fashion show, face painting and storytelling, demonstrations from local farms and businesses, local bands will be performing, and environmental speakers will be addressing climate change. I'll be there in my Greenpeace t-shirt, supporting the global event. I can't imagine a better way to kick-start my nature filled weekend!

Where will you be?

The popular grocery store, Trader Joe's, known for stocking its shelves full of affordable products with natural and organic ingredients, has dodged many attempts by Greenpeace USA to discuss its less than satisfactory seafood buying policy. Despite the company's commendable evasive techniques, they have failed to silence deranged spokesman/ deviant pirate, Traitor Joe, who leaked some truly embarrassing seafood secrets in an exclusive interview with an official Greenpeace volunteer this week

Traitor Joe, who has lately been rumored to frequent The Reef in order to feed his growing addiction to karaoke and the age-old pirate tradition of gluttonous drinking, was discovered mid-musical number on stage in a state of discombobulation Monday evening. The intoxicated pirate, whose already encumbered sight due to the necessity of an eye patch appeared to be blurred, spilled a flask of rum down a ragged t-shirt bearing the Trader Joe's insignia. His speech was slurred and his voice was hoarse from the repetition of his favored melodic verse:

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We're shady, deceitful, so we can make loot,
Eat up me 'earties, yo ho.
We peddle red-list fish, and don't give a hoot,
Eat up me 'earties, yo ho."

 When he stepped down from the stage and sat back down at his regular stool at the bar, Traitor Joe appeared to be loose-lipped with the unconcerned bartender about certain red-list fish species that have made it to the frozen aisles in various Trader Joe's locations.

There are 22 species included in the Greenpeace Seafood Red List and according to Greenpeace, "they have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries or unsustainable aquaculture operations."

Greenpeace surveys have found that Trader Joe's sells 15 of these red-list seafoods including orange roughy, Alaskan pollock, Chilean sea bass, and Greenland halibut.

Joe, in his state of inebriation, fortunately failed to recognize his interested bar companion to be a member of Greenpeace and so did not bother to relent in his speech when approached by aforementioned environmental activist.

"Arghhh, Matey. My favorite snack is Trader Joe's lightly breaded fish sticks," Joe said. "They've got a secret ingredient in them that makes me think them a tasty treat. It's Alaskan pollock!" 

For the last five years, survival of juvenile Pollock has been recorded as below average in the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Chain and Bogoslof area due to overfishing. Pollock fisheries may also be responsible for the rapid population decline of endangered Steller sea lions and northern fur seals.

"But you'd never know that the ingredients in me favorite Trader Joe's products were unsustainable 'cause of our ambiguous packaging," Joe said.

Trader Joe typically labels its products to help consumers purchase vegan, gluten-free or other diet-specific foods, but the labels on their seafood products inadequately advise customers who would otherwise commit to sustainable shopping.

 

Joe, smacking his lips in delicious delight, continued to list various other seemingly innocent Trader Joe products such as the "Wild Sashimi Grade Ahi" which contains Yellowfin Tuna, and "Trader Joe's Seasoned Turbot" containing Greenland halibut. Both of these are red-list species.

"I just wish all 'em darn activists would stop sending those bloody Singing Billie the Chilean sea bass telegrams," Joe said. "They be gettin' on me last nerve!"

Traitor Joe then abandoned the conversation and approached the stage once again to commence in singing his own rendition of "Row Row Row Your Boat."

The interview, however brief, gave insight into Trader Joe's unsustainable seafood buying policy and should encourage Trader Joe customers to continue to put pressure on the popular grocery store.

Last Monday, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer for Greenpeace at the world premiere of The Age of Stupid, a documentary about the dangers of global warming told from the perspective of a man fifty years in the future. He asks the question, "why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?"

Well, I am definitely in the present and we still have a chance. That's why I volunteer for Greenpeace. At the premiere I was tasked to parade around in a giant earth bubble alongside the environmental leaders and celebrities that graced the green carpet. The longer I remained in the massive people you-turn-the-earth globe, the more stifling it became. Strangely enough, it began to feel somewhat symbolic of global warming. However, despite the minor discomfort, the balls were attention grabbing, and since the premiere was intentionally synced with the arrival of United Nations leaders in New York City, that was our main intent.

The Age of Stupid World Premiere was one of several events planned for New York City's Climate Week which took place from September 20-26. The week was our prime opportunity to send a message to the leaders attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December and I hope our efforts will prove to be rewarding.

The film debuted in more than 400 theaters across the nation and in 32 countries around the world that day. For the New York event, the carbon emissions were calculated and controlled. The screen and the tent that the movie played in were solar powered, organic wine was served from eco-friendly containers, and even the workers weren’t allowed to drink from plastic bottles. Celebrities and politicians arrived by various means of low-carbon transportation. Moby performed live and Thom Yorke gave an exclusive performance via satellite. Heather Graham came by boat and even agreed to pose for a few photographs with the Greenpeace volunteers.

 

 

Similarly, on the previous Sunday, a demonstration in Central Park painted a clear picture from a bird's eye view. Hundreds of people gathered to demonstrate one unifying belief: the time for action is running out. Volunteers showed up, gave hours of their day, and formed a Human Countdown symbolizing the growing pressure needed to be placed on our political leaders to support an adequate climate treaty when they meet in Copenhagen.

 

On the same day, four women from around the world visited New York City to show UN leaders how Climate Change has affected their lives from Mississippi to Uganda. Their stories include survival struggles due to loss of jobs, drought, hunger and natural diaster.

Then on Wednesday, the week's events climaxed in Pennsylvania as world leaders of the G20 met in Pittsburgh. Greenpeace activists dangled from some of the city’s most iconic bridges yielding banners of a size too large to ignore. Their message: "Danger: Climate Destruction Ahead. Reduce CO2 Emissions Now."

 

  

At this point it may seem like the ability to stifle the environmental destruction that is now overcoming the planet is simply beyond our hands and futile efforts. Those of us who recognize the truth, who see the receding glaciers and the catastrophic weather changes as irrefutable symptoms of climate change, feel like we’re drowning in the sea, waving our arms and shouting at idle on-lookers on the shore. But, even as the tide pulls us in and under, our shouting seems to grow stronger, louder. Weeks like this one, that exhibit the passion and fearless dedication of activists like the fourteen who were arrested in Pittsburgh are a refreshing inspiration. Their actions express a need for attention and a demand to be heard! So maybe a week isn’t enough time to solve all the world’s problems, but it was the perfect time to make Greenpeace’s demands loud and clear. We are not backing down, and this kind of bold activity will not cease even as the memory of Climate Week recedes in the past.

Right now, Greenpeace is encouraging everyone to take part in this great project called, What's Your Story? Visit the Greenpeace USA website and take the time to talk about yourself. Greenpeace wants to know what motivates you to care for the environment. I recently graduated from college and I've just joined up with Greenpeace USA. I am now the new Online Organizing Intern working out of Brooklyn, NY. I am thrilled to be associated with this incredible organization so I sent in my story, and this is what I wrote:

This past May I received my Bachelor's Degree at SUNY New Paltz in upstate New York. During my four years there, I made the Village of New Paltz my home. I developed a special connection with the land, riding my bike through the old rail trail, hiking up the Mohonk Mountain Preserve and swimming in High Falls. I hope that from now on I never miss a visit to New Paltz in the fall. The foliage, abundant apple orchards and pumpkin farms attract visitors from around the country.
While I played in New Paltz, I also studied, and what I learned through a lot of my school research was that the Mohonk Mountains are in danger. Climate change is threatening the various species that have long thrived on the Preserve. So now, as a recent college graduate, I am dedicating myself to protecting the environment so that my favorite season will always be the same in New Paltz.

 But that's just my story. If you're reading this blog, then you have a story of your own. You have been uniquely inspired to support an environmental cause or adopt a greener lifestyle. Take the time to write down your story and send it in to Greenpeace along with a photograph of yourself. The stories that are submitted are posted on the Greenpeace USA story center and sent to each person’s individual congressman. I sent in my story and I’ve read many of the submissions we have already received. The brief stories of about 200 words or less bring environmental protection to a personal level; they give a face to a cause. Let the Greenpeace community, and your congressman, know that you’re working for change and they should be too!

And if you need inspiration, check out all the 750 plus posts already in the story center!