Fair Feels Good

After decades of suffering, the Tibetan people have burst onto the streets in protests and riots. The spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games is now on China, and Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner the Dalai Lama is calling to end all violence through restraint and dialogue–he urgently needs the support of the world’s people.

China’s leaders are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama–but we’re told many Chinese officials believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. China’s leadership is right now considering a crucial choice between crackdown and dialogue that could determine Tibet’s, and China’s, future.

We can affect this historic choice. China does care about its international reputation, and we can help them choose the right path. China’s President Hu Jintao needs to hear that the ‘Made in China’ brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he makes the right choice. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get his attention.

China’s economy is dependent on “Made in China” exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability — some of Tibet’s rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.

We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese officials in New York, London and Beijing, but it must be a massive number first.

The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak, we must help them be heard.

The petition for restraint and dialogue in Tibet is exploding, with 253,353 signers since March 19! Add your voice to the outcry now. Sign the petition The goal is 1 million voices united for Tibet.

A brilliant campaign! Name and shame the worst offenders (or biggest fossil fools) that have ignored our demand for clean and just energy.
Vote in all or any of the following categories:

- Fossil Fool of the Year
- Most Inauspicious Newcomer
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Biggest Human Toll
- Outstanding Performance in Corporate Greenwashing

Visit Co-op America to vote, and automatically enter the contest for a free year of renewable energy credits for your home.

Towards the end of last year, Indian authorities raided factories making GAP clothing, and found children as young as 10 employed there making garments for the GAP Kids range. The children said they were sold to the factory by their families, some of them claim they were not paid and all of them were working in terrible conditions.

GAP says the clothes produced at these factories will not be sold in the U.S. and it has ended its contract with the factories. We do not think this is enough. Since 2004 GAP has been pressurized to employ monitors to oversee its factories, but today there are there are only 90 monitors for 2,000 factories - a true representation that the company has “outsourced so much of their supply chain, that they now can’t control very critical issues about core treatment of workers producing their goods” (Dara O’Rourke, UC Berkeley professor).

Child labor must not be tolerated. GAP (including Old Navy, Banana Republic and Piperlime) does not do enough to respect human rights. Tell these stores that you object, and choose an alternative until there is a change.

Apple released its most powerful MacBook Pro today - a beautiful machine - with a major problem. The computer, like all others, is made with toxic chemicals (such as flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride). When products are dismantled for parts, people and the environment are are exposed to dangerous toxins.

The computer manufacturers are aware of the problem, and promise to change - but we don’t yet see any evidence of greener computers. Greenpeace has been challenging the computer industry to be more environmentally friendly, and need your support.

Go to Greenpeace to join the campaign.