Greenpeace

greenpeace @ glastonbury 2003

Greenpeace loves Glastonbury. Every time.

For starters, it gives us a chance to meet our supporters and to sign up new ones.
This year we signed up almost 700 new supporters at our recruitment points in the market areas. These are likely to contribute an additional £45,000 and as Greenpeace relies solely on donations from individuals, this money is vital to our campaigning in the UK and beyond

Just as important, we get a chance to talk about ourselves – telling people about our campaigns. The big issue this year was GM and our campaigners set up stall
next to the main stage where they managed to sign up a whopping 12,000 people
who were against GM being introduced into the foodchain.

But we aren’t really a talking organisation, we’re a doing one. And that’s why Glastonbury is so important to us – it allows us a way of communicating our positive message to people through real practical services and a positive atmosphere. For example our solar-assisted showers and organic café soothe the body, while our climbing wall and skateboard arena exercise it. People made new friends if they visited Soulmates, run in conjunction with The Guardian, or found serenity and perhaps enlightenment when they relaxed in our organic gardens.

And when it's all over, Glastonbury Festival makes an important financial contribution to keep us in action around the world. This year we received more than £200,000.

The focus of our campaigns in 2003 was centred around; protecting the world’s remaining ancient forests by changing the timber buying habits of governments and other major end users; by supporting action to combat climate change particularly through encouraging the building of offshore wind farms to produce electricity; to get GM out of animal feed and campaign for sustainable solutions in agriculture globally and to strengthen legislation on toxic chemical use in the EU.

Greenpeace would not have been able to do all this without the support and vital contribution from Glastonbury.

We were delighted to also hear this year that the festival managed to achieve much higher standards on environmental requirements. Greenpeace met with the Environment Agency to discuss water treatment and also produced materials aimed at festival -goers, encouraging them to clean up their act in matters relating to both litter and toilet habits. We intend to continue helping with these initiatives in future.

Glastonbury and Greenpeace came into being at about the same time. Over the years, the Festival has grown and developed into a unique event, appealing to a wide cross-section of society. Greenpeace attends most of the major UK festivals. Glastonbury stands alone in its diversity as the activities in our own field reflect.

Glastonbury is much more than a music festival. It’s an experience for all ages, classes and creeds.

Bob Wilson
Greenpeace UK

About Greenpeace

Greenpeace is an independent non-profit global campaigning organisation that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and their causes. We research the solutions and alternatives to help provide a path for a green and peaceful future.

Greenpeace @ Glastonbury
The Glastonbury Festival contributes a lot to Greenpeace.
And we like to think we contribute a lot to the Festival.

What does Greenpeace spend the money on?
In 2002, the money Michael Eavis donated to Greenpeace contributed to our campaigns around the world, enabling us to draw attention to key issues and take action for change.


  • Our flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, joined the clean-up after the Prestige oil tank disaster off the coast of Spain.

  • Our work in India led to thousands of women taking to the streets to demand justice for the victims of the horrific gas leak at a Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.

  • We organised an international boycott of Esso, the only major oil company to dismiss the threat of global warming.

  • And we actively campaign to prevent the Uk and US's rush to war against Iraq.

  • We kept the spotlight on the introduction of GM crops internationally while working to protect organic farming methods.

  • We continued to draw attention to the hazards of toxic chemicals , and as a result thousands of people across the UK joined us in opposing the building of new incinerators and demanding an increase in recycling within the UK.

  • And last but not least, we launched the groundbreaking Save or Delete campaign as part of our international work to protect the last world's remaining ancient forests.

What's on in the Greenpeace field?
In 2003 on the Greenpeace field, we were there for you - morning, noon and night. Here's a taste of what we ran
Wake up to Yoga
Bright and early, every morning

Hot solar-assisted showers
Who could say no?

Greenpeace climbing rig
We showed you the high spots

Greenpeace skateboard ramp
A festival favourite

The Enchanted Garden
Pop in and chill out

Soulmates
Did you meet your match with us?

Cafe Tango
Organic, vegetarian, GM-free nosh; 24hr lounging, and Addictive TV every night

Find out more about Greenpeace and how you can get involved at www.greenpeace.org.uk

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