Greenpeace... and why it doesn't matter (as much as you might think)

When I tell people that I'm working on the history of environmentalism in Canada, many assume that my subject matter revolves around Greenpeace and their efforts to a) stop bomb tests in the Pacific; b) protect old-growth forests in British Columbia; and/or c) save baby seals from club-wielding Atlantic Canadians.

Perhaps this is the perfect example of Greenpeace's success. Masters of utilizing the media, they are synonymous (to many) with these causes. Furthermore, they are the first group that springs to mind (again, to many) when environmentalism is referenced.

That said, don't be surprised when I complete my thesis and Greenpeace doesn't figure prominently. To be perfectly honest, I'm just not that interested in them.

Okay. I admit that's a rather flippant statement to make, especially from somebody engaged in the wonderful world of academia. The truth is, yes, Greenpeace has had a most fascinating history. I agree 100 percent that the organization has been extremely influential in the world of environmental activism. I've done my homework on Greenpeace. I've read the ever-increasing number of memoirs penned by its founders. I've read the academic works - and I wholeheartedly recommend that you take a look at Frank Zelko's forthcoming "Make It a Green Peace", based on his 2003 PhD dissertation. But the fact that so many books already exist about this organization points to a bit of a problem.

As it stands, the history of the environmental movement in Canada is dominated by works on Greenpeace. This has resulted in an assumption that this particular organization is representative of the broader movement. I beg to differ.

Here are some facts. The first modern-day environmentalist organization to emerge in Canada was Pollution Probe. Based out of the University of Toronto, it burst onto the scene in 1969. It was followed shortly thereafter by Vancouver's SPEC - the Society for Pollution and Environmental Control. Hundreds of environmentalist groups sprang forth in the early 1970s. Greenpeace was one of them. It was founded in 1971 by Vancouver-based activists that aimed to stop nuclear bomb tests at Amchitka through direct confrontation. They failed in their mission. However, widespread media attention and public admiration ensued and the rest, if you forgive the tired cliché, is history.

The groups mentioned differ insofar as methods are concerned. Take Pollution Probe. While by no means camera-shy, their appeal has been less to the emotions – à la Greenpeace - than to reason. Witness the high-quality studies and reports that have been Pollution Probe's trademark since its inception. Throw SPEC - its name now stands for the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation - and Halifax's Ecology Action Centre (founded in 1971) into the mix and what do we have? Two more environmentalist organizations, yes, but with methods and focuses that appear to be more in line with Pollution Probe than Greenpeace.

Herein lies (lay?) my point. I am not necessarily saying that Pollution Probe, SPEC, and the Ecology Action Centre are the prototypical environmentalist groups in Canada. What I am prepared to say is that Greenpeace is not the whole story unto itself. Does this mean that I will avoid mentioning Greenpeace and its contributions in my thesis? Of course not. But the first step in gaining a fuller understanding of Canada's environmentalist past may well be admitting that Greenpeace's role has been grossly exaggerated.