October 7th, 2009
Greenpeace: Why Civil Disobedience and Why Now
Bruce Cox
Part 1 of a 2-Part Post, written by Bruce Cox, Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada. Read Part 2
Why in the world would a group of global citizens from Alberta to Berlin to Rio, drop everything and leave their comfy homes (and lives) to come to the tar sands and volunteer to put themselves on the line? Why would I do it?
This past weekend I returned from Canada’s own Mordor, the tar sands: a cold, dark, otherworldly place full of fire and brimstone – indeed, we dubbed the bridge spanning the massive Suncor Millennium site the “bridge to climate hell”.
Alongside over 20 other activists I took part in a peaceful non-violent direct action at Suncor’s major mine site and upgrading facility in the tar sands. This was the second of three recent actions at tar sands facilities resulting in nearly 40 people arrested to date.
Charged with “mischief” I spent 32 hours in jail at the Fort McMurray police station. Released on condition that I “behave” myself and stay out of the Wood Buffalo jurisdiction (the centre of tar sands destruction and an area about the size of southern Europe!) I am scheduled to appear in court in early November. Suffice to say, jail was not pleasant but it’s not supposed be.
So why would volunteers give up their warm beds and risk the elements, arrest and a police record? Why would Greenpeace want them to? And why do these peaceful acts of civil disobedience elicit such heated commentary on the web and in Tim Hortons?
Greenpeace went to the frontier of climate destruction to bring international attention to the tar sands and the environmental impacts they’re unleashing, not just on Canada, but on the world. We’re there to put pressure on world leaders to take action on climate change and to turn their backs on projects like the tar sands that exploit destructive dirty fuels. We take this action whether it‘s dirty oil in northern Canada, dirty coal in Italy or destructive palm oil grown in burned out Indonesian rainforests.
I think many of us share a sense of urgency that we must do something to push decision makers and leaders to take aggressive action on climate change. We are now 60 days away from the UN climate talks in Copenhagen and world leaders continue to act like we have all the time in the world. We don’t.
Many activists recognize that the massive development destruction in the tar sands today is just the beginning of an unfolding disaster that needs to be stopped in its tracks. Less than 3 percent of the potential of Canada’s tar sands have been tapped. The tar sands are expanding at an alarming rate and will potentially cover an area the size of England when in full swing. At this point, the tar sands produce about 40 million tons of greenhouse gases a year, (more than some entire countries) and this could grow [PDF] to 140 million tons by 2020 if we don’t stop it now.
There is also a sense of frustration that government has failed to serve its citizens when making decisions in the tar sands. How can it be legal for 11 million litres a day of contaminated water to leech into the Athabasca watershed? When Greenpeace takes peaceful direct action we are challenging the authority of the government, holding its decisions up to the light and exposing the hypocrisy of jailing young activists while oil executives walk free to pollute.
For me personally, there is also a simple need to act. There is a need to know that in the face of undeniable science, facts and research, I did what I could to avert the unfolding climate crisis.
Greenpeace: Why Civil Disobedience and Why Now
Categories: Activism on the ground, Agriculture, Climate Defenders, Energy and Climate, GMO, Greenpeace, KYOTOplus, Oceans, Tar Sands
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October 8th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Greenpeace Canada and Green Blog. Green Blog said: RT @GreenpeaceCA: Our Executive Director, Bruce Cox: "Why Civil Disobedience, and Why Now" http://bit.ly/dtYJd [...]
October 9th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
October 9th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I commend your actions and totally agree with your reasoning. Civil disobedience is a tried and true way of grabbing public attention to issues, and it often gets results when other democratic avenues have failed. It is thanks to Greenpeace and other groups like you that we have moved forward on many environmental and social issues. I admire your courage to stand up for what is right. We all have to keep up the pressure on our government in whatever way we can.
October 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Right On! This is exactly the kind of work that I want my Greenpeace donations going towards.
October 9th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
You are warriors for the future of this planet. Thank you for standing up and risking jail and fines to wake people up to this environmental disaster!
October 9th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I support your actions. We need to make this climate crime known to people everywhere!
October 9th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
The incredible work you men/ladies do is absolutely incredible!!
Having the will and passion to make a statement is exactly what we need in this world! Since joing Greenpeace Iv been made aware of issues I would of never dreamed of was happening in this day and age!
What it boils down to is the almighty DOLLAR!!! if it makes a buck no matter what we destroy why not !! this is the type of attitude we DONT want!
I can only say THANKS to all who go out there and STAND up !! I wish I could do more!
October 9th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Thank you for your courage. I wish I could do more to help you. Please continue in the name of all. The future of this planet depends on people like you.
October 9th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I admire the courage of peace activists whether against wars, oppression or the need to protect our environment and endangered species. I have supported Greenpeace for many,many years and am sad that the Canadian Government still seems to regard Greenpeace action as close to that of terrorists. Sadly I have little hope for Copenhagen but we,thanks to you, will get there eventually. Best Wishes!
October 9th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Rock on Greenpeace activists! Take down the demon of midwestern Tar!
October 9th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I have been waiting a long time for this to happen… to those tar sands! I am ashamed… this is taking place in my country. Too many do not even know where these tar sands are located. Thank you. Thank you… for all your hard work, dedication and determination – for giving so much of yourselves! I will thank you - from my country, CANADA!
October 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I am so grateful for every one of you out there doing something which is so important and necessary. Thank you.
October 9th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Mr. Harper:
You have shown that you at not a man of your word in not meeting the Targets you agreed to at the Kyota Accord. The Fort McMurray Police put the Greenpeace activists who care into jail. In my opinion they have it backwards and the Police should go to jail and theGreenpeace activists who do stand up for their word should be funded be our Canadian Government. If our Government and our politicians, that includes you Mr. Harper, will not care up and be people who will stand up for their word, as millions of Canadians want because they care about the environmental legacy we will leave our children and grandchildren, then Greenpeace should be funded to stand up.
October 9th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
So, it seems nothing will stop our brave ‘warriors’. Thank you!
I wonder daily why our world leaders seem unable to step up to the plate and stop the destruction in Alberta. Those who have children should look carefully into their faces and know they have a moral obligation to cease what goes on in Alberta re the Tar Sands.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Greenpeacers!
October 9th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Much love. You are all so selfless and inspiring. It is heartbreaking to hear that your powerful message to stop such mass destruction was deemed an “act of mischief” by government officials. Instead, it should be the wake up call that our country needs to finally put an end to these toxic tar sands. You have all of my support. You know what is truly important, and the only inconvenience of these events are the political leaders who delay taking action. Please keep spreading the word, because we are all right beside you.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Thank you. Your actions are inspiring. I hope I can find my voice to help other Canadians realize that WE CANADIANS NEED TO STOP this monstrous, growing, toxic pit. Including changing my actions, even at the expense of my own comfort.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
All I can say is thankyou. Most people are not digging around to find out this info and we need to know. How can this go on when we are supposedly in the mood to change the way we do things?
October 10th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Who we are; our culture is at stake. For years now the tendency has been to improve the equality for tolerance amongst the races and ethnicities; wht is the relationship of identity in those subjects at concern rather than satisifiying ourselves that economics has the Law for realizing the human awareness.
Uncontrolled and detached of this civilization of fulfilling needs and demoralizing market prices.
October 10th, 2009 at 8:51 am
thank you for doing what i cannot physically. This is the kind of action i want from greenpeace. I support civil desobedience
October 10th, 2009 at 8:51 am
PARABÉNS PELO TRABALHO
October 10th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Thank you for all your brave actions. You are truly making a difference, and it is appreciated and admired by many (like me), and feared by others (i.e. ‘development’ companies). Stay strong!
Peace.
October 10th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Thank you Greenpeace, for your continuing courage and focus.
October 10th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
they not only need to stop polluting by using this oil sands but they need to stop turning our planet into a concrete sea and turn this disgusting in mess back in to a green just stopping them from this crime is not enough they need to come up with a ligitimate safe use of what they are doing the problem is people don’t think about the consequences of using our land
October 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
It is a safe bet in most cases not to trust large commerce intersets when it comes to the environment because they are mainly concerned with profit. I think that the best way to get their attention is to inform the public of their wrongdoings to the point of affecting their bottom line. Greenpeace does a beautiful job of this and my favourite, current example is their getting the attention of Kimberly Clark regarding our ancient borealis forests. I thought they’d never work with environmentalis. This renews my faith in humanity. Steven Harper’s lack of vision and will regarding the environment worries me. If he set a positive example and shone light on this mess, everyone would be informed and we could act as a nation.
October 10th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Awesome! more and more do i see the necessity of this small band of light workers to aid in the shift of society. the money i offer Greenpeace monthly is a pittance in comparison to the actions of these committed individuals.
There are other ways to get clean sustainable energy. the technology is here.
Thank you. Merci.
October 10th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
ah yeah! this is only the beginning. i say we take 200 people and shut the mofo down… lets make a big statement…peacefully of course
October 11th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Thank you so much Green Peace, keep up the great work you do.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Thank you thank you thank you thank you for doing this. I became actually physically nauseous when I saw that video of footage of the tar sands. It is beyond revolting. Canada’s Mordor is a perfect description of that abomination. I can’t afford to give a lot of money but am proud that I give a small ammount to you each month and proud to see the way you guys use it. I hope all your efforts come to fruition. Lets hope the government sees all this instead of just ignoring the needs and plea’s of its country like they usually do. I still can’t believe they even got elected but that’s another story…
But anyway, again thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you etc. My pet rats say thank you as well.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
These two words THANK YOU seems so little to say for what all of you at Greenpeace do for the world. I have been a supporter for over fifteen years now and have seen what sheer determination and conviction can accomplish. Love and Kudos to all of you. Your videos show the truth about what is happening, whether its whale hunting, the tar sands, destruction of the boreal/rainforests, dragging the ocean floors destroying everything in its path.
I don’t know what the planet would without Greenpeace. Thanks again.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I applaud your dedication and courage!
October 12th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I applaud your dedication and courage!
October 13th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Maybe Mr.Harper should remember that “election time is coming AND ther is a lot of animal right supporters out there keeping an eye on YOU and your are Gov’t.
CYA @ election time ……’STEVE”!!!!
October 13th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I applaud the brave people of Greenpeace who are drawing attention to the suicidal mission that the Tar Sands are.
The Tar Sands developers and our government are the ones that are really scary as they keep taking us down this path of destruction. I’m wondering what planet are they planning to move to?
I’m beholding to the heroic people in Greenpeace who carry out the actions I do not have the courage to partake in.
October 14th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Bravo! People like you are an inspiration for all Canadians that thinks that tar sands is one of the worst environmental disaster to ever happened in Canada. The fact that politicians are seeing the tar sands as progress and development is just embarrassing. This is nonsense.
I think it is becoming more and more difficult to be proud of being Canadian these days.
Keep up the excellent work guys.
October 17th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I lived in McMurray for 10 years. In that time SynCrude and SunCore totally disregarded all of their promises to “clean up the river” (I don’t think they even have a plan how to do it) or to re-forest. I have heard that the areas around the tailing ponds are so contaminated that not only does nothing grow there but the people sent to get samples don’t even want to touch anything. And why should they? The plants won’t care what the samples show anyway. Apparantly results have a way of getting lost or being changed.
McMurray is a transient town full of opportunistic people who are there to make their money and then get out. That’s what the oil companies are there for too. And the government is right there in bed with the oil companies. But Albertans ask for that by repeatedly voting in the same government. I’ve never seen a people so scared of change! And of course the transients don’t vote. But it’s good for the politicians because they can treat the voters however they want and know they’ll get back in. I’ve never seen people happy to pay such high taxes while companies making an obscene amount of money get huge tax breaks.
I don’t know why the RCMP arrested the Greenpeace protesters and not the environmental criminals. Do they not think that they and their children will be affected by what’s happening? Ask anyone in McMurray about cloudy days. Emmisions from the plants increase and everyone knows it and no one does anything or holds the plants responsible and it’s illegal. The government is definitely involved in the criminal activities of the plants. Why are the RCMP not storming the plants when they disregard the laws? Oh, probably the RCMP don’t have the equipment or training to check the air quality.
I thought the RCMP worked for the people and were on the side of justice. Well I guess they know who signs their pay cheques and believe me, in McMurray that pay cheque is all that counts.
I’m sure that SynCrude and SunCore wish we were all ducks who would land in their illegal and disgusting tailing ponds. I believe they have signed contracts or agreements to clean up that chemical soup, that’s why I call it illegal.
I hope you make yourselves heard in Copenhagen and I hope the scientists manage to show our politicians up for the fools or charlatans that they really are. I really really hope that someone will prove that Syncrude and Suncore are breaking the law and the politicians are just turning a blind eye. If you’ve been there you know it’s happening.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
It would be nice they could at least compromise about the emissions and not pollute that river. Why couldn’t you have talks with them and submit some kind of alternative. They have to try to make a living but where are they going when the climate is so volatile. Economy and ecology really go together. What is sanity anyway?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I cant believe this is Canada any more?.
Canada should be leading the world on climate change,not a world disgrace.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I applaud you actions. I too believe that when one has a goal in mind, every form of action should be taken, no matter how illegal it may be. I too believe that when reaching for one’s goal it is acceptable to divert public resources - such as emergency response personnel - away from other tasks. Think how well your message would get across if people in need of ambulance or fire emergency response where adversely affected by Greenpeace activists! Just a suggestion, but maybe you should consider blockading fire stations and ambulance dispatch centres.
You opinion is the one that counts and it matters not how you end up getting your way. To hell with democracy and the ballot box when we can highjack the agenda by other means.
Keep up the good work!
December 10th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I deplore the Tar Sands, there is so much evidence that they are severely harming people and all other life around them. I encourage all those who do not want them to stop using all oil-based products, or at the very least, cut by half all your use of such. This includes the jackets the men on the above screen were wearing, the transportation forms chosen to get to and from the tar sands, any and all use of plastic food containers, and in the homes to which you return. the governments and industries that keep and develop the tar sands, know well, that their oil is used, every drop of it; that without it there may be too much pressure on agriculture, to fulfill the ‘needs’ being attended to today by oil.
All change occurs through people themselves changing. When everyone uses LESS, in enough quantity that the oil from a source like the oilsands is no longer needed, then, the industry will not be profitable, and the companies will stop.