Category Archives: Oceans

Grand-Canyon-Sized Hope for a Sustainable Bering Sea

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Sunset over the Bering Sea aboard Greenpeace's ship the Esperanza

Sunset over the Bering Sea aboard Greenpeace’s ship the Esperanza

National geographic Explorer-In Residence and Mission Blue founder Dr. Sylvia Earle teamed up with Greenpeace this week for an inspiring event at the Seattle Aquarium to officially announce the 19th Hope Spot, urging protection for the miraculous Bering Sea Canyons. Hope Spots – Dr. Earle’s global initiative formed in response to her 2009 TED Prize wish – are special places that are critical to the health of the ocean – Earth’s blue heart. With Hope Spots Dr. Earle challenged people to use whatever talents they have and all means at their disposal – from the Internet to submarines – to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas. Continue reading →

Celebrate World Turtle Day!

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Leatherback Turtle in West Papua

Every day is Turtle Day when you’re an ocean campaigner…

When I heard it was World Turtle Day, I hatched a plan. I know that to an international audience ‘turtle’ covers a multitude of reptile species, but rather than getting all Queens’ English-y over what is a tortoise, a terrapin or a turtle, I thought this was a good opportunity to focus in on the seven amazing species that roam our oceans – the sea turtles. Continue reading →

International Biodiversity Day in Pictures

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Whale Sharks in Cenderawasih Bay

Whale Sharks in Cenderawasih Bay © Paul Hilton / Greenpeace

On this International Day for Biological Diversity, we want to show you stunning images from one of the world’s richest places in biodiversity: Indonesia. From whale sharks, to abundant coral reefs and forests teeming with life, the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior is currently documenting the beauty and fragility of Indonesia’s natural environment.

The message in these images is simple: this is what we stand to lose if we don’t act now. Continue reading →

Science from the Sea, Public Awareness from Above

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Bering Sea Airship Flight

In a verdant airfield just north of Seattle, our team stood huddled in the damp dawn obscured on every side by a thick fog.  As the sun climbed into the morning sky, we waited, fingers crossed, for the fog to lift before the winds picked up.  Just as the warmth of the sun began to burn off the mist, a helicopter appeared and circled above.   It was the local news helicopter. They had come to see this thing called an airship

There is no doubt that it is a peculiar craft.  Somewhere between a blimp and a hot air balloon, Greenpeace’s thermal airship, named A.E. Bates, is one of 4 vessels of it’s kind in the United States and one of only 60 in the world. Continue reading →

Greenpeace calls for Bering Sea protection with thermal airship

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Greenpeace's thermal airship, A.E. Bates, flies over Seattle, a fishing industry hub, to call attention for Bering Sea protection.

Greenpeace’s thermal airship, A.E. Bates, flies over Seattle, a fishing industry hub, to call attention for Bering Sea protection.

Greenpeace will fly its thermal airship over the Seattle area all week with a 75 foot whale-themed banner urging Washington residents to help protect the “Grand Canyons of the Sea.”

Watch news coverage of the airship’s flight, and hear from Greenpeace’s Bering Sea campaigner on just why this area is so important.

Greenpeace and Mission Blue will host an “Evening of Hope” at the Seattle Aquarium to celebrate Alaska’s Bering Sea, a unique ecosystem currently threatened by a billion dollar fishing industry. Continue reading →

Secretary Kerry travels to Sweden for Arctic Council meeting

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Team Aurora Arrives at the North Pole

As newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry serves as a delegate on the Arctic Council, the only diplomatic forum dedicated entirely to the Arctic region. Secretary Kerry will meet with representatives from seven other Arctic states to discuss the environmental and biological changes to the area.

Greenpeace has worked hard to encourage Secretary Kerry to be a champion for the Arctic as the U.S. delegate.  We even sent a cheerleading squad and a marching band to our meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC last week!

The Future of the Middle East: John F. KerryThe Arctic faces imminent threats from climate change, oil drilling and industrial fishing, but Secretary Kerry has the power to protect it from all three. Based upon his Earth Day speech, Secretary Kerry plants to work hard on climate change and protecting our beautiful planet. It’s our job to make sure he doesn’t forget the words he spoke.

The science is screaming at all of us and demands action. From the far reaches of Antarctica’s Ross Sea to tropical wetlands in Southeast Asia, we have a responsibility to safeguard and sustainably manage our planet’s natural resources, and the United States remains firm in its commitment to addressing global environmental challenges.

-Secretary John Kerry, Earth Day 2013

 

Check back for live updates from the Arctic Council meeting next week. In the meantime, you can call the State Department directly and request Arctic protection.

April 2013 Photo of the Month

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Not quite the photo op you’d expect from this location, but Christian Åslund’s shot from the North Pole is the April 2013 Greenpeace USA Photo of the Month.

Team Aurora lowers a titantium time capsule with the names of 2.7 million people who want to save the Arctic from the impacts of climate change and pollution of oil production.

Team Aurora lowers a titanium time capsule with the names of 2.7 million people who want to save the Arctic from the impacts of climate change and pollution of oil production.

Here Team Aurora prepares to lower a titanium time capsule through a hole in the ice and down to a permanent resting place on the seabed. On top is the “flag for the future” a design selected in a global competition. The orb holds the names of 2.7 million people from around the world who signed on to support protecting the Arctic. Continue reading →

US government considering seismic testing proposal, nearly 140,000 whales and dolphins at risk

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Humpback Whale Watching off Atlantic Coast

138,500 whales and dolphins will be injured and possibly killed

It was only a couple months ago that Greenpeace celebrated a big victory on the West Coast when the California Coastal Commission voted to deny the Navy permission to conduct seismic testing in the Pacific Ocean, risking the lives of whales, dolphins and other marine life.

Now we’re up against a similar fight on the East Coast. Continue reading →

Greenpeace cheers on Secretary John Kerry to be an Arctic champ

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Greenpeace marching band and cheerleader activists help call attention to the threat the Arctic faces from climate change and off-shore drilling during a visit to the State Department

Greenpeace marching band and cheerleader activists help call attention to the threat the Arctic faces from climate change and off-shore drilling during a visit to the State Department

Today is Foreign Affairs Day, a holiday for the US Department of State, where Greenpeace will be among world diplomats communicating with Secretary Kerry. Our message: the United States loves the Arctic! We delivered a photo album to Secretary Kerry with photos from around the country of people showing their love for the Arctic. And we delivered that message in a very unique way: with a marching band and Arctic cheerleaders!

Call the State Department now and ask Secretary Kerry to be an Arctic champ!  Continue reading →

What a semester with Greenpeace has taught me about activism

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This blog was written by Emily Blase, a Greenpeace Semester student with the spring 2013 class.

I’m walking away from the Greenpeace Semester program saddened to say goodbye, but empowered by all the skills now under my belt. The program aims at giving students an in-depth understanding of environmental campaigning and strategy, organizing, messaging, and non-violent direct action, a peaceful tactic to protect our natural ecosystems.. Through the course of this program, we’ve had the chance to talk to many of the people at Greenpeace working directly on environmental issues. In March, our class traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina to help with a campaign that Greenpeace is running against Duke Energy, the nation’s largest utility company and gobbler of dirty energy including coal and nukes. You can see all the action from our trip on our Tumblr. Continue reading →