REAL LIFE
From Issue #14
Bob Hunter Founder of Greenpeace
Out to Save the World
by Jody Smith
Bob Hunter, named one of the environmental heroes of the century by 
Time magazine in 2000, has been, for most of his career, a journalist
with a cause. He is convinced that “an eco-shitstorm is coming down
before our eyes. And overwhelmingly, we’re just watching.” In 1975 after persuading the group to change its name from the Don’t
Make a Wave Committee to the Greenpeace Foundation, Bob
became chairman of the organization.
“Canadians are the worst energy pigs on the
planet,” says Bob Hunter, Canada’s foremost environmental
activist and journalist. It seems every Canadian
family releases 4.9 tonnes of greenhouse gases every
year into the atmosphere and are using up fossil fuels
with 15% more emissions per person than in the U.S.
And, for the co-founder of Greenpeace, taking responsibility
is key to bringing about change.
In September 1971, the roots of Greenpeace were
sown when Bob and a boatful of Canadians set sail from
Vancouver on its mission to the Aleutian Islands, intent
on interrupting U.S. nuclear testing. “We all expected to
be nuked by the weekend,” and there was what he mildly
called a “vested interest in stopping imminent
destruction.” In 1975, Greenpeace was born and the world of environmental activism changed forever.
Now retired from Greenpeace, Bob still champions
ways to prevent a catastrophic environmental event in the
world by making “simple but obvious” personal changes:
switching to more efficient light bulbs, choosing to walk,
removing his electric garage door opener, and seeking
out cleaner sources of power.
Taking personal
responsibility is the key to change, as is forcing
players like industry and government to clean
up power sources. As a media personality,
Hunter still uses his newspaper columns,
his role as an ecology specialist on CityTV,
and new book, 2030: Confronting Thermageddon
in Our Lifetime, to make
global warming a hot issue.
Bob
tackles the problem of how burning
fossil fuels for transportation and
power pollute the atmosphere,
causing the globe to retain heat like
a greenhouse, which he believes
can lead to higher mean temperatures,
drought, deforestation, melting
ice caps, flooding, increased spread
of tropical diseases, and ultimately,
threatens human survival on Earth.
Bob’s combination of strategies
has led successes on several fronts,
including the emissions-reducing
Kyoto accord. “Canada did the
right thing [by being the 98th
country to sign the accord],” he
says. “We can always do more,
one step at a time.”
Stop being an energy pig
• Bike instead of drive. The insurance is cheaper,
and you’ll have rock solid calves.
• If you must get a car, check out new hybrid
models, which operate by switching between
an electric battery and gasoline.
• Get a haircut you don’t have to blow dry.
• Support politicians who believe in renewable
energy sources.
• Sure, the only appliance you might be buying is
a solar-powered calculator, but don’t hesitate to
pay more for something that will cost you (and
the planet!) less to run.
• Polyester is a petroleum by-product. Also it’s ugly.
Solve a fashion crime and an eco-crime at the
same time—avoid it!
• Save hot water. Shower with a friend. If your
mom doesn’t go for that one, try a low-flow,
high-pressure showerhead.
Editor's note: Sadly, this Canadian hero passed away May 2, 2005
Photos above courtesy of Greenpeace and CityTV
