Greener Times for the Week of February 5 - 12
an e-publication of the Green Party of Washington State (GPoWS)
Trey Smith, Editor

In This Issue
* Ehren Watada Court Martial and Support Rally
* 14th Annual March & Rally: Justice for Leonard Peltier
* Priorities for a Healthy Washington Legislative Workshop
* Climate Solutions seeks an Individual Gifts & Grants Manager
* Seattle Practice Group for a WISER Commons
* Witnessing Conflict: The Basics of Legal Observation
* Meet GPoWS State Chair on Valentine's Day
* News You May Have Missed

Ehren Watada Court Martial and Support Rally
When: Sunday, February 4, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: First Congregational Church/Pilgrim Hall, 209 S J St in Tacoma

Supporters from across the country are mobilizing to gather in the Ft. Lewis area and demonstrate their support for Lt. Ehren Watada as he faces court martial, Monday, February 5.

On the eve of the court martial, let's come together to re-affirm our resistance to illegal, immoral war and celebrate Lt. Ehren Watada's courageous stand. Meet local community members and visiting supporters as we gear up to demonstrate outside the gates of Ft. Lewis and fill the courtroom with Lt. Watada's supporters!
The evening's event will include food, music, speakers and the inspiration of spoken word. It's a great time to get more information about the following day's events, meet and welcome one another.
 
PERFORMANCES by:
 * Ryan Harvey, member of Riot Folk: http://www.riotfolk.org/ )
 * Darrell Anderson, Iraq combat veteran and war resister shares spoken-word
 * Dennis Kyne, Ethan Crowell and Michael Cuzzort Acoustic performance by Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War
 * Steve and Kristi Nebel, Americana duo with an edge
 * More TBA!
 
SPEAKERS:
 * Army Col. Ann Wright (Ret.) who resigned in Yr 2003 in opposition to the Iraq War
 * Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War
 * Anita Dennis, mother of Iraq war resister Darrell Anderson
 * More TBA!
 
 SPOKEN WORD:
 * Darrell Anderson, Iraq combat veteran and war resister
 * Josh Reisberg
 * Luke Smiraldo, aka Vanilla Soul
 
POTLUCK DINNER:
Members of First United Methodist Church and United for Peace of Pierce County will provide a main course
Please bring a dessert or salad and non-alcoholic drinks or something else you would like to share.

Then on Monday, February 5, 11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
9:30am - Lt. Watada's Military Court Martial begins
11:30am - Student Rally with Iraq Veterans Against the War
12:30pm – Vigil outside the Gates of Fort Lewis with IVAW
1:30pm - Political Street Theater and Giant Puppets Art Performance, spoken word, and DJ's
3pm – Watada Campaign Rally
4-6pm Vigil outside the Gates of Fort Lewis

14th Annual March & Rally: Justice for Leonard Peltier
When: Saturday, February 10, Noon
Where: Portland Ave. Park in Tacoma

The struggle for justice for Leonard Peltier is a struggle about all of our civil rights, not just Native American people.  He organized to challenge corporate greed just as he had organized previously and locally for workplace, union, and economic justice rights.  That's why labor councils and major unions in Canada have prioritzed Peltier's struggle for justice.

After the march, a rally will be held at the U.S. Federal Court House, 1717 Pacific Ave, in Tacoma.  For more information, contact the Tacoma Leonard Peltier Support Group at bayou@blarg.net.

Priorities for a Healthy Washington Legislative Workshop
When: Wednesday, February 14, All Day
Where: United Churches, 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia
Cost: $15 -- includes breakfast, coffee, lunch and late-afternoon party with drinks and appetizers.

On Valentine's Day 2007, hundreds of concerned people from all over the state will come to the state capital to show their love of Washington's cherished natural environment.

We will meet one-on-one with our elected representatives to push for the passage of the Priorities for a Healthy Washington legislative package.

These four priorities include legislation to save our Sound, eliminate toxic flame retardants, promote clean fuels and clean air, and double the funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

With your help last year the Priorities for a Healthy Washington coalition was successful in passing three of our four environmental priorities.

During Lobby Day 2007 you will play a key role in advancing this year's priorities --

    * Learn about the issues: Get briefed by experts on the top priority environmental issues facing the state.
    * Attend lobbying trainings: Learn the basic “how-to” from top environmental lobbyists.
    * Meet face-to-face with your legislators: Put your knowledge into action in a face-to-face meeting with your legislator.
    * Attend an important committee hearing in the House or Senate.
    * Don't forget the party: Celebrate the day with free drinks, appetizers and prizes from 4-7:00 pm at the post-lobby day party hosted by Audubon Washington.

Register today so we can schedule meetings with all your legislators:  http://pugetsound.org/index/lobbyday or contact Rein Attemann at rattemann@pugetsound.org or 206-382-7007.

To learn more about the four 2007 Priorities for a Healthy Washington: http://www.environmentalpriorities.org.

Climate Solutions seeks an Individual Gifts & Grants Manager
Climate Solutions is now hiring. Join a fast growing and innovative non-profit working on the most important environmental issue of our generation - global climate change.

For complete job descriptions and lists of qualifications, please visit the Climate Solutions homepage: http://www.climatesolutions.org/.

To apply:
Send cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three references � package not to exceed 7 pages -- via email (as attachments) or fax to:
Suzanne Malakoff
Administrative Director
suzanne@climatesolutions.org  (Please put Giving in the subject line)
Fax: 360.943.4977

This position will be based in Seattle, WA.  Announcement closes March 2, 2007.

Seattle Practice Group for a WISER Commons
When: Tuesday, February 6, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: Calm Rain Designs Studio, 1825 S. Jackson/Studio 101 in Seattle

This meeting will be based on the approach known as "Open Space."  Please join us as we practice sharing resources and collaborating for a more just and sustainable world.  We will be learning about and helping to develop the WISER Commons, as well as exploring other tools and approaches.  We may be forming into subgroups based on areas of focus (Business & Economics, Community Development, Technology etc.)

For more info about the Seattle Practice Group and the WISER Commons, please visit http://sustainabilitycommons.jot.com, email habib@connectexpress.com, or call 206-725-7074.

Witnessing Conflict: The Basics of Legal Observation
When: Sunday, February 11, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Where: Douglass-Truth Library, 2300 E Yesler Way in Seattle

If you are in a situation where there is conflict or misconduct, how can you be effective as an observer?  What do you look for?  When and how do you record what you�ve seen?  What are the risks involved?  What do you do with your observations � who do you contact?  If you are called on to give testimony, what is that process like?

Martha Jackson has served as a legal observer to demonstrations and rallies in the Seattle area for many years.  She will walk you through the basics of what you need to know to be an effective witness for justice and peace.

For more information, contact dberrian@earthlink.net.

Meet GPoWS State Chair on Valentine's Day
When: Wednesday, February 14, 6:00 p.m.
Where: 1022 W 9th Ave in Spokane

The Green Party of Spokane County will hold its February meeting again as a potluck at the home of George Avellar. Our guest will be Jody Grage.  She is the Chair of the Green Party of Washington State, and also the Treasurer of the Green Party of the United States.  Jody will travel from Seattle to update us, answer questions, and engage in discussion on GP stuff.
 
We will start with a potluck meal at 6, and then start the meeting at 7.   George's home is a beautifully restored white mansion 1 block north of Huckleberry's.  For more information: mortonalexander@sisna.com.

News You May Have Missed

Note to Progressives: Challenge Market Fundamentalism
http://www.alternet.org/story/47466/
Women have gained the potential of enormous power in DC with Nancy Pelosi elected as Speaker of the House. The Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues will grow to be perhaps the largest in Congress, but the question remains: how will these newly empowered women use their power? Among the issues on the wish list of newly elected women, according to Women's eNews, are women's health, educational equity and sex trafficking, women in prison, and international domestic violence. All are important but will go nowhere if women leaders don't challenge Market Fundamentalism, the exaggerated and quite irrational belief in the ability of markets to solve all problems, an economic fundamentalism that has dominated our national political debate for a generation.

Wal-Mart's New Marketing Strategy Hides Dirty Practices
http://www.alternet.org/story/47224/
You know that our world has turned totally topsy-turvy when Wal-Mart -- the low-price, bare-knuckle retailing behemoth known far and wide as the Bully of Bentonville for its ruthless corporate practices -- is suddenly putting on airs and positioning itself as (dare I say it?) metrosexual.  Yes, the world's largest and meanest merchandiser -- stung in the last few years by a grassroots rebellion of employees, small businesses, unions, neighborhood groups, environmentalists, and others that it has been so arrogantly stiffing -- is now straining to project a kinder and gentler image: urbane, upscale, green, socially responsible -- even sensitive, for goodness sake. The image spiff-up comes as Wal-Mart executives have made a marketing decision to move from their suburban/rural base into cities, reaching out to a clientele that wants finer goods -- and a more refined company.  But has the beast really changed?

Impeachment by the People
http://www.progressive.org/node/4473
Courage is in short supply in Washington, D.C. The realities of the Iraq War cry out for the overthrow of a government that is criminally responsible for death, mutilation, torture, humiliation, chaos. But all we hear in the nation's capital, which is the source of those catastrophes, is a whimper from the Democratic Party, muttering and nattering about 'unity' and 'bipartisanship,' in a situation that calls for bold action to immediately reverse the present course...But if sanity is to be restored in our national policies, it can only come about by a great popular upheaval, pushing both Republicans and Democrats into compliance with the national will.