It all started with a raggle taggle collection of hippies and peace activists who chartered a leaky fishing boat and set off to stop a nuclear bomb detonation in Amchitka, Alaska by the United States of America. The vessel they sailed on was named ‘Greenpeace’ which gave the organisation its name. This is how Greenpeace came into being in 1971. Besides many successes at the local level, it has brought about many radical changes for a greener planet. It stopped the exploitation of Antarctica, put an end to nuclear testing in many places, eliminated the dumping of nuclear waste at sea and brought about a ban on commercial whaling. It was instrumental in the signing of the Stockholm Treaty, banning many of the world's most toxic chemicals.
Often though, in its attempt to "take back the planet", Greenpeace is critcised as being attention-seeking and deliberately orchestrating its actions to keep it on the front pages. Its war against the genetically modified crops has faced a lot of opposition for being "unscientific and illogical." In certain cases Greenpeace has been accused of giving unsubstantiated information like 'the greener electronics campaign' [ See Box] and misinformation in an anti-nuclear advert in a UK newspaper.
It can not be denied, however, that Greenpeace, through its use of direct, non-violent actions and lobbying at international conferences has achieved more than most environmental organisations and is a major source of hope towards an eco-friendly planet.
Greenpeace is fairly active in India, and Kolkata, with campaigns for the Sunderban Mangroves to the Ban the Bulb campaign, the ongoing Dhamra Port campaign (against the TATA group), and campaigns against import of nuclear reactors - to tamer information and awareness activity like Rainbow Warrior Fest at City Centre, Kolkata, for schoolkids.
