INFORMATION ABOUT THE GREEN NETWORK

AIMS OF THE GREEN NETWORK

The Green Network (originally known as the Green Politics Network) was established in March 1992 with the aim of supporting electoral work in the states and eventually establishing a national Green party based on autonomous state parties. This aim was fulfilled with the establishment of the Green Party of the United States in 2001. The Green Network seeks to join together locally rooted Green activists in a national network of like-minded individuals in order to: (1) support an association of autonomous state parties; (2) encourage and nurture effective dialogue among third party efforts; (3) stimulate the translation of the Green message into popular language; (4) help create an annual community-building retreat for Green activists; (5) work for electoral reform; and (6) create other projects that advance the transformation of power and policy.

THE GREEN NETWORK'S MISSION STATEMENT

The following is the text of the Green Network's Mission Statement:

"The Green Network is a community of Greens committed to cultural, social, and political transformation toward a green future.

"The Green Network will develop a nationwide, democratically-structured home of Green activists; provide a forum for the development of new ideas and strategies; offer resources for education and skill development; provide a clearinghouse for information concerning Green activities and community-based economics, utilizing a web site; establish a protocol/green information office in Washington, D.C.; support projects such as food circles, alternative currency, and women's development; interact with Greens and green activities on the global level; and create a space for people to connect with the spiritual universe.

"Our holistic politics will be based on the principles of: Ecology; Social Justice; Nonviolence; Participatory Democracy; [and] Community.

"We are committed to a new political process which recognizes our responsibility to the Earth and to future generations; embodies respect for diversity; promotes nurturing, cooperative behavior; facilitiates responsible and accountable participation; encourages initiative, and demands integrity. We insist that how we treat each other is as important as achieving our goals. If we relate in dignity and respect, the spirit of joy, celebration, and love can flourish in our Green community. Our guiding wisdom is the recognition that as humans we hold an integral place in the web of life on Earth."

According to its brochure, the Green Network also seeks to "...act together and singly as facilitators, catalysts, and enablers of organizations and projects, already existing, or yet to be created, that advance the transformation of power and policy in our communities, states, nation, and world."

CENTERS OF THE GREEN NETWORK

The Green Network has established the following Centers to pursue particular tasks within the network (the descriptions are adapted from a Green Network brochure and recent issues of The Song of the Frog). Involvement in the Centers is open to all members on a voluntary basis.

- A Green Network of Information and Communication: This Center will be facilitated by The Sycamore Collective and will be located in Kansas City, Missouri. It will publish, bi-monthly, The Song of the Frog, an interactive newsletter which serves as the decision-making vehicle for the network. The Song will include periodic reports for the various centers, updates on the activity of the members, and new member introductions along with communications from members and current news about the Green movement and Green Parties. The Information and Communication Center will maintain a web page; keep an updated list of e-mail addresses for members; facilitiate e-mail discussions amongst the members which will include mailing copies of the dialogue to non-e-mail members; archive all of the historic Green documents by content and location; prepare an oral history, an edited written history, and perhaps a video history of the Green movement in the U.S.; publish pamphlets and brochures to aid in organizing, education, and outreach; and help to facilitate book tours for Green authors.

- A Green Network Center for Alternative Economics, Education, and a Green Civil Society: This Center will maintain a clearinghouse for alternative economics, education, and the civil Green society exclusive of those areas covered by other Centers in the network. The Center will provide a network for long-term, biologically-based creative solutions and work with other organizations such as the Allianece for Democracy and GEO (the Grassroots Economic Organizing Newsletter).

- A Green Network Center for Protocol and Information: This Center is located in Washington, D.C. and provides a presence at Washington events where Greens should be represented, serves as a hospitality committee for Greens visiting from abroad, and attempts to stir up more interest within the media for Green politics.

- A Green Network Center for Women's Development: This Center will outreach to Green women, create support networks for women in politics and other social, cultural activities, discuss the unique problems facing women in politics, and facilitate an ongoing dialogue on the "cooperative way."

- A Green Network Center for Development of Green Nations: Nations Network is the interfacing entity for the Green Network. The vision is to initiate the groundwork necessary to eventually create a Global Green body by linking community-based organizations and other non-governmental organizations to Green Parties worldwide for participation in addressing global issues.

- A Green Network/Alliance Center for an Alternative Food System: By means of educational resources, conferences, workshops, a web page, networking, and consultation the Center will promote a sensible decentralized, humane, and just food system as an alternative to the current global, centralized, corporate controlled food system. The Center will promote food circles which are a key to developing an integrated, regional-based food system. Food circles link consumers, farmers, retailers, environmentalists, and other concerened citizens in a creative and comprehensive way to address critical problems with the present food system. Food circles work to bring regionally grown organic produce to local areas. The Center plans to publish a pamphlet on "How to Start a Food Circle."

- A Green Network Center for Community Currency: This Center will focus on changing the monetary system from one which concentrates wealth and power to one which distributes real wealth and power and heals the Earth in the process. The Center will provide a network for all who want to start an alternative currency in their communities, help them understand how it works, provide models of successful local currencies, and inspire them to get started. The Center plans to spearhead a movement toward regional connections of the local currencies. The goals of the Center are being met through conferences, a website, and other means.

- A Green Network Center for The American Eco-Institute: This Center is dedicated to education, cultural development, and research in the promotion of an ecologically and politically aware citizenry. It comprises two arms: Forum and Storefront. The Forum conducts public discussion to focus on issues that have been raised, or might be raised, by candidates for public office and public office holders relating to the interface of ecological imperatives with social, economic, cultural, and political problems. The Storefront serves the community in which it is located with information (pamphlets, books, videos, on-line access) relating to ecology's importance for creative solutions to social, economic, cultural, and political problems in the community; it also serves as a meeting place for citizens to discuss and agree on appropriate actions to meet these problems. The goal is a thousand Storefronts in ten years.

- A Green Network Center for Grassroots Organizing. This Center acts as a clearinghouse for those concerned with developing, gathering, synthesizing, and theorizing about what grassroots democracy means for how Greens treat each other. The Center gathers information and ideas towards developing a set of tools and models for Greens to use that would help keep them on the track of healthy interaction and avoid unhealthy conflict. The focus is on developing the theory and practice of organizational efficacy based largely on volunteer time; defining a working practical definition and understanding of "participatory democracy" within grassroots organizations; and providing a networking forum for those committed to the value of "grassroots democracy" as a model of internal organizational decision-making.

- A Green Network Center for Campus Crusaders for the Environment: This Center promotes the organization of Green groups on campuses throughout the U.S. and facilitates communication between them.

MEMBERSHIP IN THE GREEN NETWORK

The Green Network accepts memberships from individuals only. Prospective members must sign the Green Network's Mission Statement; make an annual membership pledge (two-tenths of one percent of one's annual income is suggested); and either secure a recommendation from a current Green Network member or have an application reviewed by the membership committee. The group expects members to be actively involved in Green activities (widely construed). Membership includes a subscription to the newsletter, The Song of the Frog, published bimonthly. To apply for membership in the Green Network contact Barbara Rodgers-Hendricks, Mebership Coordinator, 103 Hewett Point, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 U.S.A. For information about The Song of the Frog, contact Rich Heffern and Dee Berry, Editors, 412 E. 122nd St., Kansas City, MO 64145 U.S.A.