NY Green Fest 2011
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The NY Green Fest 2011 is all about finding solutions to help the planet be greener. This is largely supported by the Green Party and those who are involved in the Green Party. The great part about this conference is it reaches all spectrums; there are serious workshops about sustainability as well as music on the Solar Stage.
There are some big names who are presenting at the conference. There’s Gary Abraham is an attorney who will be talking about why the answer for clean energy production will not be found in wind turbines. Barry Miller, a mechanical engineer, will be speaking on DIY solar and wind installations. Kent Mesplay, a presidential candidate for the Green Party for the 2012 elections, will also be speaking.
The topics for the conference include rekindling the anti-nuclear movement, the truth about wind energy, real food, low-cost solar DIY, and free energy solutions. For those who are interested in becoming more “green,” this is a great opportunity to learn more. There are many subjects, so you’re sure to find classes that meet with your interest in the green initiative. It’s all about what each of us can do on our own, which combined will make a difference in the world.
If you aren’t able to make it this year, consider going to the conference in New York next year. It’s a great opportunity to meet with like-minded individuals who truly believe that we are the guardians of this planet and we need to do all we can to protect it.
California Shoreline a Priority for the Green Party
The Californian seacoast is the second largest in the nation at 840 miles not including freshwater shoreline, and a tidal coastline of 3,427 miles. Its coastline and freshwater sources make water a primary concern of California’s Green Party and a major tenet of its platform.
California Green Party’s 2010 Addendum
In 2010, the California Green Party published an addendum to its 2008 party platform. Under the heading “Ecology and Earth Stewardship” the party issued a new principle concerning green science but the only portion of the 2010 platform it revised in this section was that of its proposition for water management and policy and water conservation and pollution.
Integral to propelling the Green Party’s policies on water conservation is the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Its 2010 addendum to its platform includes, among other propositions, that it supports those policies necessary to implement the MLPA and end activities that damage its coastal waters such as dumping of sewage and other pollutants into the ocean.
Marine Life Protection Act
The MLPA, passed in 1999 as part of the California Fish and Game Code, requires the state to review all marine protection areas (MPAs) previously created and possibly design new MPAs that function together statewide.
The MPLA discovered that those MPAs already created were not functioning in a coordinated system. With more than 50 MPAs created randomly along the coast over the previous 50 years, there were no coherent, scientific guidelines followed in their implementation. The delicate ecosystems and flora and fauna which thrive in them were being threatened by coastal development and water pollution. By improving the MPA system, the conservation of these habitats may not only protect against their loss but also improve research opportunities and even re-grow decimated fisheries.
The Green New Deal
The Green Party grew from a desire to improve the world’s environment and conservation efforts. It became a political party when active members realized that that desire to make change could be better aided by having members become active participants in the political decisions that govern these efforts.
The U.S. Green Party has developed key values that exemplify its position on these and other political issues. Following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech on January 25, 2011, Green Party activists vocalized their disagreement with the Democrat’s approach to environmental issues in our society.
The Green Party agrees with the Democrats on one thing: the focus on the issue of jobs. And we are not talking about all jobs like small businesses like JR Dunn or your local designer clothing store. This is more of an environmental issue to discuss when job creation is viewed in light of the energy industry.
In President Obama’s speech, he indicated that he supports the continued use of non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels. The government continues to subsidize fossil fuel industries such as oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear energy and its derivatives. In the Green Party’s version of the New Deal, the government would deter fossil fuel corporations by repealing these subsidies. At the same time it would grow incentives for the research, development and manufacture of renewable energy sources, leading to the creation of jobs in these areas as well.
According to Cecile Lawrence, Ph.D., J.D., rapidly switching to renewable energy sources would lead to an equally fast increase in better paying jobs which would also improve not only the economy but also the physical well-being of the country’s population.
In the “Green New Deal,” public investment is the only way to create new jobs. By investing in alternative energy, expanding the use of public transportation and retrofitting the existing infrastructure to be more fuel efficient, millions of new jobs would be created.
The Green Party of the 22nd Century
If the Green Party existed in James Cameron’s fictional film Avatar, It would be comprised of the native inhabitants of Pandora. Not just the Na’vi, the human being like race but all of the dwellers – fauna and flora.
The Na’vi, like the Green Party, has very well-formed and progressive thoughts about environmentalism and conservationism. And, like the Na’vi, the Green Party takes a hard line on these issues, although not a violent one.
Pandora’s ecological system is similar to a human brain. It is comprised of a neural network which covers the planet that not only connects the plants of the planet but to which all the native creatures can connect. The Green Party’s platform on ecology has a similar (although much more realistic) take on nature.
Green Party’s View of Ecology
One of the Green Party’s basic tenets is that society must behave in such a way that recognizes the integral part it plays in nature, not just locally but on a global level. Society must take socially-responsible, self-sustainable actions now so that the planet’s natural resources will be able to replenish themselves.
How Pandora Achieves the Green Party’s Platform
Throughout Avatar the Na’vi are ineffectual in their battle against humans. The movie culminates in a battle between the humans mining unobtanium on the planet and the Na’vi fighting to protect the integrity of their planet. However, the Na’vi are unable to win until all of the planet’s dwellers join together.
Thus far, the US Green Party has been unable to fully garner the support of the other major US political parties in its fight to improve the environment. Although the US has taken baby steps towards improving the environment, it will take all of the nation’s dwellers to win this battle.
The Ecological Wisdom of the Green Party
Like all political parties, the Green Party came from strongly held beliefs. However, the platform based on its approach to environmentalism and conservationism, didn’t foment into a US party represented by elected officials until 1985. As global concern for the planet and its resources has grown, so has the strength of this political party still in its (relative) infancy.
Although the party has seen limited success in garnering elected positions in the US, its central tenet has pushed the other political parties to at least compromise on many of these important issues.
The Green Party’s Take on Ecology
According to the Green Party’s platform, members believe that society must act with the knowledge that it is an integral part of nature. It is incumbent upon society that it functions within the limits of its ecological resources on a local and global level. The Green Party doesn’t see the planet as meeting our needs in just the here and now but believes society needs to be sustainable. That is, future generations will benefit from our actions now rather than suffer its consequences. Therefore, society must respect the integrity of the planet’s natural resources and consume its resources in a way that will move us toward an economy that is energy efficient and agriculture that replenishes the soil.
The US Green Party and the Kyoto Protocol
The US Green Party has had little effect on the US when it comes to supporting the Kyoto Protocol, the portion of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change geared toward combating global warming. Whereas the Green Party supports rapid reduction of greenhouse gases worldwide, higher energy efficiency standards and the conversion to renewable energy sources, both the Republican and Democratic parties oppose the treaty.
Going Green with Cleaning Supplies
Harming our family members that live in our house is not usually something we think about when we clean, yet some of the products that we use may do exactly that. Many cleaning products contain very harmful chemicals and agents that can cause health problems such as respiratory illnesses, skin conditions and allergic reactions. Most cleaning products are toxic, especially if a toddler happens upon them and splashes them in his or her eyes, or even worse, decides to taste the solution.
Consumers are beginning to demand that company’s offer cleaning products that are safer to the environment and to their own health. Using green or organic cleaning products is one step in ridding the environment of chemicals and toxins. Items such as shampoos, laundry soap and cleaning supplies that don’t include ingredients such as chlorine are in high demand and are becoming more and more popular by the day. Consumers are now reading the labels of cleaning supplies and scrutinizing them to see if they contain organic compounds, such as those that use vegetable bases instead of harsh chemicals. Consumers are also seeking products that contain little or no dyes. Purchasing these types of products not only helps keep our children safer, it also helps cut down on water pollution.
Other household products that are more environmentally friendly are also in high demand. These include items such as shower heads and faucets that conserve water, light bulbs that are more energy efficient and even kitchen appliances such as refrigerators and dish washers. Buying furniture that has been constructed from recycled materials is popular, along with using flooring that is made of bamboo. Being green in your house doesn’t only help you be healthier, but it can make for a healthier environment also. Most eco-friendly cleaning products are less expensive then the types that are made from harsh chemicals, allowing even those on a tight budget to be able to afford to purchase them.
Food Safety and Going Green With Organic Gardening
Some of the natural pesticides include many items that you may have right in your kitchen cabinets. Some of these include a mixture of onion juice and pepper. Garlic can also be used as a natural pesticide, and many organic gardeners use plain soap and water that can be sprayed on plants without any ill effects.The use of natural products as pesticides is not only healthier, but it also helps protect the environment. Using homemade mulch, which is easy to make, can help the earth by making the soil rich and fertile without using chemicals.
Basics of the Green Party Philosophy
The goals of the Green Party really are rather simple. The platform of the Green Party is based on making society better by making sure that everyone is taken care of and has equal opportunities. In general that means the Green Party puts people ahead of politics. They believe that people should have the chance to get quality healthcare, education, and basic civil rights.
The Green Party philosophy isn’t simply about giving handouts to everyone. Instead the idea is that American society benefits when the most people have the education, food, shelter, and medical care that they need. Children who are living in comfortable environments are more likely to be their best selves in school and the community if they have everything they need.
The Green Party platform doesn’t require anyone to ignore the reality that not everyone makes the best decisions, but the party’s platform does call for good treatment in prisons. The Party calls for education and work/life skills to be part of the prison culture.
Overall the politics of the Green Party supports non-violence, which is why the party is opposed to most war. The 10 Key Values, the guiding document of the Green Party, state that the party will “work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction” while still acknowledging that sometimes self-defense becomes necessary.
The idea behind the Green Party is that peace and love can be guiding forces in the world and that sharing the wealth of the entire nation not so that everyone has exactly equal possessions and assets but so that everyone has at least enough to cover their basic needs. The purpose of the bulk of the Green Party’s positions is to make the world happier and more satisfying for the largest number of people, rather than pitting people against each other to compete for resources.
Green Party’s Goals for Better Healthcare
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Party politics typically means pitting Republicans and Democrats against each other to talk about how to best fix American society within a narrow scope. The two major parties represent only the center in terms of political beliefs, and their arguments typically are over shades of grey. Such is the case with the healthcare reform now in litigation.
One of the central beliefs of the national Green Party is that universal healthcare, also called a single-payer system, is the best option. Universal healthcare means that the government acts as the insurer, negotiating with doctors and making payments and medical determinations in the way that insurance companies do now.
The Green Party belief is that society would benefit from overall lower healthcare costs, even if taxes increased to pay for this service. Though universal healthcare didn’t pass in the 2009 healthcare reform bill, there are other issues that the Greens support related to healthcare.
The Green Party supports the “Manhattan Project,” a series of HIV/AIDS-related ideas, including increased funding for research on HIV/AIDS and the care of people living with AIDS. The Manhattan Project also calls for needle-sharing programs and for low-cost medications to be made available.
The only place where the politics of the Green Party aligned enough with the major parties was in the belief that healthcare is a human right. The general belief of the Green Party is that all people should have access to proper healthcare, which means that there are no people turned away from coverage because of a pre-existing condition. The new healthcare reform law will require insurers to begin to accept patients with a variety of conditions that previously led to denied coverage.
The Green Party’s goals with regard to medical rights are to make society better by ensuring that healthcare benefits are equally accessible and affordable for everyone.
Why The Green Party Matters
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21st Century Insurance is a leader in their field, but they aren’t the only insurance company around. While they may be the best, there are plenty of other companies out there to choose from and you know that. However, what if you weren’t allowed to know about the best companies, or even the other lesser companies? What if you were only always given two companies to choose from no matter how good or bad they were? You wouldn’t like to be limited, now would you?
In the political system, we have the unfortunate time of being given only two parties to choose from. The Green Party is often not one of those big parties. It’s a shame because the world needs the Green Party and other parties just like it, but try telling that to the boys in Washington.
The simple thing is that the more ideas there are in Washington, the more we can find the path to positive change. With only two parties working for change, we are really losing out on a lot of interesting and helpful ideas.
What the Green Party provides is a platform for the sharing of ideas that are a little off the beaten path. They believe that there shouldn’t be the acceptance of money from big corporations and they are against the idea of a government that doesn’t work tirelessly for the people. We all agree that they should be working hard for the American people, but the Green Party is the only party that seems to base their entire political system around it.
The Green Party gives the American people another option. Another option is what will keep the rest of the political system honest. Without honesty, we are going to be staring at the same old broken system we have had in place for years.
