Ann Novek, Greenpeace
cyberactivist and volunteer from Sweden.
22/04/2005 — Ever think that one person can't
change the world? Greenpeace cyberactivist
Ann Novek is proof otherwise.
In April of 2004 she was looking at an ad
for outdoor furniture from Sweden's biggest
retailer, Asko-Möbler.
Ann is a Greenpeace Cyberactivist, and she
had been following events in Indonesia where
our ship, Rainbow Warrior, had been highlighting
forest crimes in the Pacific, and participating
in weekly chats about what more our supporters
could do to help.
So she was surprised and dismayed to see
that Asko-Möbler sold products made from
Keruing wood.
She knew that Keruing is the name given to
around 70 commercially harvested timber species,
more than half of them listed as critically
endangered or endangered, and that most Keruing
is logged illegally.
Ann gets active
Ann started a thread at the Action Forum
asking for advice on how to pressure the company.
She got the email address of the CEO and wrote
to him asking if he knew where the Keruing
wood came from, and whether he had assurances
that it was legal and/or sustainably grown.
He promised to send certificates documenting
that the wood was legal. He never did so.
She talked to a spokesperson on the phone.
She asked if she knew about the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) and its programme of certifying
sustainably grown wood. The spokeswoman told
her that the FSC label was being phased out,
which was simply not true.
Ann lobbied for a Greenpeace cyberaction
against Asko-Möbler, she informed other
environmental groups in Sweden, she raised
the issue in chats and threads and posted
the email address of the CEO at the Action
Forum.
She was also in touch with the biggest environmental
group in Sweden, which coincidentally sent
a questionnaire to all major garden furniture
companies, and asked about FSC-certification.
Ann noted and publicized the fact that Asko-Möbler
didn't reply.
Victory!
After nearly a year of persistance, Ann opened
her morning newspaper to see the Spring furniture
line from Asko-Möbler was being advertised.
She was astonished to see not only was there
no Keruing wood in it, but ALL the garden
furniture was labelled FSC-certified.
While converting one furniture supplier to
sustainable purchasing may seem a small victory,
consider this: Ann is just one of 190,000
international cyberactivists from 122 countries
and territories, every one of them just as
capable of changing a small part of our world.
It's proof again of the wisdom of Margaret
Mead's words:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed,
it is the only thing that ever has."
Get active!
