Where have all the activists gone?

[Ralph Ryder <Ralph@tcpub.demon.co.uk>]

Greenpeace is not the organisation it was.  Not only do 1.8 million of
their members think so  and showing their discontent by failing to renew
their membership since 1990.  But so do 16 of the people who founded the
group.

        In a devastating report sent to the groups 25th anniversary
celebrations in Vancouver, Canada, David McTaggart, one of the leading
lights for many years of the group, Monika Griefahn, Pete Wilkinson (one
of the founders) John Castle ( skipper of the Greenpeace boats who
spearheaded the campaign against the dumping of the Brent Spar) and Nick
Hill (Rainbow Warriors first captain) slated the present hierarchical
structure and its running of the organisation.

        Expressing 'profound concern about what seems to be happening to
the Greenpeace we helped to create' its founder complained at the
organisation falling members, the loss of 'inspirational initiative' and
called for 'a need to encourage the internal democratisation of the
organisation, leading to the development of a different culture.'

        The report calls for a ceiling on salaries within the
organisation which over the last few years has increased and the leaders
of Greenpeace and are now on par with executives in the corporations
Greenpeaces fights throughout the world.  Thilo Bode its international
executive director is paid the equivalent of 68,000 a year while Lord
(Peter) Melchett, the executive director of Greenpeace in Britain
receives over 40,000. 

        The founders wrote they 'can legitimately claim to be founders
of the organisation which is now managed by those whom this document is
directed' and 'they  have a right to insist that the organisation which
broke new ground in environmental campaigning continues to be at the
cutting edge of environmental reform and does not simply become part of
the institutionalised political landscape of the 21st century.'  Many
environmentalists believe this has already happen in Britain with
Greenpeace pulling out of some tradition areas of campaigning.
'Greenpeace today is a far cry from the one that was the driving force
behind the foundation of Communities Against Toxics 6 years ago' said
Ralph Ryder coordinator of the group whose main purpose is to assist
communities threaten with incinerator facilities.  'In those days it had
an excellent anti-toxics section whose members worked well with
grassroots community groups.  This was broken up for reasons known only
to the hierarchy and now they seem to have lost their way as to what
being an environmental organisation is really about.'

        The report also adds that 'the current methods of attracting
people are not necessarily going to provide the organisation with
committed environmentalists'.

        Its writers believe: 'Many supporters, whose hearts and minds
were touched by Greenpeaces simple straightforward approach - are
disappointed by the salary levels reported in the media and are now
withdrawing their support.'  Calling for a ceiling on salaries and a
'levelling out of the hierarchical structure'. The writers believe the
slump in membership is 'a warning sign that demands careful review'
saying that membership levels provide 'one of the surest ways of
measuring the effectiveness of campaigns, strategies and tactics.'

        'About three years ago Greenpeace started walking the same path
the mainstream environmental organisations in America took during the
1980s. There, as organisations grew the leadership switched from being
genuine activists to professional managers, publicists, fund raisers and
lobbyist,' said Ralph Ryder. 'I only hope Peter Melchett and the others
realise that the environmental movement might be led by members of our
so-called 'elite' society and 'middle class careerists,' but its from
the grassroots that Greenpeace gets it money, and its at the grassroots
that the answer to corporation power and industrial pollution lies.'

        Greenpeace has been the major benefactor of Communities Against
Toxics and financially supported the group until last year.  With the
major trusts and foundations refusing to help, presumably because of the
so- called 'political' nature of the issue, CATs has been brought to the
verge of extinction.  'The British government is planning a massive
programme of building waste to energy incinerators in every major city
and CATs is currently the only organisation people can turn to for the
specialist information needed to assist local communities to resist
these plants,' said Ralph Ryder.

'If you phone Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth and tell them an
incinerator is planned in your area they will give you our phone number.
Not much use when we cant afford to pay for the photocopying and
postage.'

Source of information on the report:  Independent On Sunday, No 352 3rd
November 1996.

 
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Ralph Ryder                             Tel 0151 339 5473
Communities Against Toxics              Fax 0151 339 5473
PO Box 29                               Email ralph@tcpub.demon.co.uk 
Ellesmere Port
South Wirral L66 3TX UK
Or visit us at http://www.tcpub.demon.co.uk/
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