Green Party of California sympathizes with Japanese people, expresses concern for safety of California, supports dismantling all nuclear power plants and shift to 'greener, safer power sources'

The Green Party of California Monday expressed its "deepest sympathies" with the people of Japan after last week's earthquake and tsunami disaster, and the possible nuclear catastrophe that may engulf Japan and parts of the rest of the world - including California, which may be one of the first mainland states to be effected by radiation from a Japanese meltdown.

"We express our deepest sympathies for the people of Japan. The Japanese became the only people to suffer from an attack on cities using atomic bombs. It is indeed horrifying that this island nation is again the victim of humankind's shortsightedness," said Laura Wells, the 2010 Green Party candidate for governor in California.
 
"The idea that nuclear fission reactions could be used to produce power for peaceful purposes has been shown to be wishful thinking, because there is nothing peaceful about a power source that is unsafe for people and the environment," added Wells, who said the Green Party's platform calls for all nuclear plants around the globe to be dismantled.
 
"This is a wake-up call. We need to transition to renewable, non-toxic, non-radioactive sources like solar, wind, wave, biomass-waste, industrial hemp and geothermal. Every single region in every single country has access to at least one of these - we need green economies now. No one should have to face the horror of nuclear meltdown in the throes of a natural disaster - its incomprehensible," said Kendra Gonzales, GPCA Campaigns and Campaigns Working Group co-chair.
 
"This is a warning not to locate nuclear reactors in earthquake zones like California, which derives 20 percent of its energy from nuclear reactors. We must use alternative sources of energy like solar, wind, tidal, geothermal power, and hydro power," added Shane Que Hee, GPCA Platform co-chair.
 
"The Green Party of California believes grassroots democracy and conservation to be two of the most underutilized energy sources available to humankind, everywhere. We share one planet, we share one global future," added Wells.
 
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Contacts:
Laura Wells, Spokesperson, 510.504.4254, lwells@cagreens.org
Derek Iversen, Spokesperson, 323.481.8984, diversen@cagreens.org 
Cres Vellucci, Press Secretary, 916.996.9170, cvellucci@cagreens.org
 
The Green Party of California
PO Box 2828
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
 
County: 
Statewide