Oh to be a fly on the wall of a Shell boardroom this week! Activists all
round the world have been taking action to #TellShell to get out of the Arctic.
Despite Greenpeace Netherlands taking over Shell’s headquarters, Greenpeace UK
activists shutting down 78 of the company’s petrol stations, Greenpeace France
and Mexico occupying their offices, petrol station actions in Denmark, Finland,
Hungary and the Czech Republic and Greenpeace Argentina sending 35 climbers to
shut down its refinery outside of Argentina, Shell still hasn’t got the
message.
To win this one we are going to need your help. That’s why we are handing this over to you now: we need you to #TellShell to get out of the Arctic.
On Friday 20th July, from the moment the sun rises in New Zealand to when it sets in Alaska we need you to telephone Shell to make sure they get the message that they can come no further.
Shell UK HQ Customer Services: 0800 731 8888 (Free to landlines)
Select 8 for feedback and complaints
Select 2 to speak to an operator
(For a list of numbers in other countries click here)
Be polite but firm. Try to stay on the line for a couple of minutes and make sure your complaint is recorded. A good way to make sure your questions get answered is to ask to speak to someone who can respond on behalf of the company. And a good way to extend the time you have on the call is to ask questions that do not have yes or no answers. How do you feel about…? Can you explain…? Can you tell me..?
If there's no answer that's fine - just leave a message.
If you would like help with what to say, try this:
"Hello, is that Shell Customer Services? I am phoning about Shell’s plans to drill in the Arctic. I would like to make a formal complaint about Shell's decision to exploit melting sea ice to drill for more oil. Can you explain why you are ignoring climate change in favour of your profit margins?"
Some follow up material for you to use:
- "This place needs to be protected. Oil companies should not be drilling for oil where a spill cannot be cleaned up. It’s oil that got us into this climate change mess in the first place – that’s why the ice is melting. This is a warning sign not a green light to continue destroying the planet.
- Can you tell me more about Shell’s plans? How much oil is down there? I've heard there could be about 3 years’ worth of global supply. Does your company think that's worth the risk?
- How can Shell clean up an oil spill in the freezing arctic? Are you really telling me there will never be a spill? What about the people and the unique wildlife like Polar Bears and Arctic Foxes that will suffer? Most scientists say that you're only going to clean up about 5% of a spill. Is that an acceptable amount for your company?
- Can I speak to your manager please? It is important that Shell listens to public opinion otherwise it is alienating its customers. I'd like to know that this conversation has been recorded - could you send me an email receipt of it please?
- Can someone phone me back about this?
- Thanks goodbye."
It’s over to you now – together we will get Shell out of the Arctic!
