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Kansas Green Party

10 Key Values of the Green Party

  1. GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY

Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process. 2. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.

  1. ECOLOGICAL WISDOM

Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.

  1. NON-VIOLENCE

It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.

  1. DECENTRALIZATION

Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we support a restructuring of social, political and economic institutions away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all citizens.

  1. COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a “living wage” which reflects the real value of a person’s work.

Local communities must look to economic development that assures protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our “quality of life.” We support independently owned and operated companies which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people through democratic participation.

  1. FEMINISM AND GENDER EQUITY

We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.

  1. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY

We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.

We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.

  1. PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.

  1. FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of or “unmaking” all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.

Local Contacts

or contact one of the Campus Greens in Kansas

Campus Greens

Kansas Campus Greens
Campus Greens are growing on a number of secondary and post-secondary campuses in Kansas. To assist the effort of organizing on these campuses, contact information is provided for each known group. If you know of a campus group that is not on this list, please your contact information.

There is also a e-mail list that you can join to discuss issues related to Campus Greens across the state. Send an e-mail to KScampusGreens-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to subscribe to the list or go to the Web site : loipinel.fr

Campus Greens State Contact for Kansas, 2002-2003:

Laura Adams, KU Greens

Emporia State University Greens

Jack Hutchens

Nate Hall

Hutchinson High School Progressive Greens

Dennis Perrin

Kansas State University Greens

Jon Tveite

University of Kansas Greens

Amanda Harrison

Galen Turner

Washburn University Greens

Sara O'Keeffe

Wichita State University Greens

Brigitte Roussel

Note: If you are having trouble contacting your local campus affiliate or don't see anyone in your area please contact the KU Greens - kugreens@raven.cc.ukans.edu

National Campus Greens

National US Campus Greens Web siteThe energy, enthusiasm and force created by thousands of students is now being channeled into a national organization of campus green parties. The Campus Greens will exist as a network of college green parties around the country that will advance the need for electoral reform, work on issue campaigns together, host speakers and trainers on different campuses and promote green ideals on every campus! The Campus Greens need dedicated students to be state coordinators and to begin working within committees.

Bylaws of the Kansas Green Party

Adopted at statewide meeting in Manhattan on September 8th, 2001

PURPOSE

The Kansas Green Party is established to enable the building of the Green movement through direct action, education, and electoral/legislative action. These bylaws provide the structure for organizing the Kansas Green Party in a manner consistent with green values as defined in the platform of the Green Party of the United States and to establish the relationship between the many segments that make up the whole of the Kansas Green Party. Authority and responsibility are given to various segments of the organization, but the ultimate power lies with the members of the Kansas Green Party and local chapters.

ARTICLE I - MEMBERS

Until such time as the Kansas Green Party achieves official recognition by the Secretary of State, any person who joins the Kansas Green Party by registering his or her name and contact information with the Kansas Green Party is considered a member of the Kansas Green Party. Any member is entitled to fully participate in all aspects of the Kansas Green Party in accordance with these bylaws, without exception.

ARTICLE II - LOCAL AND REGIONAL CHAPTERS

The Kansas Green Party encourages the establishment of local and regional chapters to promote the growth of the Kansas Green Party and facilitate communication from the grassroots to other segments of the organization. To assist with communication, each chapter shall select a facilitator and notify the Kansas Green Party Council of that designation and changes if they occur. The chapters shall be open to all members of the Kansas Green Party who reside in that community or region. This section leaves open the decisions on structure and function of the local chapters to be determined by the people who organize them.

Each local and regional chapter shall select one delegate to the Kansas Green Party Council in accordance with Article V. Chapters should make their best efforts to have at least one meeting each year.

ARTICLE III - KANSAS GREEN PARTY COUNCIL

Section 1. Purpose:

(a) The Kansas Green Party Council is established for the purpose of coordinating the efforts of the Kansas Green Party. The Kansas Green Party Council is accountable to and gets is authority from the members of the Kansas Green Party. Meetings of the Kansas Green Party Council are open to all members of the Kansas Green Party; final decisions rest with the delegates. Notice of meetings shall be sent in advance to all members of the Kansas Green Party Council and chapter facilitators, and will be posted to the Kansas Green Party listserv. Facilitators will be responsible for notifying members who don't have access to email. The Kansas Green Party Council serves the following functions:

  1. Official voice of the Kansas Green Party and may designate spokespeople

  2. Sets operating policy for the Kansas Green Party

  3. Establishes and oversees committees of the Kansas Green Party

  4. Hires staff of the Kansas Green Party

  5. Oversees administration of the Kansas Green Party

  6. Elects replacement officers in accordance with Article VI, Sec. 4

  7. Calls the annual state meeting

  8. Facilitates the electoral efforts of the Kansas Green Party

  9. Adopts an annual budget and oversees fundraising

b. The Kansas Green Party Council is comprised of a delegate representing each (active) chapter and the Kansas Green Party's current co-chairs, secretary, and treasurer.

c. The Kansas Green Party Council has the authority to adopt rules in order to carry out its functions. The Kansas Green Party Council shall conduct its process and policies in accordance with the ten key values as defined in the platform of the Green Party of the United States. The Kansas Green Party shall adopt a process for decision making that seeks consensus. The Kansas Green Party Council's process for decision making shall be chosen each year at the first meeting of the Kansas Green Party Council following the annual Kansas Green Party meeting, by whatever decision making process is in place at that time. Changes to the decision making process may be made by the Kansas Green Party Council at any time they are necessary, but only according to the process existing at that time.

This article lays out the broad authorities and structure for the Kansas Green Party Council. It leaves the details of procedures up to the people who actually constitute the Kansas Green Party Council allowing the ability to tailor the process to fit the dynamics of the group.

ARTICLE IV - KANSAS GREEN PARTY COUNCIL DELEGATES

Each chapter shall be represented by one delegate to the Kansas Green Party Council. Each chapter is free to set terms of office for its own delegate; the selection process for these positions shall be open to all Kansas Green Party members in that community or region. Each chapter shall provide the Kansas Green Party Council with the name and contact information of its delegate and inform the Kansas Green Party Council when changes occur.

This article establishes the requirement that the delegates are chosen in an open process by the members of the chapters. It does not prescribe the selection process or the number of alternates a chapter may select.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

Section 1. Co-Chairs:

There shall be two gender-balanced co-chairs of the Kansas Green Party. The co-chairs shall be responsible for developing meeting agendas for the Kansas Green Party Council, finding meeting facilitators, following up on committees, overseeing staff and assisting local chapter efforts. These co-chairs are authorized to spend money on behalf of the Kansas Green Party within limits set by the Kansas Green Party Council. The two co-chairs shall serve as delegates to the Green Party National Committee.

Section 2. Secretary:

The Secretary shall be responsible for minute taking at the state-wide meeting and meetings of the Kansas Green Party Council, and preparing those minutes for distribution to all members of the Kansas Green Party Council and any member of the Kansas Green Party who requests them. The secretary shall be responsible for receiving and archiving the minutes of all committee meetings. The secretary shall also be responsible for sending notification of Council meetings to Council members, chapter facilitators, and for posting such notices to the listserv. The secretary shall serve as an alternate delegate to the Green Party National Committee.

Section 3. Treasurer:

The Treasurer shall keep detailed records of all financial transactions, maintain membership lists, receive donations, appoint an auditor when necessary, make annual financial reports at state and council meetings, and provide absentee ballots to those who request them during a vote for state officers. The treasurer shall serve as an alternate delegate to the Green Party National Committee.

Section 4. Qualifications:

Any person who is a member of the Kansas Green Party may run for any of the officer positions. A person may not hold two officer positions at the same time.

Section 5. Officer Elections:

All officers shall be elected for a term of one year by a majority of the members voting at the annual state-wide convention. Candidates for co-chair may run as a ticket. All members may request an absentee ballot from the treasurer in advance of the convention for the purpose of voting for officers. In the event that a council officer position becomes vacant before completion of the term, the Kansas Green Party Council may elect a replacement to serve the remainder of the outgoing officer's term. Members of the Kansas Green Party Council and district chapter facilitators shall be notified of a vacancy and new election date two weeks prior to said election. The Kansas Green Party Council shall select replacement officers in accordance with their current decision making process.

Section 6. Removal:

Any officer may be removed from office by a three fourths vote of the Kansas Green Party Council. Notice of a vote for removal, signed by at least five members of the Kansas Green Party, must be sent to Kansas Green Party Council members and chapter facilitators at least two weeks in advance of such a vote.

This article lays out the broad role and authority of the four officer positions, qualifications and the process for elections and removal. It does not set detailed limits on power or authority, giving the Kansas Green Party Council flexibility to deal with diverse or unexpected situations. By electing officers in this fashion and then allowing for more detailed authority and responsibility to be set by the Kansas Green Party Council, we make them accountable to the entire membership of the Kansas Green Party and the Kansas Green Party Council.

ARTICLE VI - STATE CONVENTION

The Kansas Green Party shall hold at least one state-wide convention each year for the purpose of building its organization in accordance with the ten key values as defined in the platform of the Green Party of the United States. The agenda of the meeting may include but not be limited to the following:

  1. Adoption or amendment of the Kansas Green Party Bylaws.

  2. Adoption or amendment of the Kansas Green Party Platform.

  3. Election of Kansas Green Party officers.

  4. Setting an annual action agenda for the Kansas Green Party.

The first item to be consider for action by the voting body of the meeting shall be rules for a decision making process that seeks consensus. The process in place from the previous convention shall be in effect until a new process is adopted. This process will include a mechanism for all members of the Kansas Green Party to fully participate in the decision making, including voting in person or by absentee ballot.

This article gives broad structure and purpose to the annual state-wide convention. It establishes four clear objectives for the meeting but does not require that each one be accomplished or that others be excluded. Rules for decision making shall be adopted at each state-wide convention rather than writing them into Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII - PARTY PLATFORM

Using the Green Party of the United States' platform as a guide, the Kansas Green Party shall adopt a platform that clearly defines the Party's position on issues facing our state. The platform is a guide for elected officials and other members of the Kansas Green Party engaging in public policy making.

ARTICLE VIII - FINANCES

The Kansas Green Party may not incur debt for any reason. The Kansas Green Party Council is responsible for assuring that the Kansas Green Party does not incur debt. The Kansas Green Party Council shall adopt an annual budget to coincide with the fiscal year of the Kansas Green Party. The treasurer shall report the financial status of the Kansas Green Party at all annual state-wide meetings.

ARTICLE IX - ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

These bylaws or amendments thereto may only be adopted at a state-wide meeting by a vote of three-fourths of members of the Kansas Green Party who are present, and after consensus is sought. Amendments should be submitted in writing at least two weeks in advance of the state-wide meeting and may be proposed by any chapter, the Kansas Green Party Council or any working groups or committees of the Kansas Green Party.

END NOTES

These revised bylaws were drafted by a meeting of the Kansas Green Party regional leaders on May 19, 2001 in Salina, Kansas, circulated and discussed by Kansas Green Party members during the summer of 2001 and adopted by members at the statewide meeting in September of 2001.

Origninal drafters of the revisions were:

Will Baldridge (Wichita)

Jim Carpenter (Lawrence)

Shar Gonzalez (Hutchinson)

Matt Gregg (Newton/Lawrence)

Sarah Hoskinson (Lawrence)

Paul Krumm (Kanapolis)

Richard Morantz (Baldwin City)

Dennis Perrin (Hutchinson)

Chris Picone (Salina/Smolan)

Brigitte Roussel (Wichita)

John Tveite (Manhattan)

Rhoda Vanderhart (Overland Park)

State Energy Policy Recommendations of the Kansas Greens

By the Kansas Green Party Energy Committee The Green Vision: A Sustainable Energy Future The Kansas Greens support state energy policies that reduce energy consumption, increase and sustain energy conservation measures, and provide substantial support for the most promising sources of clean renewable energy in Kansas. State energy policies should accelerate growth of sustainable options, and phase out the use of dangerous polluting resources: nuclear and coal. What’s Wrong with Nuclear Energy? High-level radioactive wastes generated by nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons facilities are among the most dangerous hazardous wastes produced by humans. In 1999, the U.S. had more than 37,000 metric tons of spent fuel stored temporarily at more than 100 nuclear power plants around the country. As radioisotopes in spent fuel decay, they produce heat, are extremely toxic to organisms, and remain radioactive for thousands of years. Thus secure storage must be guaranteed for thousands of years until material has decayed sufficiently to be safe. All four of the nation’s major pre-Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depositories have leaked, and scientists generally agree that even the proposed permanent installation at Yucca Mountain, will inevitably leak radioactive waste Recent findings of tritium in water at 305 m now dominates scientific concern because it indicates that rainwater travels more freely through the mountain than was formerly thought. Storage at Yucca Mountain, designed to hold 70,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste from commercially operated power plants, less than double the amount of waste already generated in the U.S., is clearly another questionable, short-term solution to the intractable problem of nuclear waste storage. Compounding the risk imposed by inadequate storage is the transport of waste to Yucca Mountain. The scheduled massive and long-term highway shipments of nuclear waste on I-70 through Kansas pose very real dangers to Kansas communities. Exposure to high levels of radiation causes a range of outcomes from burns, cataracts, male sterility, birth defects and mental retardation, impairment of the body’s immune system, brain damage, internal bleeding, several types of cancer, and death. What’s Wrong with Coal? The burning of any fossil fuel releases carbon dioxide, CO2, into the atmosphere, but burning coal releases more CO2 per unit of heat energy produced. Because the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing, and CO2 prevents heat from escaping from the planet, there is a consensus in the scientific community that global climate change, including increased average global temperatures, increased frequency of dangerous storms, and rising sea levels, will result. Thus coal plants are identified among the worst offenders in global warming. In addition to unanticipated surprises this phenomenon will undoubtedly create, thawing of glaciers and the polar ice caps, and thermal expansion of the ocean have already contributed to rising sea levels that threaten coastal areas such as southern Louisiana and South Florida, small island nations such as the Maldives, and countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Vietnam, and Mozambique where dense populations live in low-lying river deltas. Coalburning also generally contributes more air pollutants, other than CO2, than either oil or natural gas. Much coal contains mercury that moves readily from atmosphere to water and land, harming humans and wildlife. Coal-burning electric power plants currently produce more than one-third of all airborne mercury emissions. Mercury exposure has been linked to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays. Prolonged exposure to methyl mercury causes kidney disorders and severely damages the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Low levels of mercury in the brain cause neurological problems such as headache and depression. Burning coal also produces oxides of nitrogen and sulfur (NOX and SOX), which contribute to acid rain and smog. NOX is known to trigger asthma attacks leading to hospitalization. In addition, the risks to underground coal miners include injuries due to accidents, respiratory diseases, cancer, and death. Surface mining is safer for miners, but more extensively disrupts the land and has the potential to cause several serious environmental problems. These include sedimentation and pollution of streams, severe erosion, and landslides. Though the law now requires reclamation of coalmined land, there are so many abandoned mines in the U.S. that it is doubtful they can all be restored. It’s time for Kansas government to take serious steps to reduce massive energy waste and reliance on dangerous and dirty energy. The U.S. wastes more energy per capita than any other country in the world. In Kansas, one of the most wasteful states, the electrical utilities rank last in energy efficiency programs offered to their customers, depriving us of opportunities to save money and reduce global warming. Energy is the very lifeblood of our economy and way of life. Energy conservation improvements need to include major state programs that strongly encourage expansion of mass transit systems, statewide building codes that promote greatly increased levels of energy affiance(?) in both building insulation, as well as in all energy consuming appliances. Global warming is very real, and increasingly threatens our state’s crop production and agricultural income. The state’s current energy conservation and renewable energy expenditures are miniscule, when compared with the massive amounts spent for dirty energy--in terms of initial, as well as ongoing subsidies. A solar energy renewable energy combination of wind, photovoltaics, and biopower, offers better choices for Kansas climates. Furthermore, we are increasingly vulnerable to fossil fuel supply disruptions, and the U.S. in increasingly under international censure for securing overseas oil supplies with military might. What Can Kansas Do To Promote A Sustainable Energy Future? The Kansas Legislature and Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) have the power and the obligation to take major action now, to ensure a stable, cleaner, far more decentralized and efficient energy economy in the state of Kansas. Renewable energy resources can meet a significant portion of Kansas’s energy requirements with lower monetary and environmental costs. Together North Dakota, Texas, and Kansas have the wind resources sufficient to supply the electricity consumed by the whole country. Combined with recent breakthroughs in wind generation production efficiencies, this can add up to a bright future for Kansas. A sustainable energy future hinges on wiser and more farsighted state renewable energy public support programs – programs that encourage decentralized, smaller scale production of cleaner energy, while supporting local self-reliance. While new laws were recently passed by the Kansas Legislature to promote more power plant construction, legislation was not passed to reward energy efficiency investments. The legislature and KCC must seriously encourage both electric and gas users to institute energy saving techniques. What The State Legislature Must Do: The concept of “Net Metering” (or net billing) is crucial to the development of decentralized renewable energy production in Kansas. It requires utility companies to pay independent renewable energy producers for electricity purchased from them at the same rate that they charge customers. Currently, Kansas utilities pay independent producers only about 30% of what they charge customers for the same amount of electricity. Our state legislators need to strongly support bills that mandate net metering. The legislature should enact significant tax credits for renewable energy investments, and fossil fuel consumption taxes to fund development of both efficiency and renewable energy in the state. The KCC should also develop “demand site management” (DSM) programs in Kansas. "Demand side management" are those programs that utilities implement to reduce the demand of electricity from the customer's side of the meter. Examples would be lighting upgrades, rebates for air conditioners and refrigerators, shut-off devices on air conditioners at peak hours, etc. They have not been adequately studied and/or promoted by the Kansas Legislature or the Kansas Corporation Commission. These DSM programs would achieve a reasoned balance between end use efficiency and construction of larger generation facilities. On a per capita basis, Kansas is last among all fifty states to support DSM programs. Kansas utilities have for the most part, dramatically scaled back their resources dedicated to technical assistance to customers seeking to improve their energy consumption efficiencies. What The Kansas Corporation Commission Must Do: The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) must help establish a market whereby all energy efficiency alternatives to new plant construction will be fairly compared. The KCC should establish conditions favoring smaller, more dispersed electrical generation facilities that are not centralized in the hands of a relatively few owners and investors. The KCC should adopt utility rate structures that favor energy conservation. The following utility rate settings are highly recommended:

  1. Minimizing the monthly customer service charge to prevent utilities from making energy and capacity related cost unavoidable.
  2. Inverting energy and demand rates, such as the last KWH or MCF consumed in most expensive and reflects the marginal cost of new construction and fuels.
  3. The establishment of so called “life line” rates that protect small customers, and reward efficient customers.
  4. Increasing the use of demand rates so that as many customers are possible and have a true cost signal regarding capacity costs.
  5. Increasing the use of time-of-day rates and annual or seasonal rate ratchets that realistically reflect the value of peak generating capacity
  6. The design and implementation of new rates should be reasonably revenue neutral for utilities and reasonably cost neutral for their customers. The KCC must encourage all regulated utilities to develop renewable energy resources and energy efficiency strategies as a steadily increasing part of their energy supply. The KCC should require electric utilities to acquire power by renewable energy and not charge a premium to the customer for it" (green pricing). The KCC should implement a customer benefit surcharge, to fund:
  7. An energy efficiency loan program for residential and small commercial utility customers.
  8. A professional public review board that annually establishes a short list of qualifying efficiency technologies with a payback of 7 years of less.
  9. A loan program to finance homeowner and small business efficiency measures costs as well as renewable energy investments, through loan guarantees and interest rate buy downs through banks, savings and loan institutions, and credit unions.
  10. Targeted financial and technical assistance for low-income consumers.
  11. Energy research and development for the optimization of renewable energy technology use in the state
  12. The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) and Kansas Renewable Energy Working Group (KREWG) to develop small-scale community energy cooperatives, based on wind, bio-power, or photovoltaics. Work with these same groups for the accelerated growth of energy efficiency technologies as well as practical energy efficiency implementations around the state, in increasing numbers.
  13. The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) and Kansas Renewable Energy Working Group (KREWG) to promote the accelerated growth of energy efficiency technologies as well as practical energy efficiency implementations around the state, in increasing numbers.
  14. The development of skills and business enterprises that have expertise in efficiencies and renewable energy – especially those that actually manufacture, install, and maintain such systems.
  15. The development of ongoing statewide efficiencies and renewable energy workshops, along with the distribution of a variety of resource materials that support such projects.