The Ecology Book

309

Activists in a dinghy patrol in front

of two ships from the UK carrying

illegal toxic substances as part of

regular Greenpeace protests.

See also: Citizen science 178–183 ■ Pesticides 242–247 ■ Human devastation

of Earth 299 ■ Halting climate change 316–321

ENVIRONMENTALISM AND CONSERVATION

Wave Committee to protest against

nuclear bomb testing by the US on

the island of Amchitka, Alaska.

The organization favored direct

action rather than political lobbying

and chartered a boat to sail to the

island in protest. The publicity

generated by the group swayed

public opinion and halted the tests.

This was the first action of what

was to become Greenpeace, an

organization that continues to

use direct action to challenge

those engaged in environmentally

damaging activities.

Green politics

During the 1970s, political parties

with dedicated environmentalist

manifestos emerged in several

countries. For example, The Ecology

Party was established in the UK

in 1975, and the Green Party

formed in Germany in 1979. As

the movement gained momentum,

many smaller parties began to

coalesce to form national, unified

Green Parties.

In recent years, as issues such

as pollution and climate change

have risen up the news agenda,

other established political parties

have adopted environmentally

friendly policies. ■

Petra Kelly

Born Petra Lehmann in

Günzburg, West Germany,

in 1947, Kelly later adopted

the surname of her stepfather,

an American army officer.

When she was 12, the family

moved to the US, where Kelly

studied political science in

Washington, D.C.

In 1970, Kelly returned

to Europe. While working

at the European Commission

in Brussels, she joined

Germany’s Social Democratic

Party, but grew disillusioned

with traditional politics. She

joined Germany’s newly

formed Green Party in 1979,

and in 1983 was one of 28

members to be elected to

parliament. Kelly campaigned

on issues of environmentalism

and human rights. In 1992,

she and her companion, Green

politician Gert Bastian, were

found dead at her home in

Bonn, apparently the result

of a suicide pact.

Key works

1984 Fighting for Hope

1992 Nonviolence Speaks

to Power

1994 Thinking Green: Essays

on Environmentalism,

Feminism, and Nonviolence

We have everything

we need, save perhaps,

political will. But, you know

what ... political will is a

renewable resource.

Al Gore

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