Greenpeace in the Faroe Islands
I
Living in the Faroe Islands means that you have experienced Greenpeace in action. It also
means that your opinion regarding Greenpeace is not as positive as it might have been,
without the influence of your fellow countrymen.
"Credit, where credit's due". Greenpeace has done a magnificent work when it comes to
preserving our environment, even though their methods are questionable and sometimes rude
and immoral.
From Greenpeaces campaigns against the Faroe Islands, where pilot whale hunting has been
the subject, we know them and their methods of argumentation to be detestable. Pictures
and video-recordings were manipulated with and information, that we can only laugh at,
were feeded to the public.
The questionable procedures that have been used in the campaigns against the Faroe
Islands however is not a general perspective of Greenpeace and their actions. But the
keyword for Greenpeace and what is common for almost every venture that Greenpeace takes,
is that they are active. Greenpeace does not believe in bureaucracy, and is that
something that we should respect. Taking on a action for Greenpeace sometimes means that
you have to break the law or at least bend it a little.
In USA where they protested against some factories which deliberately lead their toxic
waste to lakes nearby, Greenpeace sealed the pipes, from which the toxic waste was coming
from and furtermore the activists refused to leave.
A up-to-date example could be Mururoa, where the French government held a series of
underground nuclear tests and banned all nearby sailing activities meanwhile. Greenpeace
had no hesitation, sailed right to Mururoa and stayed there until they were forced to
leave by a commando squad.
Even though straight on action, seems to be their game, Greenpeace also has it's own
research center, from where the ozone-friendly refrigerators was designed. But 'direct
action' is still what Greenpeace stands for.
One could say that in a world where bureaucracy blooms and people do not seem to care -
Greenpeace is the rebel.
II
Pat Hanson
875 Green Street
Seattle, WA98116
USA
Greenpeace Denmark
Linnesgade 25
1361 K?benhavn K
1 October 1995
Dear Sirs
Being a environmentalist like myself and having followed Greenpeaces ventures with
interest and expectations, I have gained respect and admirations for your organization
and the work it has been doing for the environment.
It is therefore I write to you, now that I am going to start my own shop in the centre of
Copenhagen.
The name which I have chosen to my shop is
GREEN MACHINE
The goods will consist of environmental literature and environmental articles to begin
with. To mention but a few ecological articles, I am planning to sell, are:
? Clothes
? Caps
? Bags
? Toiletries
I believe that the shop can be a success and my degree in business administration will be
a reliable help to make that happen. My financial status is also good and I intend to
spare no expense in the making of the GREEN MACHINE shop.
For me it would an honour and a privilege to sell Greenpeace articles in my shop and I
hereby ask for your permission to do so.
I believe that a business deal between us would be beneficial to both parts, since your
goal obviously is to reach as many customers as possible with your merchandises.
I look forward hearing from your and to eventually do business with you in the future.
Yours faithfully
Pat Hanson
III
GREENPEACE
Greenpeace Denmark
Linnesgade 25
1361 K?benhavn K
Pat Hanson
875 Green Street
Seattle, WA98116
USA
10 October 1995
Thanks for your letter to Greenpeace in Denmark and your interest for our organisation.
We have rather large administration her in the country, both in Copenhagen and in Arhus,
and besides that we have shops in both towns. Our goods are being sold in these shops and
through mail order via our members magazine.
As you see, we have comprehensive sale of Greenpeace-merchandises and as a multinational
association we have surten obligations and restrictions. Therefore we are sorry to inform
you that you may not sell Greenpeace-merchandises in the shop, which your are planning to
open in Copenhagen.
On the other side we naturally always are interested to encourage the sale of ecological
articles, even though this gives our own shops increased competition. Therefore we would
like to help you getting started with your shop by sharing our experience with you.
Greenpeace does know to aggressive advertising campaigns, and we could perhaps help you
in this area. We therefore ask you to contact Henrik Green, which is the leader of our
marketing department.
We hope that you may succeed in establishing a shop in Copenhagen.
Yours faithfully
Greenpeace Denmark
Chris Smith
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