Last night, an icon of the civil rights movement died at age 92. Rosa Parks sparked a year-long boycott of the bus system, led by Martin Luther King, when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man who demanded it. Rosa was jailed and fined for her act of defiance.

Most Americans are familiar with Rosa's legacy and, upon hearing the news of her death, will take a moment to mourn the loss of such a courageous woman. But the question remains: "Why is an ENVIRONMENTAL organization acknowledging the passing of this civil rights heroine?"

Fair enough. Rosa was not a tree-hugger. She never hung a banner denouncing whaling. She never stood by us when we protested nuclear weapons. However, Rosa Parks and Greenpeace are inherently the same. We both stand up for what we believe in, and we do it through civil disobedience.

Gandhi, MLK, members of the Boston Tea Party...we consider these people part of our family. Rosa's death is like losing a cousin. We may not all be fighting for the same thing, but we're all speaking the same language and adhering to the same principles of non-violence.

"At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this. It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in."
-Rosa Parks