Steve Sawyer (environmentalist)

[1] When a canvasser of Greenpeace sought donations from him, he decided to join the environmentalist organization, partly because he loved the idea of working at sea.

[2][3] Sawyer led the refitting of Greenpeace's newly acquired boat Rainbow Warrior‍[3] and joined its crew in 1980 to sail on protest voyages.

They subsequently experienced a host of serious health issues, including birth defects, thyroid disorders and cancer, but the US government denied the link between radioactivity and the islanders' problems and refused to evacuate them again.

[2] In ten days, Sawyer led the Rainbow Warrior's a dozen crew members to move 300 residents of Rongelap to Mejato Island, about 100 miles (160 km) away, as well as over 100 tons of livestock and building materials.

[4] The French government, tainted by the scandal, admitted wrongdoing and ultimately paid Greenpeace US$8 million in damage.

[2][4] Greenpeace's persistent small-boat protests eventually forced France to abandon its nuclear testing in Polynesia, and the United States off Alaska.

He led the organization for the next ten years, and helped develop the wind power industry in many countries, including China.