*1 First Draft Proposal of the Green Party of California

SUBJECT: Green Action (2/6/07 revision)

SPONSORSHIP: Green Issues Working Group

BACKGROUND: Locals and individual Greens may coordinate activities with Green issue event coordinators such as L.A. Post-Carbon. Reducing carbon emissions and other travel expense means tabling at events that attract people with green values. When event coordinators announce an action that participants can take during or after each of those events, people come ready to write letters and sign up for phone banking. Green Party sponsorship of that action at that event attracts those people to the Green Party.

PURPOSE: To create a mechanism by which the Green Party can timely initiate political action where it is required. To build coalition with local organizations espousing green values.
Green Actions directly fulfill GPCA Bylaw 8-4.1(d). With assistance from CCWG and GPCA, Green Actions will fulfill GPCA Bylaw 8-4.1(c).
Green Actions concerning campaigns and candidates must be done in partnership with CCWG. See GPCA Bylaw 8-2.1(d). GROW is required to coordinate, train and provide Green Actions. See GPCA Bylaw 8-1.1(a), (b) and (c), respectively. ERWG is welcome to use Green Actions to fulfill GPCA Bylaw 8-3.1(a) and (c).
We have already found 4 NGOs willing and able to host Green Actions. Elisabeth participated in a prototype action sponsored by Physicians for Social Responsibility. Several dozens of letters were written by people who came and went as they pleased during the few hours allocated. Setting up a table at an event permits attendees to participate in campaigns at leisure.
Costs for providing candidate statements, sample letters, petitions, campaign materials, etc. will vary from week to week. Every month in the Los Angeles area, there are dozens of events hosted by organizations working on Green issues. Our local alone has members willing and able to build coalitions with many of those organizations.
Green Actions are feasible and in great demand by local activators. Rent is high, so incentives are greatly needed.
Green Actions display sign-up sheets for anyone interested in learning more about the Green Party, such as how to contribute. Thousands of potential supporters could be reached, especially if the activators are fresh and energetic through incentives rather than haggard from overloaded work. Every Green Action is funded by the partner entity except for the costs of the campaign activity.
We have promotional items as thank-you gifts for donations (GPCA paraphernalia, bumper-stickers "Green Values Sustain Lives", "Pelosi For President in '07", "Bush and Cheney for Prison", "Real Conservatives Conserve the Environment", "Torture is a Problem, Not a Solution" and "Think Green"; vegetarian non-GMO health bars; etc.)

PROPOSAL: Coordinate actions with locals and registered Greens in other counties. Locals and individual Greens may conduct any of the following actions at any of the following events.
Eligible events shall focus on any part of the Green Party of California Platform.
Eligible events shall not include any activity not supported by the GPCA.
Eligible actions shall focus on issues and stances decided by the GA.
Eligible actions shall include letter-writing campaigns that focus on such issues or stances.
Eligible actions shall include community organizing, such as starting an eco-village.
Voter registration cards shall be displayed prominently and attached to each platform pamphlet.
A Platform pamphlet shall be provided at no charge to each event participant. [This has been denied.]
Bumper stickers and other official Green Party items may be used for fundraising.

COMMITTEE DECISION: These actions are basically a long-standing tradition of the Green Party. To diversify the issues, a goal set at the spring 2006 State GIWG meeting, Greens are building coalitions with organizations that uphold the key values of the GPCA. Concept consensus at 12/10/06 GIWG teleconference. During the 1/14/07 GIWG teleconference and online before 2/7/07, a GIWG quorum (Ellen, Elisabeth (Consuelo's counterpart outside of plenary) and Wes (acting for KCM)) achieved consensus with friendly amendments added by Wes.

TIMELINE: We hope to complete the Green Actions before the 2008 election.
Estimate by month and year when each of the activities for which funding is being requested are being planned to happen with sponsorship by organizations that are willing and able.
1 Green Action in 6/07 with the Sustainable Transport Club, for example
1 Green Action in 7/07 with Environmental Action, for example
2 Green Actions in 8/07 with the Coalition to Save the Marina and the Cloister Organization, for example
2 Green Actions in 9/07
3 Green Actions in 10/07
3 Green Actions in 11/07
4 Green Actions in 12/07
5 Green Actions in 1/08
6 Green Actions in 2/08
7 Green Actions in 3/08
8 Green Actions in 4/08
9 Green Actions in 5/08
10 Green Actions in 6/08
10 Green Actions in 7/08
10 Green Actions in 8/08
10 Green Actions in 9/08
10 Green Actions in 10/08

RESOURCES: See proposal *2 www.green247.org/reimburse.htm Considerable savings in organizing, advertising and venue costs. Savings in time and preparation costs. Benefits of increased Green Party voter registration.