Economic and Environmental Exploitation Linked

• The Green Party believes that the same ideas and institutions that cause the oppression of people also cause the unsustainable exploitation of the environment. Both reflect an alienated social system. Efforts to eliminate racism, sexism, bureaucracy and war are intimately linked with efforts to achieve an environmentally sustainable society.
  
  

Left, Not Right

• The Greens hold dear the traditional values of the Left -- namely, freedom, equality, and solidarity. The party wants to create a truly democratic society without social domination or class exploitation. It believes that to survive, society must achieve environmental sustainability. To achieve environmental sustainability, society must have a true democracy.
  
  

Universal Social Security

• One of the most controversial elements of the party's thinking must be its call for a system of taxable basic income grants to be made available to everyone. The grants would be distributed through the progressive income tax system. The grants would be set at a level that guarantees enough income to sustain a modest standard of living. Specifically, a four-person household would receive at least $500 per week with adjustments of up to $62.50 per week for larger households, both these figures being based on year 2000 values indexed to a current value by the cost of living.
  
  

Jobs for All

• The party believes all adult citizens should be guaranteed the right to a job. It would secure full employment by sponsoring community-based public works and community service job programs, federally funded but managed by the local community.
  
  

Living Wage and a 30-Hour Work Week

• Finally, two other important planks to its platform are support for a higher minimum wage and a 30-hour work week. In order to support a better family life, the party would introduce a minimum wage of $12.50 per hour, this being a year 2000 value to be indexed to a current value by the cost of living. It would also introduce a six-hour work day with no cut in pay for workers with the lowest 80 percent of pay rates.