Shell is the third largest oil company in the world.
It is also the new sponsor of the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
Could you sign on to a statement opposing this sponsorship?
If you agree with us that this is a ridiculous situation, here’s what you can do:
1.) Sign on to this statement which we will publicise online to help build the pressure on the Natural History Museum (NHM). (Please send your name to us at
info@artnotoil.org.uk):
‘Despite attempts to ‘greenwash’ its reputation via blanket advertising and cultural sponsorship, Shell is still heavily implicated in producing ever-greater quantities of the oil and gas that are destabilising our climate to such an alarming degree. Climate change is set to wipe out millions of plant and animal species, and to devastate the poorest regions of the planet. Shell’s activities also result in oil spills which are major causes of death and destruction for many varieties of marine life. Lastly, Shell is currently constructing a massive development at Sakhalin Island in Russia which is threatening the survival of the Western Pacific grey whale.
For all these reasons, Shell should not be sponsoring the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. We call on the Natural History Museum to end its sponsorship deal with Shell.’
2.) Help get the word out, either with more copies of our postcard, or by contacting people – particularly photographers – who might be up for helping out or contributing images. That work could be images of wildlife affected by oil or threatened by climate change, or of communities directly affected by Big Oil.
3.) Tell NHM boss Michael Dixon directly what you think of Shell (not to mention BP, which is a Museum partner): (020) 7942 5000;
m.dixon@nhm.ac.uk, & cc to
feedback@nhm.ac.uk and us.
It’s our view that oil is a curse that fuels wars for resources like that now being waged at such a high cost in Iraq. It is also the greatest cause of climate change, which is a worldwide emergency and could result in the death of 400 million people, mostly in the poorest countries of the world (according to the government’s Chief Scientist). This emergency is certain to result in the extinction of millions of plant and animal species. Oil spills are also major causes of death and destruction for many varieties of marine life, including some that are already endangered.
Shell’s core - and growing - business is rooted in oil and gas production. It seems to have decided that pumping a tiny percentage of its profits into sponsoring places like the Natural History Museum (NHM) will divert your attention from this globally suicidal fact…
…which is hopefully where we come in, pointing a spotlight at the growing gulf between what they say (a language known as ‘greenwash’) and what they do. We will keep at it until Shell is no longer welcome in the NHM.
We believe there can be a greener and fairer future for the planet and its people, a future that will require in part the consigning of the oil industry to the history books. Our campaign hopes to be one small step in that direction. Thanks for reading, and for anything you’re able to do.
Art Not Oil/London Rising Tide, c/o 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES.
Tel: 07708 794665
info@artnotoil.org.uk www.shelloiledwildlife.org.uk www.artnotoil.org.uk www.londonrisingtide.org.uk
http://www.shelloiledwildlife.org.uk/petition.html). 
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