Reality-based economics
Attention business owners!
By Deirdre Helfferich
Green Party of Alaska

During the 2004 election, many people discovered to their horror that the businesses they dealt with donated large sums to political parties and candidates that were anathema to their values. The Democrats responded by founding the Buy Blue website, a site that lists businesses that donate to the Democratic Party. The rhetoric around political donation became heated during 2004, but both the Democrats and the Republicans were, essentially, playing the same economic game they've always played, and the basic idea of what an economy should be remained unchanged.

A new website on Green economics challenges that old concept of economics and provides Greens a way to connect their politics with their money in every financial transaction. Envisioned as a national directory of businesses owned by Green party members, www.tygreens/greenbiz.html provides an overview of the Green economy and the sixth key value of the GP-US: Community-Based Economics and Economic Justice. Links to businesses owned by Greens, organized by broad category and state, follow a list of various groups working to create a green economy. 

The directory serves as a listing of economic resources for Green Party members and those interested in sustainable economics. It includes links to sites on socially responsible investing and sustainable economics, such as the Green Economics Institute, Co-Op America, the International Society for Ecological Economics, the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Green Business Network and the Sustainable Business Network.

The business listing is different from other green business directories in that it is devoted exclusively to businesses owned by Green Party members, so Greens can support each other financially and demonstrate our shared vision of a working, healthy, reality-based economy. This listing is still small, but continues to grow and may eventually provide a powerful way for Greens to network and to demonstrate the financial strength and breadth of a green economy.

Green Party members may submit their business listing to business@tygreens.org. Listing is free. Include name of business, address, phone number, website and e-mail if applicable, a brief description of the services or items offered (no more than 30 words) and Green affiliation.

REFERENCES:

Green-Owned Businesses: 
www.tygreens.org/greenbiz.html 

Green Party of the United States' platform plank on economics: 
gp.org/platform/2004/economics.html#241542 

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