Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout: The Making of a Sensible Environmentalist Paperback – Illustrated, November 22, 2010

The book started with establishing the environmental activist credentials before it became popular. It also gives insights into how politics and individual agendas have shaped the modern Greenpeace movement. This reads more as a personal memoir. I think the author did a good job of remaining at a professional distance when discussing events and actions of others that at the time probably at the time the reactions would have been much stronger and less open to other points of view.The second part of the book does a deep dive into individual issues and the science against the established environmental stance. While I no longer work in science, this section reaffirmed many of my own observations around topics and raised several points that I will have to critically investigate more thoroughly. I found the section on climate change and the behaviour of the researchers involved in particular needing further critical research before I decide where I sit.Highly worth a read if you want to get a different perspective in order to make a more informed personal decision on key items on the environmental agenda.

I just finished reading "Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout - The Making of a Sensible Environmentalist" by the founder (one of a handful, but he was the driving force by far) Patrick Moore.After a short chapter of introductory frustration over the change of course Greenpeace has made, which made him drop out, he gives a great history of how they single-handedly launched successful campaigns against atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, illegal hunting of whales, clubbing of tens of thousands of seal pups, and quite a few other activities that I think were worthy endeavors in protecting our environment. He also protested building nuclear power plants, but has now done an about face on that. One could skip over this and start with page 37, "The Beginnings," if the introductory part hasn't enough interest.Much of the book is spent on refuting the reasons Greenpeace has for their campaigns on genetic alteration of crops and animals, use of chemicals in industrial products, global climate change, and so forth. He states (very correctly) that the evolved Greenpeace bases nearly nothing on science or real data (or what I would call "common sense"), but is obsessed with winning converts and battling authorities and industries. His writing about forestry is very well done, as he was raised in a lumber town in British Columbia and has been involved in forestry most of his life. His contention is that lumber is our greatest renewable resource and that the forestry industry is NOT destroying the forests, but expanding them. He makes great arguments in favor of nuclear power (he didn't mention this, but I love the bumper sticker I've often seen "more people have died in the back seat of Ted Kennedy's car than in US nuclear accidents").I wasn't aware that Greenpeace is trying to have the element chlorine declared a toxic material and that it should be banned in manufacturing or used where it can expose people. Amazing. What do we use to "salt" our food? How can we have sanitary swimming pools? Etc. It is a fairly long book, but contains a huge list of footnotes referencing his sources (many accessible by websites). If nothing else, read chapter 20 "The Climate of Fear" where he puts forth a great argument that the earth pretty much does as it wishes, as far a climate is concerned, and that yes, we may be affecting it to some degree, but the earth has been much warmer in the past, has had much higher CO2 (even in cool times!), and that the current warming trend, which started around 18,000 years ago, with occasional short cooling periods, is much better for us than a prolonged cooling period would be.All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the book (as a scientist, I like approaches based on facts and integrity), despite not agreeing with a few comments (US needs government health care, which was only a sentence or two). Perhaps I liked it because I agree with nearly all his assertions about the real intent of Greenpeace and the lack of credible science. I think they have evolved from a very useful organization into an anti-industry group seeking notoriety and exerting muscle disproportionate to their causes.

By reading this book you will understand that no science is settled and brave scientists.Will continue to challenge the so called settled results as we always should do.And that we should demand high standards for our scienctists.And personal or political beliefs or agenda should not influence the results of study’s or reports.Thanks for a wonderful book.

Dr. Moore's book is part biography, dealing with helping to found Greenpeace and his early activism, which was both reasonable (in what they hoped to achieve) and sometimes radical (in the methods they sometimes used, risking themselves to achieve their goals). His story highlights the dangers of activism - early on, there really were some very egregious practices that needed to end. But what happens when you've pretty much fixed all of the main problems? Too many activists are addicted to activism; they must treat smaller and smaller issues as if they are every bit as horrendous as that which went before.There comes a time when the real goals have been met and the activist should switch to a proponent. In other words, rather than screaming about what he's against, he needs to become a calm, reasoned voice for what he supports. Dr. Moore made that transition successfully. Too many of his former compatriots could not. He now talks about sustainability, about clean, responsible energy production that keeps energy at a price that is affordable, about the agriculture we will need to feed 9.5 billion people and how it is within our reach, about that fact that we must meet the needs of people while still preserving and protecting our planet.One need not agree with all that Dr. Moore proposes to find this book a valuable resource. In it, he provides logical, factual arguments for the approaches he supports without the stridency that is typical of the usual activists today. You won't feel like someone is screaming in your face as you read the book. Rather, it feels like a pleasant conversation over a beer at your favorite pub.I strongly recommend this book.

A very good book, well documented, from someone with both a scientific background and a clear practical commitment in improving things. A must read for those who have doubts about ecolgists really working for the common good.

A very honest and sensible account from someone who is both knowledgable and passionate about Green issues. My worry is that Green Parties will lose credence eventually when their predictions are seen to be false. Pollution of our Planet should be our biggest concern. Climate Change is too complex to fully understand, and fluctuations have always been noticed or recorded. However, Pollution of our Planet is on a steady upward trajectory. This book both explains and rationalises these views. I joined Greenpeace at an early age and it was because of the views which the Author still holds dear to his heart. An absorbing read.

Excellent reading with a balance between anecdotal, science and logical argument. The author certainly gives the reader reason to pause and evaluate the current climate debates.

This is a great book and should be read by everyone that has ever donated to an environmental advocacy organization such as Greenpeace.The first part of the book reads very much as a history of the origins of Greenpeace from the perspective of an insider that lived through those exciting times. Yes, Greenpeace accomplished great things in its early days and for that we can be eternally thankful to them. They virtually stopped the widespread destruction of the whales and halted the testing of nuclear weapons. But, somewhere along the way, they lost their way. They were hijacked by self-seeking individuals who know that environmental activism can be a great way to make lots of money. They do this by spreading a culture of fear and then feeding on that fear for financial gain. I find it interesting that many of the current Greenpeace campaigns are virtually un-winnable. This is brilliant since it creates a never ending battle and as long as the funds come in, a never ending job for the people Greenpeace employs.The Greenpeace staff certainly get around. On their own website they proudly claim to have '2.9 million members worldwide, and represent them at virtually every international environmental conference.' And how may I ask, do they get to all these international environmental conferences? Do they walk? Or, do they fly in commercial airlines? What do they think powers that airplane? Do the Greenpeace activists know that jet fuel is made from crude oil?Dr. Moore makes a statement in the book that 'environmentalism has gone off the rails and has become an apocalyptic religion that is self-defeating and demoralizing.' When one considers much of the debate surrounding the subject of environmentalism, it is clear that it has indeed become a new religion for many of the proponents. I am reminded of a quote from the L.Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, 'You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.' This is what the higher-ups at Greenpeace have done. They have turned the environmental movement into a new religion. As long as they can continue to spread a culture of fear related to global warming, chemicals in our environment and genetically modified foods, they can continue to conduct lucrative fundraising campaigns.I'd like to relate a personal anecdote at this point. Sometime around 1992, I was in my driveway washing my car when a Greenpeace canvasser walked up to request a contribution to the cause. Since he was on foot, it was gratifying to see that at the moment, his carbon footprint was very low. I do not generally give money to people collecting at the door, but I thought I should be polite and ask him what campaigns they were currently conducting; since they had now saved the whales and the seals and had stopped nuclear proliferation. He got very excited at my interest and quickly told me they had a campaign to eliminate the automobile. I asked for clarification of whether they wanted to eliminate all cars, or just mine, which I happened to be washing at that moment. He told me with great enthusiasm that they intended to eliminate all automobiles. I immediately asked him how I would get to work. His very glib answer was 'public transit'. I told him that I was regularly required to travel for work to places such as Prince George, B.C. and that public transit does not go there. He did not have any response to that comment. I am a strong proponent of public transit and I do take it whenever possible. However, to say someone is going to eliminate the automobile and replace it with public transit, is simply foolish. Making cars more fuel efficient, less polluting or electric are all achievable goals. Eliminating them altogether in our technological society makes no sense. I wished him a pleasant day and told him that I would not be making a contribution. I knew at that moment that Greenpeace had wandered into an area of radical activism that was not worth funding. However, 2.8 million regular contributors to Greenpeace disagree with me and are happy to continue contributing to what are essentially un-winnable campaigns.Dr. Moore calls himself a sensible environmentalist. Greenpeace calls him a traitor to the environmental cause and someone that has turned his back on the movement for financial gain. It seems to me that Greenpeace has exploited the movement for the past two decades - primarily for financial gain.I do not agree with everything Dr. Moore says in his book, however for the most part his arguments make rational sense. If you care about the environment and want concrete suggestions on how to help in a sustainable, practical manner I suggest you read the book.Jerry VanEe

Einerseits ist das Buch die faszinierende Autobiographie eines Wissenschaftlers, der sich angetrieben von Bewunderung und Liebe zur Natur und von wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnis gegen Schädigung der Umwelt und für nachhaltige Entwicklung einsetzt.Andererseits ist es die mehr erschreckende als faszinierende Entwicklung einer Organisation von anfangs dilettantischen Idealisten zu einer perfekten globalen Kampagnenmaschine.Die detailreichen Schilderungen der verschiedenen Aktionen von Greenpeace sind spannend zu lesen. In der ersten größeren Aktion versucht eine zusammengewürfelte Mannschaft, mit einer kleinen Jacht in den für US-amerikanische H-Bombenversuche gesperrten Bereich der Beringsee einzudringen. Sie sind selbst überrascht, wie das Medienecho auf Ihre eigentlich gescheiterte Aktion die Weltmacht USA letztlich zwingt, die Versuche in dem Gebiet einzustellen. Es folgen weitere abenteuerliche Aktionen gegen den Walfang, das Abschlachten von Robbenbabies und gegen französische Nuklearversuche in der Südsee. Dabei kommt es durch den Sprengstoffanschlag des französischen Geheimdienstes auf die "Rainbow Warrior" zu dem einzigen Todesopfer der AktionenSchon bei den ersten Aktionen zeigen sich Spannungen zwischen radikalen Fundamentalisten und Pragmatikern, die bereit sind auch mit Verbündeten für ihre Ziele zusammen zu arbeiten, z.B. als auch Brigitte Bardot gegen das Robbenschlachten eintritt. In vielen Ländern bilden sich lokale Greenpeace Organisationen, die bald auch eigene Kampagnen starten.Der Bruch zwischen dem Autor und der Organisation beginnt damit, dass einerseits die Organisation sich verselbständigt und teilweise Kampagnen danach auswählt, wieviel Spenden durch klare Feindbilder mobilisierbar sind. Andererseits nimmt der Autor 1982 an einer Konferenz des United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Nairobi teil, wo ihm die Vertreter von weniger entwickelten Ländern ins Bewusstsein bringen, dass die Menschen dort Bedürfnisse haben, die nur durch die Nutzung von gewissen Umweltressourcen befriedigt werden können. Dies motivierte ihn, nicht mehr nur gegen umweltschädigende Aktivitäten vorzugehen, sonder auch positiv zu forschen, wie die knappen Umweltressourcen nachhaltig genutzt werden können. Er betreibt selbst eine Lachsfarm als Alternative zur Überfischung der wilden Lachse und beteiligt sich an der Entwicklung von Konzepten zu nachhaltiger Forstwirtschaft.Der Bruch wird endgültig, als Greenpeace Kampagnen eben gegen diese nachhaltige Ressourcennutzung startet.In weiteren Kapiteln beschreibt der Autor ausführlich weitere Kampagnen von Greenpeace die bestenfalls unsinnig sind, aber oft sogar nachhaltige und effiziente Ressourcennutzung verhindern. Da diese Kampagnen aber immer ein klares Feindbild haben, treffen sie in Medien und Öffentlichkeit auf viel Zustimmung.Diese Kapitel sind eine Pflichtlektüre für alle an Umweltschutz und nachhaltiger Entwicklung interessierten Menschen. Daher trotz einiger Längen und Wiederholungen 5 Sterne.Das Buch ist auf Englisch z.T. schwierig zu lesen, vor allem dort, wo die sprachliche Verfälschung von Umweltproblemen in den Medien behandelt wird. Ich frage mich, ob Greenpeace mit Druck auf Verleger eine deutsche Übersetzung verhindert, oder ob Greenpeace schon so mächtig ist, dass Verleger sich dies in vorauseilender Selbstzensur gar nicht trauen?