EcoAction Committee seeking volunteers

Local to worldwide, the Green Party has a tradition and deep roots in Ecological and Environmental wisdom and justice. Unique from other political parties in this way, we understand that humanity is not separate from nature, and we are not separate from each other. We understand the necessity of living in concert with nature and that we must minimize our negative impact, and indeed, maximize our positive impact on the human and natural environment. Ecological Wisdom is a pillar and key value of our party.

In this spirit, the GPUS National Committee recently approved the formation of the GPUS Eco Action Committee. This will be a standing committee of the GPUS. Our focus will be Ecological Wisdom and Environmental Justice. Our purpose will be to facilitate the planning and achievement of eco-justice action proposals adopted by the Green Party, to support and promote the Green Party's candidates, eco-justice platform and agenda, and to promote and lobby for responsible government stewardship of the Earth and its inhabitants.

United States citizens are concerned with environmental and ecological degradation, and the negative effects of the poor environmental practices employed by the government and corporations. What is missing is political pressure and action towards restoring our natural resources and quality of life. The GPUS Eco Action Committee intends to provide education, action, support for local candidates, and, political pressure, as well as being instrumental in forming and promoting environmentally sustainable and wise ecological policy.

As a standing committee of the Green Party of the United States, each state or caucus is entitled to name representatives to this committee. We hope to have representatives from each state and caucus join us to employ the broad range of talent, passion, and vision that Greens in this country share. To connect communities nationwide, that we may have a broad view of environmental concerns, and the ability to help one another in having a positive impact on our environment. Much of the work on this committee will be done over e-mail and by teleconference meetings.

Examples of how committee members might contribute to these goals could be to contribute or organize research on political aspects of environmental problems, guide local green party candidates to committee developed resources that can benefit their campaigns, bring national party attention to local environmental issues such as relaxing environmental standards where communities are already weakened by social injustice, or helping to organize mass protests on environmental issues.

We expect the work to be fairly intense given the magnitude of the ecological imbalance we face and the uniqueness of the Green Party in holding Ecological Wisdom as a Key Value. This is really an invitation to try to accomplish what seems an impossibly large task: to bring our whole country into harmony with its environment. A'ohe hana nui ka alu'ia: No task is too big when done together.

If this letter resonates with you, please consider contacting your state party or caucus about joining the committee. Further information about the committee can be had from the committee contact person:
Kristen Olson at 651-210-0789, or kristenolson@mngreens.org