*** Coming soon*** World Environmental Day and International Conference of Mayors, June 1-5. See next week's updates for a list of events, or go to our website: www.sfgreenparty.org This Week: ********************************************************** News: 5/25: Plastic Bags Are Suffocating Us ********************************************************** Events: - 5/26: Politics and Jazz Announcements: - Formation of Animal Rights Working Group - Formation of Youth Working Group - Become A Sustainer! ********************************************************** Plastic Bags Are Suffocating Us! Charles Kalish The Plastic Bag Industry has begun an intensive public relations campaign. They want to stop legislation that would eliminate the plastic bag problem in San Francisco. They are clever, crafty, and, of course, well-funded. The truth is that plastic bags are a worldwide environmental disaster. The second truth is that countries around the world are successfully eliminating plastic bags from their shopping cultures. Plastic bags are a lot worse than we ever could have imagined. It's hard to believe that they only arrived on the shopping scene about 25 years ago. Now, between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year according to Vincent Cobb, founder of reuseablebags.com. Read the whole article at http://www.sfgreenparty.org/ ********************************************************** "Politics and Music" Thursday, May 26 7-9 p.m. Bliss Bar, 4026 24th St. Join Jazz Musician & Jazz Historian Marcus Shelby with SF School Board President and Jazz Fan Eric Mar in a discussion on how music impact U.S. politics. Thursday, May 26 from 7-9 p.m., Bliss Bar at 4026 24th Street (Noe). Free. For more information, call Kim Knox at (415) 290-2706. ********************************************************** Announcements: ************************************************************ ATTENTION ANIMAL-LOVING GREEN PARTY MEMBERS I am seeking people to start an animal working group with in the San Francisco Green Party. The mission of this group would be to become a voice for animals in the Green Party, and support, work with, and represent animal advocacy groups such as In Defense of Animals (www.idausa.org). Ecological wisdom is one of the Green Party's Ten Key Values. According to the Green Party of California's platform on ecology and earth stewardship, this also includes treating animals well and respecting their needs (http://cagreens.org/platform/ecology.htm#ethical). Let's live up to this promise! Of course, I'm open any kind of ideas and suggestions on how we can make this happen. To contact me, I can be emailed at rclord@seaserpent.com - Rosalind Lord ************************************************************ STUDENTS, TEENS, ALL YOUNG PEOPLE! Under 30? Feeling left out of the decision-making process? Have some really cool ideas? Want to talk about issues that matter to you? Want to have fun and be heard? Now is your chance! Did you know that one of the Green Party's goals is *promoting* youth empowerment? It's time to speak up and tell us what *you* want! We are looking for more young people to take part in active membership in the San Francisco Green Party. Not 18 yet? Not a problem- all you need to do is say that you identify with us, and you're in! We plan to meet one night a month somewhere in the city, hang out, have fun, and talk about issues important to youth today. We're still looking for people, so e-mail your suggestions to Nicole Walter (ladypest@hotmail.com) with the subject "Youth WG" in the title. This week's topics: Event Ideas for World Environment Day Newcomer "Pizza and Movie Night" at local colleges ************************************************************ Become a Green Party sustainer! As you may already know, the SFGP is supported by our wonderful 175 and growing sustaining donors. In the next 12 months we plan to double that figure, and you can help us achieve our goal by signing up to make a regular contribution to the Green Party. As a sustainer, we will add you to our list of donors who make recurring credit/debit card contributions averaging $10 per person per month. Already our sustainer program nearly pays all of our basic monthly operating expenses including rent and utilities on the office, and drastically reduces the amount of work needed to raise money thereby freeing us up to do what we're really here for - to pursue Green values through the democratic system. This program also ensures that we are able to keep our office, which has hosted numerous campaigns' headquarters including the successful Prop A, Instant Runoff Voting initiative. You can become a sustainer online or call (415) 701-7090 for more info on how to become a sustainer. ************************************************************ For more info on our activities, please see our website, http://www.sfgreenparty.org. You can also email us questions at info@sfgreens.org. To send us news items (short blurb please, plain text only) for possible inclusion in the newsletter, email news@sfgreens.org. Please don't put these addresses on mailing lists; messages not specifically addressed to us won't go through.