Save the whales – save the Earth

by Dr. Paul Spong, Senior Advisor

This old slogan comes from a poster that went with an album by Country Joe McDonald called “Paradise with an Ocean View”. To me at the time, and still today, it sums up the reason for becoming involved in campaigns to save whales and dolphins. The logic is simply that if we can’t save the whales and dolphins, whose plight is so obvious, how can we possibly hope to save the rest of our endangered planet? That’s why the United Nations made the whale the symbol of environmental crisis in 1972, when it held its inaugural Environment meeting in Stockholm. It also explains why I got involved with Greenpeace in 1973, and why I’m supporting the efforts of Greenpeace Foundation now.

Back in the early ’70’s many species of whales literally faced biological extinction. The direct action campaigns of Greenpeace, together with the efforts of many others, helped avert that disaster. In 1982, the International Whaling Commission voted to impose an indefinite moratorium on commercial whaling around the world. That was a huge victory for the whales, and for everyone who had fought for them.

Unfortunately, though the moratorium was a giant step forward, whaling hasn’t stopped. In the years since 1982, thousands of whales have been killed openly by Norway (under IWC “objection” rules) and Japan (as so-called “scientific” whaling). Hundreds of thousands of dolphins have died in tuna nets. The horrific “drive fisheries” of Japan and Denmark continue unabated. So-called “aboriginal” whaling is expanding. Today, as explained in the pages of this web site, whales and dolphins are in great jeopardy. Worldwide commercial whaling is on the brink of starting up again; tuna fleets may soon be allowed to kill dolphins again; and the United States has authorized the Makah Nation of Washington state to kill friendly Gray whales. These are very dark days for whales and dolphins. All their friends need to come together to help again.

The world’s original “Greenpeace”, which I became involved with in 1973, came together in British Columbia, founding a movement. Ultimately that group joined Greenpeace International, expanding its horizons to encompass many vital issues besides whales. That was certainly appropriate. But the focus on whales and dolphins was lost somewhere along the way; views changed and energy was diverted elsewhere. My hope is that the initiatives of Greenpeace Foundation will bring a vitally needed focus on whales and dolphins back to the entire Greenpeace movement, and involve the whole world again. You see, I still believe that if we can save the whales, we can save the Earth.