Hot Air Balloons
Over the years hot air balloons have played a lead role in several memorable Greenpeace actions around the globe, and Greenpeace USA’s One World Balloon carries on that tradition. The balloon gives Greenpeace a new, higher, vantage point to bearing witness to the world’s environmental crimes. And, the public can get a birds-eye-view of the world they call home.
This is not the first time Greenpeace has used a hot air balloon to get our message out to the public. Our first Earth balloon was launched at the 1997 G8 summit in Denver, CO to demand our world leaders "Save the Climate," and again at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City, UT calling for "Clean Energy Now" and solutions to "Stop Global Warming."
In 1982 we launched the Trinity, a Greenpeace hot air balloon that has had a long and storied international career, near the entrance to a nuclear test site in Nevada bearing the message "Stop Nuclear Tests." In 1987, a massive anti-nuclear protest was organized at the same testing grounds, and this time we flew the Trinity directly into the test site in an attempt to prevent a nuclear detonation from occurring. Several Greenpeace activists also walked onto the site in support of the balloon, but it turned out the blast had secretly taken place two days before in order to avoid just such a disruption.
The Trinity has been flown outside of the US during several noteworthy direct communication actions. One such occasion, in 1983, resulted in East German authorities impounding the balloon after it was flown over the Berlin Wall as a plea for peace and disarmament. The East Germans did not release the balloon until 1985.
In 2008, Greenpeace used the One World balloon to deliver a strong message on global warming to participants in New Mexico's popular Balloon Fiesta. Our message highlighted the concern of people all across the country, aware of both the seriousness of global warming and the inaction of our leaders to take any sort of meaningful action to combat it.
In 2009, the One World balloon landed in the Green Mountain State to help draw public attention to shutting down a very dangerous nuclear power plant – Vermont Yankee.
In 2009, Greenpeace's One World balloon flew in Mexico during the United Nations Climate Negotiations in Cancun. The balloon carried messages such as, "Rescue the Climate" and "Stop Global Warming," over the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, as delegates prepared to gather for these important climate meetings.
In addition, Greenpeace continues to use the One World balloon for a variety of campaign purposes, such as for hanging banners, taking pictures of environmental crimes and measurements of airborne pollution.
Envelope type: Sphere 105
Envelope weight: 453 lbs
Basket: 42 x 52 Aristocrat basket, cushion floor, leather bolster
Basket weight: 159 lbs
Burner: Cameron Ultra-2 e