We all know the truth. Our planet is dying. Climate change is a major ecological crisis.

Glaciers and polar ice shelves are crumbling. Species are being eradicated at record numbers. Air pollution kills about two million people prematurely each year. Water supplies are drying up, while water systems are being sold off to big corporations concerned only with expanding their profits. And it turns out that lead poisoning may well be a major cause for violent crime.

Meanwhile, our nation keeps building new coal plants, even though they are the most destructive way to meet our energy needs. Some government leaders are pushing dangerous new nuclear power plants.

There is a way to make a sharp break from this madness. Immediately. We can make drastic changes quickly to avert global catastrophe is we take matters in our own hands. Our elected leaders are making too many compromises.

In 2010, let’s run for office and win. Our top priority must be protecting our planet from global warming.

It’s up to us because we, Greens, believe life, diversity, justice and grassroots democracy are more important than corporate profits and business as usual. We won’t compromise.

Here’s the Green Change platform for our 2010 candidate team:

The global climate crisis is likely the defining challenge of our generation. We are ready to lead the way to save our planet.

We believe, as does the IPCC, that the world must reduce emissions aggressively — 25-40% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels — to have a 50/50 chance of avoiding runaway climate change.

To forestall disaster, we call for a halt in increases in greenhouse gas emissions, and then reducing these emissions 90% by 2050.

As a nation, with less than 5% of the world’s population, we consume 22% of the world’s energy resources. That must change.

Greens support a decisive shift away from coal, oil, and nuclear power, towards clean and renewable energy such as wind, solar, ocean power, geothermal and small-scale hydropower. Republicans and Democrats do not.

We call for extensive energy conservation efforts, to reduce energy consumption by 50% in 20 years. Republicans and Democrats do not.

We call for a Manhattan Project-level of commitment to developing clean renewable energy technologies.

To jumpstart the solar market, we call for massive federal, state and local investment in solar cells on government buildings.

Unlike Democrats and Republicans, we are opposed to nuclear power. The prospect of a radioactive catastrophe is ever-present, and there is no safe way to dispose of the radioactive waste.

We call for early retirement of nuclear reactors in less than five years, no new nuclear plants, and an end to all corporate welfare for the nuclear industry.

We also support a ban on new coal-fired power plants, and phasing out of electrical production by the burning of coal.

Much of the solution to climate change is at the local level. We support massive subsidies for the growth of mass transit, as well as more bike lanes, bike paths and auto-free zones.

We support major changes in agriculture. We call for a dramatic expansion of organic farming. We want to shift price supports and subsidies away from industrial agriculture to organic agriculture, small family farms and cooperatives.

We want environmental justice. That means no new siting of toxic chemical or waste facilities in areas already contaminated.

We support a shift away from the use of toxic chemicals, and towards an industrial system based on clean production.

We call for a halt on all industrial timber cutting and clear-cutting on federal and state public lands.

We want to end the scandalous giveaway of our nation’s mineral wealth to mining corporations.

Do you agree with our platform? Will you consider joining our team of candidates? http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1488/...

The Democratic and Republican parties are failing our planet and our children with hollow promises and watered-down policies.

Greens have clear, decisive solutions. Greens don’t just hope for a cleaner environment. We have a detailed plan to create one. Greens have the focus and commitment to implement our plan.

Be the change. Consider running for office. We will help you.

http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1488/...

If you are interested in learning more about our candidate team, please contact me. My phone number is 503-313-7919. My email address is marnie@greenchange.org.

Together we can transform power and politics in our country.

http://network.greenchange.org/blogs/10587-protect-mother-earth-run-for-office