Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the freedom to express and publish their opinions - about matters of general interest'
(Habermas, 1974: 49). Fears that governments, corporations and other bodies are
increasingly limiting these freedoms or that some groups consistently fail to get their
voices heard have led to numerous discussions about counter-publics, alternative
media forms and counter public spheres (Fraser, 1990; Dahlberg, 2007; Downey
and Fenton, 2003).
Box 10.1
Greenpeace international media analyst reflects
on communicating climate change
In normal times the public sphere is dominated by economically and politically powerful
actors but at times of perceived or actual crisis campaign groups and counter publics
have greater opportunities to influence public opinion. It is at these times that the
public sphere becomes more discernibly public.
Q: Please describe a few successful GI campaigns. What factors made them
successful?
A: There are many campaigns/actions that come to mind that were successful from
a media viewpoint, so I will share only a few illustrative examples. In 2006, we
launched a digital campaign with a parody version of the Apple website called
'GreenMyApple,' which encouraged Mac lovers to push Apple to review its recycling
policies and use of toxic chemicals. After having received thousands of reactions
online, Apple finally decided last year to start to comply with a more responsible
regime of environmental stewardship. Our anti-whaling campaign over the past years
has also been increasingly successful in isolating Japan internationally on its defense
of its inappropriate use of 'scientific' whaling on a commercial scale. In 2008, we
decided to focus on Japanese youth to support Japan's cessation of all whaling
activities via a 'whale love' bus tour and online campaign, as well as cartoon adverts
in cinemas. For the first time in years, we were able to generate significant media
attention in Japan itself, where the media were questioning the validity of the whaling
industry's actions. Late last year, two of our Japanese activists were unjustly arrested
and charged for exposing corruption and scandal in the whaling industry. They had
intercepted a box of whale meat being improperly transferred from the whaling ship
Nisshin Maru to the private home of a crew member. Our Japanese colleagues took
this box directly to the Tokyo public prosecutor as evidence of this improper transfer.
The following press conference received major media coverage in Japan and has
discredited the whaling industry. The public prosecutor actually dropped the charges
against the Nisshin Maru whilst our activists are still under investigation. Another
direct Greenpeace action with a high media impact took place in January 2006 and
actually resulted in the return of an asbestos-laden French aircraft carrier from France
bound for ship-breaking in Alang, India. Greenpeace volunteers intercepted and
boarded the Clemenceau off the coast of Egypt and the resultant ongoing international
media attention ultimately forced the governments in France and India to react.
Source: extract from DeLuca (2009: 266-7).
