From ‘save the pandas’ campaigns to holding world-wide activities on Earth Day, there are so many organizations that help us make a change to save our planet. But there is only one that has a great impact on us, the one that has helped us to communicate worldwide, the one that helped us become leaders and take action. That organization is Greenpeace–it has made a difference for 43 years.

Greenpeace, which was founded in 1971, is an independent global campaigning organization whose goal is to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. This non-governmental environmental organization has offices in over forty countries and an international coordinating body in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Greenpeace states its goal is to “ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity and focuses its campaigning on worldwide issues such as climate change, deforestation, over fishing, commercial whaling, stop genetic engineering and anti-nuclear issues.”

Greenpeace was founded by a small group of activists in an old fishing boat known as the Phyllis Cormack. They wanted to stop and “bear witness” to U.S. underground nuclear testing at Amchitka, a tiny island off the west coast of Alaska.These founders believed a few could make a difference. Their boat was blocked and the bomb was discharged but nuclear testing over there ended a year later.

With this success, Greenpeace started to communicate with the world in a creative manner using media savvy techniques to bring vivid images to the world and even having individuals confronting big authorities and companies.

One of the most successful campaigns occurred in 1987, which was when Greenpeace activists placed small inflatable boats called zodiacs between whaling ships and the whales to protest the hunting practice and highlight toxic threats facing oceans.

Greenpeace has played a pivotal role in making a better earth. It has a huge impact in our world as a whole. As making a difference in our world, it has helped many people step up, find justice and do what they believe should be right .

Greenpeace has helped many people restore their beloved places. James Blakely, an active volunteer of Greenpeace and eager climate activist shares his story with the world, showing Greenpeace helped him restore Mt. Rainier. With the help of the people, kayaks, and tubes, he was able to stop Shell from drilling into the mountains.

For more than 40 years, Greenpeace has worked with people for a greener and cleaner earth. From banning toxic dumping into the seas to holding peaceful protests to stop arctic drilling, Greenpeace has always strived to do the best  by following  a simple principle: that one small change can make a difference.