It’s hard to say how life is different under Green government. To find out I called several Greens and non-Greens in Sabastapol and Arcata, CA. Both towns have a Green majority on city council.

So, what do Green cities look like? In many ways they look a lot like York County. Both these cities are smaller, under 20,000 folks. Both have a diverse economic base that includes important agricultural interests. One has a small University, and like York County, both the city and campus try hard to find common ground.

What does Green government look like? City police departments using hybrid cars for their fleet. Water treatment plants that use reed beds to pre-filter the water. City parks and landscaping free of pesticides and fertilizers. A unionized work force that gets along with city leaders. The people I spoke to seemed quite happy under Green leadership.

In fact, the most common answer I got when talking to people in these towns was “Things are pretty good here.” Maybe not the resounding “It’s paradise on Earth” I might have preferred. Even so, if the Chamber of Commerce thinks you’re doing a pretty good job of handling economic development, well, that seems pretty good. This is especially true when you know that development is focused on local community needs and getting along with nature instead of dominating it.

The Green Party is founded on four pillars: Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Ecology and Non-violence. These cities have made strides in each of these areas. From programs designed to treat homeless people with respect to city owned forests to new voices appointed to community boards to training in conflict resolution and consensus building, government in these Green cities looks a bit different, but not something alien.

Greens who had been meeting to discuss global or national issues decided to take the next step and run for local office. Going door-to-door seems to be the common thread in their elections. With little money to run sophisticated campaigns, Greens have had to depend on shoe leather, both their own and their supporters.

I heard one thing loud and clear: It doesn’t take a lot of people to have a big impact.

How many folks would it take to elect a Green majority to the City Council? More in Rock Hill than in McConnells, fewer in Sharon than in Clover, but overall, the consensus of Greens I have spoken with is, York County Greens will need a core of about a dozen people working on every successful campaign for local office. That means that a dozen people working hard together might be able to elect a Green to the City Council in Rock Hill. Maybe as few as five could elect someone in York. It’s possible that two people, working hard and with teamwork, could win a seat in Hickory Grove.

So, what does all this mean? It means that you can have the government you want; a government that defends the environment, promotes non-violence, creates social justice, and pushes grassroots democracy. A government that puts your children ahead of corporate profits. A government that spends money wisely, providing for our parents and families the benefits of living in a free society. Quality education and health care. A government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” instead of government “of the bureaucrats, by the corporations, and for the rich.”

The Green Revolution:

It has to start somewhere. It has to start sometime. What better place than here. What better time than now? Join us.