When I first graduated from high school I was offered a full time, permanent position with the print shop I had been working for. I turned it down, despite the higher pay and benefits they were offering, because I wanted to have a job with more meaning. I had been extremely interested in environmental and other political causes. I kept up with current events, took part in letter writing campaigns, and joined protests against apartheid at Yale. It was a fairly exciting time. My best friend, who shared my feelings, noticed a want-ad in the paper for Greenpeace. Our local office was looking for canvassers. We both went in and applied, and walked out with new jobs.
It was long and somewhat tiring work, especially because it was through the hot days of summer. Each of us would be dropped off alone in a neighborhood that had been scouted out ahead of time, given a rough map, armed with literature, and ready (we hoped!) to sign up new members and receive new donations. This was not a job I was really well-suited for… going door to door, giving a scripted spiel on the environment. In the late eighties most people were skeptical at best and belligerent at worst, in response to the information we were sharing. I was generally shy and introverted; I was an artist, not a salesperson. But, I was also passionate about the topics I was discussing, so I stuck with it and did my best.
I have some good memories from canvassing for Greenpeace… I have to laugh at the times I trudged determinedly through downpours, and smile at the time someone from a rather affluent neighborhood gave me an umbrella to carry, and to keep. I cringe a little remembering the time an old man, a very grumpy old man, invited me in and then actually locked the door to keep me from leaving, because he was convinced I had been brainwashed. There were the late night after-work parties at Viva Zapata, in New Haven, where we’d all dig into deep dishes of nachos. My favorite memory working for Greenpeace was meeting my husband - who did become a member
What I am remembering most on this sunny afternoon, is all the young people I connected with going door to door on those hot summer days. These were kids younger than me, who listened alertly, picked up on the importance of what I was saying, reflected and responded, and I think, probably went forward with new awareness that just might have affected their daily choices in days and years to come.
Environmental awareness has become important to most Americans, at least to some degree. “Eco” is part of our daily vocabulary. I didn’t collect as much money for Greenpeace as I would have liked, but I can hope that those days going door to door, going beyond the spiel and sharing my heartfelt concerns, just might have made some small difference in the growing awareness that has taken place. It did indeed turn out to be a job with meaning, and even today, continues to have meaning for me.
* Note about the photo: this was taken on a whale watch off Cape Cod - whales were one of the causes we were working for. I’m sure everyone remembers “Save the Whales”.
